Pressure Characteristics and Flow Patterns for a Porous Self-Circulating Hydrodynamic Bearing Available to Purchase

This paper presents the behavior of a porous cylindrical bearing that has a self-contained system that excludes the action of an external circulating pump for the lubricating fluid. The bearing contains a stationary porous bushing whose inner surface faces the active space of the bearing while the outer one faces a wrap-around reservoir. Under the cam-like effect of the eccentric shaft the fluid circulates in and out of the bearing clearance and reservoir respectively, without the help of an outside pump. The circulating mechanism is described and numerically simulated. The corresponding pressure profiles and flow patterns are also shown and discussed. The physical implementation of such a bearing system would lead to complete elimination of significant portions of the bearings lubricating circuit.