THERMO-ELASTO-HYDRODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF A CRANKSHAFT JOURNAL BEARING

摘要

This paper summarizes the essential parts of a numerical analysis activity in which the application of the Thermo-Elasto-Hydro-Dynamic (TEHD) lubrication theory to a crankshaft journal bearing is examined. The study is carried out through numerical computations performed by a commercial flexible-multibody code which simulates the lubricated contact between elastic bodies in large displacement motion. A multibody model has been created and its thermal behaviour has been validated by comparison with experimental temperatures. The validated model is used to perform two comparative analyses between the TEHD modelling and the Elasto-Hydro-Dynamic (EHD) modelling for max torque and max power conditions. A parametric analysis is also performed in which some functional parameters of the bearing (such as journal speed and bearing clearance) are varied and the influence of these variations on reliability (damage parameters) and performances (lost power) of the bearing is monitored.