Abstract
A new method on the discretization of the steady gas-lubricated Reynolds equation is presented. The present method is derived by applying the boundary-ditted coordinates system to the divergence formulation method. Generalized algebraic equations for node pressures derived from the present method can be widely used to represent arbitrary film configuration and arbitrary bearing shape. This algebraic equation is shown by the separation of three components: the Poiseuille flow; the Couette flow; the correcting component of slip flow by rarefaction of the gas. The Couette flow component is discretized by a new upstream scheme derived from an extension of the simple upstream scheme, and the other components are discretized by an approximation of linearized distribution. Discretization of four representative boundary conditions are shown. Examples on a herringbone grooved journal bearing used in a misaligned large eccentricity and a small number of grooves are shown.
