CFD analysis of Effect of journal bearing lubricated with non-Newtonian fluid

Abstract The present paper deals with the CFD analysis of hydrodynamic bearing lubricated with a non-Newtonian fluid and the non-Newtonian behaviour of lubricant is represented by a power-law. Bearing parameters such as fluid film pressure and load-carrying capacity are determined by varying the power-law index (n) in terms of its viscosity from 0.8 to 1.2 under steady-state conditions through the CFX 17.2 software module and the flow model opted as Laminar based on Reynolds number calculation as per the geometry developed for the simulation. The relationship between the pressure and load-carrying capacity are also obtained for different relative clearance, revolution per minute and L/D ratio. Fluid film pressure profile was drawn by varying input parameters at different power-law index for understanding the performance of HDB under different regimes i.e. dilatant, Newtonian and pseudoplastic fluids. Plots were also created between Pressure, load carrying capacity and power law index to study the performance of HDB. This has been observed that the bearings lubricated with dilatant fluid (n >1) have higher pressure and load carrying capacity as compared to those lubricated with pseudoplastic fluid (n < 1). Occurrences of cavitation were also seen at lower angle with increases in power law index for 0.0006 relative clearance but increases at 0.0008.