Instability of Oil Film in Thrust Bearings : Observation of the Cross Section of the Oil Film

Abstract

This paper presents a new observation method for the oil film flow of the thrust bearings by using the fluorescent microspheres and the structure of the vortex generated in the instability regions of the lubricant fluid film. In the oil film of the thrust bearings operating in high surface speed, there are type I and type II instability. By using powder of barium-sulfate and fluorescent microshpeeres as a tracer, cross section of the oil film flow are observed. As a results, it is clarified that the type I instability is a ring like vortex and type II instability is divided into upper and lower part.