The aim of this paper is to propose a design idea for an infinite journal bearing with the optimized slip zone on the bearing sleeve surface.
The approach is to use finite element analysis and the quadratic programming algorithm to study the performance of the journal bearing with a slip zone on the sleeve surface. The fluid film pressure and slip velocity can be obtained in one solution step.
A journal bearing with a slip zone on the sleeve surface produces many different advantages over the traditional journal bearing. Even in a parallel sliding gap there is still a considerable large load support, but a very low friction drag. The effect of the enhancement of such a slip wedge on the journal bearing performance is much greater at a small eccentricity ratio than at a large eccentricity ratio. Numerical analyses indicate that the location and size of the slip zone greatly affect the journal performance. When the eccentricity ratio ϵ=0.8, the maximum load support is increased by ∼19 per cent and surface friction coefficients reduced by ∼35 per cent and ∼42 per cent at shaft and sleeve surfaces, respectively.
The paper shows how the present concept can be used to design not only a journal bearing but also a thrust bearing with a slip wedge.
