Numerical Simulation of Flow in Dynamically Loaded Journal-Bearing by Vorticity-Stream Function and Moving Grid Method

Abstract

The vorticity-stream function formulation is extended to simulate the flow in dynamically loaded journal bearing by using the pressure single-valuedness condition. The computational grid moves according to the motion of journal in the bearing. The motion of journal is due to the gravity and fluid force. The decoupling motion between fluid and solid is simulated by applying the finite difference method to the Navier-Stokes equation instead of the Reynolds equation which is used to the numerical analysis of the journal-bearing flow problem so far. The present results show an excellent agreement with results using the method applying the moving spectral element method to the Navier-Stokes equation, so that effectiveness of the present method is verified.