Experimental investigation of squeeze flow in bearing

• Main Author: Tan, Vincent Rong Shun.
• Other Authors: Wong Yew Wah
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering::Fluid mechanics
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/16207
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This project investigates the squeeze film effect of various film thicknesses between discs with spiral groove designs. Spiral groove generates pressure rise across the bearing. The pressurized film gives the bearing load stiffness and capacity. Experimental investigations were carried out for two different types of bearing. Detail evaluation on spiral groove design was implemented in the experiments that were suggested by Muijderman. Experiments 1 and 2 make use of the rotating disc with extended thickness and float disc to evaluate the pressure generation across the spiral grooves. In experiment 1, four thicknesses of film were examined and further five thicknesses in experiment 2. Pressure generations, film thicknesses, temperature variations and rotational speed were further analyzed. It was observed that greater pressures were obtained in experiment 1. Further studies were made on results of experiment 2 and found that the float disc could only be elevated for a certain minimum total film thickness set and rotational speed. Greater film thickness and temperature variation are amplified if the total film thickness and rotational speed increases. Furthermore, the upper film thickness fluctuation also increases when the rotational speed increases. In addition to the squeeze film effect, the centrifugal effects on various speeds and fluid film thickness were also evaluated. The results shown that the maximum pressure generated reduces when the fluid film thickness increases. It was realized that the squeeze film effect based on pressure generation is more significant than centrifugal effect.