Performance comparison of vertical herringbone grooved journal bearings

Abstract

The performance of vertical herringbone grooved journal bearings has been experimentally conducted to investigate the effects of groove patterns on the pumping sealing of the bearings. A test rig has been designed and fabricated for this purpose, and different herringbone groove patterns on the shafts have been tested at rotational speeds of about 200-2100 rpm. The aluminium shafts are of 46.2 mm diameter and the transparent sleeve (to enable visual observation of liquid lubricant between the shafts and the sleeve) was made of a perspex pipe of 120 mm length. Pressure tappings were made on the sleeve to obtain the pressure profiles along the shafts. The asymmetrical S-L-S-L (short-long-short-long) pattern, with a groove length ratio of 4.5:5.5, and the symmetrical L-S-S-L (long-short-long-short) pattern, with a groove length ratio of 3:7, show the most promising performance among the herringbone groove patterns considered.