Multiphase Flow Simulation in the Gap of Grooved Bearing Using Sharp Interface Model

Abstract

A two-phase flow simulation was applied to the flow in the bearing gap using the level set method and the ghost fluid method, which is a sharp interface model. The immersed boundary method was used to define an object with a herringbone-shaped hydrodynamic groove. As a result, the pressure at the bearing increased as the width of the hydrodynamic groove increased. In the two-phase flow simulation, the pressure was lower than in the single-phase flow case due to forming an air region in the groove. Visualization of the particle pathlines revealed that the accumulation of lubricant in the groove is dominated by flow entrainment.