On the magnitude of load-carrying capacity of textured surfaces in hydrodynamic lubrication

This paper investigates the magnitude of the load-carrying capacity enabled by textured feature in hydrodynamic lubrication. The numerical model is a two-dimensional fixed pad bearing with a single dimple. The Reynolds equation was numerically solved using the Elrod algorithm. Two boundary conditions at the inlet and outlet were compared: a periodic boundary condition and an atmospheric boundary condition. The load-carrying capacity for the atmospheric boundary condition is negative while that for the periodic boundary condition is positive when a dimple is located at the centre of the lubricated area. The atmospheric boundary condition, when a dimple is located on the inlet side and is opened to the outside, exhibits greater load-carrying capacity than that in the enclosed dimple case.