Pressure generation in rough conical bearing using non-Newtonian Rabinowitsch fluid with variable viscosity

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the effect of surface roughness (radial and azimuthal) and viscosity variation on a squeeze film of a conical bearing with a non-Newtonian lubricant by using Rabinowitsch fluid model.

Design/methodology/approach

The main objective is to determine the stochastic nonlinear modified Reynolds equation for rough conical bearing. Later, first-order closed-form solutions are obtained using a small perturbation method and are numerically solved using the Gauss quadrature method.

Findings

The findings of this paper, numerical calculations, are analyzed for pressure, load carrying capacity and response time. The simulated results indicate that the influence of surface roughness increases the pressure, load carrying capacity and response time, whereas the viscosity variation factor decreases the pressure, load and response time.

Originality/value

According to both types of surface roughness with viscosity variation, the performance of a squeeze film rough conical bearing was improved by using Rabinowitsch fluid model. As it is inevitable to consider viscosity variation for bearing designer, it leads to a long life period of conical bearing.

Citation

Rao, P.S. and Rahul, A.K. (2019), "Pressure generation in rough conical bearing using non-Newtonian Rabinowitsch fluid with variable viscosity", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 71 No. 3, pp. 357-365. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-01-2018-0035