Temperature Profile at Pad’s Leading Edge of a Titling-Pad Journal Bearing: CFD Modeling and Experimental Validation

Tilting-pad journal bearing (TPJB) is a mechanical component that utilizes the hydrodynamic lubrication principle to support a rotating shaft in which each pad can tilt to accommodate the motion of the shaft in its equilibrium position. Within the groove, which is the space between two consecutive pads, the cold oil from the supply system mixes with the hot oil from the upstream pad. This mixing strongly influences the temperature distribution in the bearing. In the paper, a computational fluid dynamics model (CFD) is introduced to simulate the mixing process in the groove. The CFD model is integrated in a Reynolds-based thermos-hydrodynamic (THD) model of the entire bearing to simulate both the static and dynamic behavior of the bearing. The resulting temperature in the groove obtained from the coupled model is compared to experimental measurements of the temperature at the leading edge of a pad of a TPJB installed in a test-rig. The temperature is obtained by an array of temperature probes installed in the leading edge of the pad.