Abstract
This paper investigates the theoretical and experimental characteristics of a swing journal bearing at the small end of the connecting rod in reciprocating compressors for household refrigerators. Basic behavior of a swing journal bearing were measured by using a simplified bearing test apparatus and the experimental result that an oil film was hardly formed at the bearing agreed well with the theoretical result calculated using lubrication theory based on the Reynolds equation. On the other hand, the swing bearing characteristics at the small end of the connecting rod in refrigerant compressors were analyzed theoretically under various operating conditions of household refrigerators. During one revolution of the compressor, independently of the operating conditions, the eccentricity in the small end bearing was always more than 0.99 and the attitude angle of the bearing changed less than half of the swing angle of the bearing. The theoretical results of the oil film thickness changes agreed gualitatively with experimental results of the metallic contact variations measured by electrodes mounted at the bearing. All these things confirmed that the swing journal bearing at the small end of the connecting rod was under a severe lubricating condition.
