Predicted and measured bearing metal temperatures of tilting-pad journal bearings are examined. All bearings are a five-pad design with load-between-pad orientation. The two loaded pads in each bearing are instrumented with an RTD. Bearing pad metal temperatures are measured as a part of the ISO 10439 (API 617) mechanical test requirement. Bearing pad metal temperatures are predicted using thermoelastohydrodynamic (TEHD) analysis method. One particular bearing size: 4 inches (101.6 mm) diameter and 1.54 inches (39.12 mm) axial length is examined with respect to tolerance range influence on predicted pad metal temperatures including effect of bearing assembled clearance and preloads. A range of loads and speeds are investigated. Temperature variation observed for this bearing size is compared against variation in measured temperature data for three other bearing sizes (bearing sizes denoted by diameter × axial length), 2.95 inches (74.9 mm) × 1.02 inches (25.9 mm), 6 inches (152.4 mm) × 3 inches (76.2 mm), and 8 inches (203.2 mm) × 7 inches (177.8 mm).

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