Abstract
Noncircular journal bearings, such as multi-lobe, offset, stepped journal bearings, have some advantages of relatively low manufacturing costs, stability, load carrying capacity and durability as compared with full circular journal bearings, so they are used widely for supporting the high speed rotating machinery. The stabilities of noncircular journal bearings are influenced by many bearing parameters such as clearance, preload factor, length-to-diameter ratio, feed hole location etc. However, it is not clear the effects of bearing orientation angle, which is equivalent to the location of applied load line, on the stabilities of bearings. In this study, the effects of bearing orientation angle on the stabilities of rotating shaft, supported symmetrically by two identical noncircular journal bearings, are examined experimentally. It was found that the stabilities of noncircular journal bearings are improved remarkably by suitable selection of optimal bearing orientation angles.
