Numerical analysis of three lobe hydrodynamic journal bearing using CFD–FSI technique based on response surface evaluation

This work is continuation of the earlier work published on an analysis of plain cylindrical journal bearing using CFD–FSI technique. Here, the technique is applied to analyse three lobe journal bearing. The numerical simulations were carried out using ANSYS Workbench® software. The hydrodynamic pressures were computed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and structural deformations were estimated using structural module. The fluid pressure forces and displacements were transferred via inbuilt transfer interface available in the software. The optimization of the journal bearing position was carried out based on response surface optimization. The numerical results were compared with experimental results which were available in the literature, and a good agreement was found. The proposed numerical method was implemented to study the pressure distribution in three lobe journal bearing considered for study at three eccentricity ratios 0.25, 0.6 and 0.75 for various speeds ranging from 1000 to 4000 RPM in order to study effect of eccentricity ratio and speed on static pressure distribution in the bearing. Preload factor of 0.5 was considered for the study. The results were compared with a set of experimental data obtained on a test rig developed by the authors. The uncertainty analysis of the experimental results was also carried out, and all the results were found in expected range of pressure.