Mass Conserving Cavitation Effects in Squeeze-Film Journal Bearings Subjected to Fully Reversing Loads

This paper presents a study of cavitation effects associated with the performance of fluid-film journal bearings subjected to fully-reversing sinusoidal loading. Employing an established mass-conserving cavitation algorithm, it is observed that periodic time histories of journal eccentricity and maximum film pressure are strongly influenced by the process of cavitation formation and collapse. Good agreement of predicted and experimental results is obtained over a large range of loads for cavitation threshold pressure values typically associated with vapor cavitation.