Enhancing journal bearing performance through surface texturing: A comprehensive review of latest developments and future prospects

Abstract

Incorporating surface textures on the contact points substantially improve bearing performances, which is evident from burgeoning interest in this field. This study thoroughly reviews existing literature on the topic from its inception to date. We have carried out an assiduous examination of various surface microcavities to assess how well they perform in terms of load-bearing capacity, friction coefficient, and friction force. The study briefly dwells upon numerical modeling techniques and their advantages and limitations. Further, this study develops a quantitative understanding of the impact of four textures including Pocket, Line, Cross, and Dot-like texture on the bearing parameters such as coefficient of friction, film thickness, and convergence ratio at the inlet and exit. The study elucidates how various surface textured designs would affect the way a hydrodynamic journal bearing functions. The present study also examines the texture roughness pattern transverse and longitudinal sinusoidal, full, and half-wave and its influence on the hydrodynamic journal bearing performance. The study gets concluded with the finding that in the case of pocket texture, the coefficient of friction is reduced by up to 20%. Transverse and longitudinal positive full wave texture pattern increase load-bearing capacity by up to 34% and reduces friction coefficient by up to 18%.