Thrust Porous Bearing with Rough Surfaces Lubricated by a Rotem-Shinnar Fluid

In the paper the influence of both bearing surfaces roughness and porosity of one bearing surface on the pressure distribution and load-carrying capacity of a thrust bearing surfaces is discussed. The equations of motion of a pseudo-plastic fluid of Rotem-Shinnar, are used to derive the Reynolds equation. After general considerations on the flow in a bearing clearance and in a porous layer using the Morgan-Cameron approximation and Christensen theory of hydrodynamic lubrication the modified Reynolds equation is obtained. The analytical solutions of this equation for the cases of squeeze film bearing and externally pressurized bearing are presented. As a result one obtains the formulae expressing pressure distribution and load-carrying capacity. Thrust radial bearing with squeezed film is considered as a numerical example.