Separation Cavitation in Lightly Loaded Fluid Film Bearings with Both Surfaces in Motion

Abstract

For lightly loaded fluid film bearings in which gaseous cavitation occurs, application of the continuity boundary condition at the liquid-gas interface is not satisfactory. Two alternative boundary conditions have been postulated. The purpose of this paper is to examine the separation boundary condition; in particular, the effect of both bounding surfaces being in motion is studied. This situation might be used as a basis for experimental work designed to select the most appropriate boundary condition for lightly loaded bearings.

In Part 2, the boundary condition is used to analyse the cylinder-plane and journal bearing configurations. The theoretical predictions for the operating parameters are examined to see if their magnitudes and/or trends could be used for comparing the available cavitation boundary conditions.