EFFECT OF OUT-OF-ROUNDNESS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF A DIESEL-ENGINE CONNECTING-ROD BEARING

In this paper, the dynamic performance of the Ruston and Hornsby VEB diesel engine connecting-rod bearing with circular and out-of-round profiles is analyzed. The effect of cavitation is considered by using a cavitation algorithm, which mimics JFO boundary conditions. The effect of mass inertia is accounted for by solving coupled nonlinear equations of motion. The journal profiles considered are circular, elliptical semi elliptical and three lobe epicycloid. The predicted journal trajectory and other performance parameters for one complete load cycle are presented for all of the out-of-round profiles and are also compared with the predictions for the circular bearing.