A Parametric Analysis of a Reservoir-Extended Porous Slider Bearing with Self-Circulation and Cavitation Effects

This work considers a porous slider bearing fed by an external contiguous reservoir. The bearing system consists of a lubricating film, a porous medium, and the external reservoir, which runs along the entire length of the porous medium. The Darcy model is used for modeling the flow inside the porous medium. The translational velocity of the reservoir wall and porous medium, together with the convergent-divergent slider lubricating film profile, acts to pump the fluid out of and into the lubricating film and the reservoir, respectively. Cavitation effects are modeled realistically using the switch function and modified equations of the Elrod and Vijayaraghavan models. The model presented herein shows the bearing capable of supporting a load, while simultaneously the convergent/divergent film action (equivalent to an eccentric shaft in a journal bearing) helps by pumping the fluid back and forth between the lubricating region and the reservoir without the use of any external means. Thus, the concept of a bearing using its own action for the circulation of the lubricating fluid for autonomous operation has been proven to be feasible