Surface roughness effects in journal bearings with non-Newtonian lubricants

The static performance of finite journal bearings lubricated with non-Newtonian power law fluids is analyzed by using a control volume method with an Elrod algorithm to solve the average Reynolds equation and determine the cavitation region accurately. The results show that the flow behaviour index of power law fluids has an insignificant affect on the load ratios, side flow ratios and cavitation regions, while it significantly affects load capacities and side flow rates. Furthermore, the effects of film thickness ratios, pressure flow factors, shear flow factors, slenderness ratios, eccentricities and inlet pressures on the variations of cavitation regions are also discussed.