Numerical analysis on mixed lubrication performance of journal-thrust coupled microgroove bearings with different bottom shapes

The purpose of the present study is to establish a mixed lubrication model for the journal-thrust coupled microgroove bearings(also referred as coupled bearings)used for the ship shaftless rim-driven thrusters.During the hydrodynamic modelling,the coupling hydrodynamic pressure between the journal bearing and the thrust bearing is considered.The mixed lubrication performances of the microgroove journal-thrust bearing with five different bottom shapes,including rectangle,semi-ellipse,right triangle,isosceles triangle and left triangle,are compared.Based on the numerical results,the optimal microgroove bottom shape of the journal bearing and tilting angle of the thrust pad are determined.Additionally,the comparative analysis shows that the coupled bearing with left triangle microgroove bottom shape exhibits the optimal mixed lubrication performance.The numerical result also indicates that the optimal inclination angle of the thrust bearing pad is 0.01°for the current simulation case.

Numerical investigation of microtexturing rings＇ structure on the friction performance of bearing cells

We presented a numerical examination of the effect of microtexturing negative rings' structure on the tribological performance of parallel bearing couples' cell. Three mcirotexturing rings, which are circle, square and ellipse, were chosen and the analysis model were established. We used the Reynolds equation coupled with finite difference method and successive over relaxation Gauss-Seidel iterative method to solve the Newtonian flow's hydrodynamics within a bearing couple. The effect of texture density and radius ratio(thickness) of the microtexturing rings were investigated on the tribological performance under the similar operating conditions. The numerical simulation reveals that: 1) The microtexturing rings' structure can homogenize the local pressure much uniformly within the bearing cell. 2) The tribological performance is determined mainly by the microtexturing rings' geometry and texture density, and the thickness of the rings' structure can help to change the quantitative values. 3) The square and circle rings' s microtexturing surface can slightly improve the frictional performance with the bearing cells' gap, while the ellipse ring's surface may decrease the frictional performance. 4) The ellipse rings' microtexturing surface can achieve the minimum spacing gap but the maximum friction coefficient of the bearing couple, and then the circle and square rings' structure take the second and third place, respectively.

Modelling and Vibration of Gear Drive Systems Influenced by Real Face Width

Gear drives are one of the most common parts in many rotating machinery. If the gear drive runs under lower torque load, nonlinear effects like gear mesh interruption can occur and vibration is accompanied by impact motions of the gears, This paper presents an original method of the mathematical modelling of gear drive nonlinear vibrations by using the modal synthesis method with degrees of freedom number reduction. The model respects nonlinearities caused by gear mesh interruption, parametric gearing excitation caused by time-varying meshing stiffness and nonlinear contact forces acting between journals of the rolling-element bearings and the outer housing. The nonlinear model is then used for investigation of gear drive vibration, especially for constant gear mesh determination. The theoretical method is applied for investigating of test gear drive nonlinear vibration.

Flow-pipe-soil coupling mechanisms and predictions for submarine pipeline instability

The stability of a submarine pipeline on the seabed concerns the flow-pipe-soil coupling, with influential factors related to the ocean waves and/or currents, the pipeline and the surrounding soils. A flow-pipe-soil coupling system generally has various instability modes, including the vertical and lateral on-bottom instabilities, the tunnel-erosion of the underlying soil and the subsequent vortex-induced vibrations（VIVs） of free-spanning pipelines. This paper reviews the recent advances of the slip-line field solutions to the bearing capacity, the flow-pipe-soil coupling mechanism and the prediction for the lateral instability, the multi-physical coupling analysis of the tunnel-erosion, and the coupling mechanics between the VIVs and the local scour. It is revealed that the mechanism competition always exists among various instability modes, e.g., the competition between the lateral-instability and the tunnel-erosion. Finally, the prospects and scientific challenges for predicting the instability of a long-distance submarine pipeline are discussed in the context of the deep-water oil and gas exploitations.