Design and optimization of fluid lubricated bearings operated with extreme working performances-a comprehensive review

Fluid lubricated bearings have been widely adopted as support components for high-end equipment in metrology, semiconductor devices, aviation, strategic defense, ultraprecision manufacturing, medical treatment, and power generation. In all these applications, the equipment must deliver extreme working performances such as ultraprecise movement, ultrahigh rotation speed, ultraheavy bearing loads, ultrahigh environmental temperatures, strong radiation resistance, and high vacuum operation, which have challenged the design and optimization of reliable fluid lubricated bearings. Breakthrough of any related bottlenecks will promote the development course of high-end equipment. To promote the advancement of high-end equipment, this paper reviews the design and optimization of fluid lubricated bearings operated at typical extreme working performances, targeting the realization of extreme working performances, current challenges and solutions, underlying deficiencies, and promising developmental directions. This paper can guide the selection of suitable fluid lubricated bearings and optimize their structures to meet their required working performances. Design and optimization of fluid lubricated bearings operated with extreme working performances are comprehensively reviewed.Techniques related to ultra-high precision aerostatic bearings, ultra-high speed aerodynamic bearings, ultra-heavy load hydrostatic bearings and ultra-high temperature hydrodynamic bearings are all involved.Mutual problems existed in the bearing field including the characterization of the microscopic flow field, the coupling modeling of multi-physics and the management of thermal effect are discussed.Recent developments related to the adaptation of advanced materials in the bearing field, like the magnetorheological fluids, the supercritical carbon dioxide and the liquid metal, are included.Current challenges, current solutions, underlying deficiencies and promising developing directions regarding to the design and optimization of fluid lubricated bearings are systematically pointed out.