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The effect of permeability distribution on the numerical analysis of aerostatic ceramic porous bearings
Author(s) -
Nicoletti Rodrigo,
Moraes Purquerio Benedito,
Castro Silveira Zilda
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
lubrication science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.632
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1557-6833
pISSN - 0954-0075
DOI - 10.1002/ls.1184
Subject(s) - permeability (electromagnetism) , reynolds equation , porosity , mechanics , materials science , porous medium , ceramic , geotechnical engineering , reynolds number , engineering , composite material , physics , chemistry , biochemistry , membrane , turbulence
This work presents a numerical study on the effect of permeability on the static characteristics of aerostatic ceramic porous bearings. This study is important in bearing design because of the inherent permeability variation of the porous ceramic samples induced by manufacturing and sintering processes. The mathematical modelling of these bearings is based on the modified Reynolds equation, which depends on the pressure‐flow assumption (Darcy or Forchheimer) and on the static and dynamic permeability coefficients of the porous matrix. In this work, the modified Reynolds equation is numerically solved considering the variations of permeability values, whose distribution was obtained from experimental tests of the ceramic samples. Monte Carlo method is used to introduce variability in the solutions. One focuses on the effects of such variation on the results of predicted bearing loading capacity. Results show that optimum regions of the bearing load capacity do not vary significantly due to static and dynamic permeability variations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.