Analysis of Tilting Pad Journal Bearings With Heat Transfer Effects

An approximate solution technique for tilting pad journal bearings is presented. The method makes use of approximations to the axial pressure profile and the temperature profiles and includes heat transfer between the film and its boundaries. A second order profile is assumed to represent the temperature distribution across the film. The classical Reynolds equation is applied, using the viscosity based on the cross-film average of temperature. The transfer of heat in the pads is modeled as purely radial conduction, and the journal surface temperature is given by a circumferential average of the film temperatures. Results of calculations are presented for a sample case representative of an industrial compressor or turbine bearing and are compared to isothermal results. The dynamic characteristics in this case are found to vary by 10 to 35 percent for a change in lubricant inlet temperature of 28°C. Temperature distributions in the lubricant and on the surfaces of the pads are given.