Influence of Scratches on the Performance of a Partial Journal Bearing

In this paper, the influence of circumferential scratches on the thermohydrodynamic performance of a partial (lobe) journal bearing is studied. The bearing damage is characterized by four factors: the area of the scratched region, the density of the scratches within the affected area, the relative position of the scratched region and the relative depth of the wear defects. The bearing performance is characterized by minimum film thickness, average oil temperature, maximum pressure, friction torque etc., at imposed magnitude and direction of the load. A numerical hydrodynamic model with global thermal effects is used for studying the influence of the different wear related parameters on the bearing performance. The results permit to predict the overall performance loss due to the circumferential wear marks, for different wear profiles. The types of wear profiles that can lead to the bearing destruction (characterized by a critical minimum film thickness) are also investigated.