Visualization of The Internal Lubricating Oil Flow on Journal Bearing Having Two Oil Filler Port by RGB Color Model

Abstract

Journal bearings are widely used for supporting high-speed rotating machinery because of their high load carrying capacity, stability, and durability. Starved lubrication is one of a method to operate a journal bearing safely however it has the risk of the machine damage produces. In a past study, it is found that the risk can be prevented it by two oil filler port. However, the flow pattern of the lubricant in the bearing have not been proved. In addition, the relations with the rotating speed have not been cleared. Therefore this paper describes the flow visualization in the bearing by supplying the different color lubricant from two oil filler port and a method to examine the distribution of the lubricant quantitatively by RGB digitizing color model. As a result of experiment, we understood that lubricating oil quantity to supply from a port of the reverse wedge side greatly influenced the stabilization of the bearing.