Numerical study of hydrodynamic herringbone-grooved journal bearings combined with thrust bearings considering thermal effects

Hydrodynamic herringbone-grooved journal bearings (HGJBs) are analyzed by solving Navier–Stokes and energy equations. It is well known that the load capacity of hydrodynamic bearings may be affected by high temperatures and low oil viscosity. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to understand the pressure distribution of hydrodynamic HGJBs under different oil viscosity and eccentricity ratios. In this paper, 3 different configurations are studied, namely, a HGJB, a combined HGJB and thrust bearing, and a combined HGJB and grooved thrust bearing. The bearing characteristics, such as load capacity and attitude angle that vary with different eccentricity ratios, are also discussed. The results show that the load capacity of the bearing decreases with increasing temperature. The pressure difference also increases as the eccentricity ratio increases. The high-pressure region is concentrated at the tip of the groove for the HGJB. In addition, the combined HGJB and grooved thrust bearing can be used to stabilize the journal because of the low attitude angle. These findings may help and facilitate the design of hydrodynamic bearings suitable for working in warm and hot environments in the future.