Active lubrication strategies applied to dynamically loaded fluid film bearings

The feasibility of improving the conventional lubrication performance of dynamically loaded fluid film bearings using radial oil injection and using different control strategies was studied. Using controllable radial oil injection, a reduction of the friction losses, a reduction in the vibrations, and increase in effective carrying load area are expected. Two cases studies were analyzed, i.e., the upper bearing of a hermetic reciprocating compressor and the main bearing of a combustion engine. In both cases, significant increase in the minimum fluid film thickness was observed by applying controllable (active) lubrication to dynamically loaded bearings via radial oil injection. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the World Tribology Congress (Kyoto, Japan 9/6-11/2009).