ARTICLE IN PRESS

Tribology International 40 (2007) 453–458

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Temperature profile of an elliptic bore journal bearing

P.C. Mishraa,b,, R.K. Pandeyb, K. Athreb
a
Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK
b
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi-110016, India
Received 20 January 2006; received in revised form 17 April 2006; accepted 24 April 2006
Available online 9 June 2006

Abstract

Non-circularity in bearing bore is obvious due to manufacturing irregularities like eccentricity in tool and job axis, small-amplitude
vibration during machining, etc. But design relations/charts in journal bearing are based on bore circularity concept. Hence in reality
non-circularity in bearing bore is bound to occur. The non-circularity in this paper is assumed to be elliptical and the numerical solution
of Reynolds equation and Energy equation has been carried out for an elliptic bore journal bearing to outline the temperature profile.
A comparison is made with the circular case to analyse the effect of this irregularity. The energy equation is solved adiabatically.
r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Elliptic bore; Journal bearing; Temperature profile; Film thickness; Pressure

1. Introduction
Reason and Narang [1] have presented a simple
technique for the rapid design of steady-state journal
bearing. This technique is amendable to hand calculator
use. The results are compared with the numerical solutions
for the relevant design parameters. Bearing designers can
utilize this technique over a wide range of (L/D) ratio with
great accuracy. Crosby [2] has investigated the perfor-
mance of a journal bearing with a slightly irregular bore by
assuming the bore to be elliptical and developed the
governing equation in that case.
Jang and Chang [3] have presented the adiabatic
solutions for a finite-width hydrodynamic journal bearing
with non-Newtonian lubricant using power-law model. The
oil film viscosity is taken as a function of temperature
according to exponential law. The performance character-
istics are obtained for various values of non-Newtonian
power-law index. Barwell has developed an ampirical
relation of temperature and pressure considering the
thermal equilibrium of plain journal bearing [4,5]. Pinkus
and Bupara [9] have carried out adiabatic solution for
finite-width journal bearing.
Based upon the observation of above literature it has
been realized that inclusion of bore irregularity in film
thickness expression can be more realistic in predicting the
various parameters of a journal bearing to better accuracy.
It should not be confused here as elliptic bearing which is
the lobe bearing made for the particular purpose. In this
case ellipticity is a irregularity present in a bearing. Such
bearing is the approximation of shape in form of an ellipse
to consider mathematically the bore irregularity found in
common circular bearing because of manufacturing in-
accuracy and/or wear over a period of time of the bearing
operation. This irregularity changes the load-carrying
capacity by developing more than one reduced positive
pressure zones, and hence a study to predict the
performance due to non-circularity of the bore is essential
and lead to this paper (circular bore being only a
theoretical possibility). Fig. 1 below shows an elliptic bore
bearing.

Corresponding author. Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufac- 2. Isothermal pressure computation for elliptic bore bearing
turing Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11
3TU, UK. Tel.: +44 7833991888/7971382690; fax: +44 1509 227 648. Based on the geometry the non-dimensional film
E-mail address: P.C.Mishra@lboro.ac.uk (P.C. Mishra). thickness is predicted by Crosby [2] for global orientation

0301-679X/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.triboint.2006.04.009
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
454 P.C. Mishra et al. / Tribology International 40 (2007) 453–458


Nomenclature Tratio temperature ratio ¼ ðT
T 0 Þ=T 0
U journal velocity, m/s
A,B,E,F parameters substituted in energy equation X coordinate in the direction of relative motion
C radial clearance, mm z axial coordinate

Cp lubricant specific heat, J/kg 1C Z non-dimensional axial coordinate ¼ 2z=l
d journal diameter, mm
e eccentricity Greek letters
episothermal error for convergency of isothermal pressure
epthermal error for convergency of thermal pressure a inclination of major axis
with load line, radian

adissipation
dissipation
2 number ¼ ð2pN ÞZ0 bthermal rC p
eT error for convergency of temperature

 R=c Þ
G non-circularity coefficient ¼ ðRmax
Rmin Þ=c
e eccentricity ratio
h dimensional film thickness (¼ Hc),
mm b length–diameter ratio (¼ L/D)
H non-dimensional film thickness ¼ 1 þ G cos2
bthermal viscosity temperature index
ðy
aÞ þ e cosðy
fÞÞ
d ratio of Rmax to Rmin
L bearing length, mm
Z local viscosity, Pa S
N rpm  Z0 reference viscosity, Pa S

p dimensional pressure, N mm22
Z̄ non-dimensional viscosity
 3 ¼ Z=Z0
P non-dimensional pressure, pC Zo r lubricant density, kg m
rb bearing radius, mm
y angular location of the film with respect to load
rj journal radius, mm
line, rad
Rmaj major radius of bearing, mm
C clearance ratio
Rmin minor radius of bearing, mm
f attitude angle, rad
T temperature at a point, 1C
x ratio of bearing dimension
T0 initial lubricant temperature, 1C
o angular velocity, rad/s
T̄ non-dimensional temperature ¼ bthermal
ðT
T 0 ÞÞ

Line of Centers
Φ
Load Line
α

Major axis orientation

Bearing line Elliptic bore

Minor axis orientation

rb

Journal
θ

aj
Rm

ob
Φ)
(θ−

o
in
ω Rm
M

,y)
p(x

rj
h

Fig. 1. Elliptic Bore Journal Bearing Schematic.

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P.C. Mishra et al. / Tribology International 40 (2007) 453–458 455

Film Profile for Elliptic Bore

3.5

Non-dimensional Film Thickness

2.5

1.5

0.5 G=0.0 G=0.3 G=0.8 G=2.0

G=0.1 G=0.5 G=1.0 G=3.0
0
1 11 21 31 41 51 61 71 81 91
Node Theta (Direction of rotation)

Fig. 3. Non-dimensional film profile for elliptic bore.

Elliptic bore Pressure Profile (Epslon = 0.1)

0.6

Non-dimensional Pressure 0.5

G=0.0
0.4 G=0.1
G=0.3
G=0.5
0.3 G=0.8
G=1.0
0.2 G=2.0
G=3.0

0.1

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
-0.1
Node theta (Direction of rotation)

Fig. 4. Non-dimensional pressure profile for elliptic bore.

Fig. 2. Flow Chart for Pressure Computation.

3. Adiabatic analysis of energy equation to compute
expression for temperature profile
as follows:
The Reynolds equation for thermal analysis is
H ¼ 1 þ G cos2 ðy
aÞ þ e cosðy
fÞ. (1)
   2  
Hence the non-dimensional form of Reynolds Equation q H 3 qP D q H 3 qP qH
þ ¼6 . (3)
will be as follows: qy Z̄ qy L qZ Z̄: qZ qy
   
q qP 1 q qP qH As per Jang and Chang [3] the modified form of energy
H3 þ 2 H3 ¼6 . (2)
qy qy b qz qZ qy equation is
 
The numerical solution of the above Eq. (2) is achieved qT̄ D qT̄ Z̄
A þB ¼ adissipation 2 ðE þ F Þ, (4)
using following flow chart in Fig. 2. qy L qZ H
The pressure obtained in first validated for a standard
circular case with Reason and Narang [1] and found to be where
matching and encouraging. Hence the non-dimensional  
1 1 H 2 qP
film profile and pressure for various cases of non- A¼
,
2 12 Z̄ qy
circularity has been plotted in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively.
It is clear from Fig. 4, the pressure is getting reduced and or
also getting duplicated with increasing non-circularity of  
0.3, which is an obvious sign of decreasing load-carrying 1 1 H 2 qP
A¼
, (5)
capacity. 2 12 e
T̄ qy
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456 P.C. Mishra et al. / Tribology International 40 (2007) 453–458

  
1 D H 2 qP Rearranging Eq. (9),
B¼
,   
12 L Z̄ qZ 1 qT̄ 1 2 qP qT̄ 1 2 qP qT̄

eT̄ H þ H
2 qy 12 qy qy 12b2 qZ qZ
or  2  2

2T̄
30e 30 2 qP 30 2 qP
  2  ¼ þ H þ H ,
1 D H qP H2 12 qy 12b2 qZ
B¼
, (6)
12 L e
T̄ qZ or
 
30

 1 2 qP qT̄ 1 2 qP qT̄
1
2T̄ þ 1 þ T̄ H þ H
Z  2 H2 12 qy qy 12b2 qZ qZ
1
1 H 2 qP " (  2  2 )#
E¼ 1
ð1
2xÞ dx, 1 qT̄ 30 2 qP 30 qP
0 2 Z̄ qy ¼
H þ 2
H2 ,
2 qy 12 qy 12b qZ
or or
" (     2 )# 
1qT̄ 30 2 qP 2 30 2 qP 1 2 qPqT̄ 1 2 qP qT̄ 30

H þ H
H þ H þ 2
2 qy 12 qy 12b2 qZ 12 qy qy 12b2 qZ qZ H
T̄ ¼   . (10)
1 2 qPqT̄ 1 2 qP qT̄ 60
H þ H

12 qy qy 12b2 qZ qZ H2
 2
1 H4 qP Following convergence criteria has been adapted for
E ¼1þ , (7) computing the temperature:
12 e
2T̄ qy
Pn Pm

Kþ1 K

i j
P i;j
P i;j

Z  n
1 Errorpiso thermal ¼

1
1 H 2 qP Pn Pm

Kþ1

p0:005. (11)
F¼ ð1
2xÞ
1
i j
Pi;j

0 2 Z̄ qy
   2 2 Pn Pm

Kþ1

1 D H qP


ð1
2xÞ dx, i j
Pi;j
PKi;j

2 L Z̄ qZ Errorpthermal ¼ Pn Pm

Kþ1

p0:02. (12)
i j
Pi;j

or
 2  2 Pn Pm

Kþ1 K

1 H qP i j
T i;j
T i;j

F¼
12 be
T̄ qZ
. (8) ErrorT ¼ Pn Pm
Kþ1
p0:02.


(13)
i j
T i;j

Using the empirical relation

The errors are chosen which are satisfactory for all the
  range of non-circularity and eccentricity ratios. Above
ð2pNÞZ0 bthermal R 2
adissipation ¼ , error criteria are the lowest values which satisfies all the
rC p c case. Numerical solution has been achieved in through an
adissipation ¼ 30:0 as per Jang and chang [3], which is iterative process using the above convergence criteria and
estimated from following bearing operation condition and
70
lubricant characteristics:
 60
Temperature (in degree C)

N ¼ 1000 rpm; r ¼ 881:6 kg m3 ; C p ¼ 1840 J=ðkg  CÞ,

50
Z0 ¼ 0:0416 Pa S and bthermal ¼ 0:0315  C
1 .
40
Putting values of A,B,E and F above in Eq. (4) gives
30 G=0.0
  2    2   G=0.3
1 1 H qP qT̄ 1 H qP qT̄ 20 G=0.5


G=0.8
2 12 e qy
T̄ qy 12b2 e qZ

T̄ qZ 10 G=1.0
(   ) G=3.0
30e
2T̄ 1 H 4 qP 2 0
¼ 1þ
H2 12 e
2T̄ qy 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
!     Theta (Degree)
30e
2T̄ 1 H 2 qP 2
þ . ð9Þ Fig. 5. Temperature profile along the direction of rotation, e ¼ 0.1,
H2 12 be
T̄ qZ
b ¼ 0.5.
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
P.C. Mishra et al. / Tribology International 40 (2007) 453–458 457

the temperature profile has been validated with Jang and 90

Chang [3] and has found to be encouraging. Figs. 5–7 80
1.16
shows the temperature variation along the direction of 70 1.14
rotation.

Direction of Rotation
60 1.12

4. Analysis of result 50 1.1

40
1.08
From the above figures it is clear that the presence of 30
non-circularity encourages the temperature reduction and 1.06
20
1.04
60 10

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Temperature (in degree C)

50
Axial Direction
40
Fig. 9. Temperature contour plots, b ¼ 1.0, e ¼ 0.1, G ¼ 0.1.
30 G=0.0
G=0.3
20 G=0.5 90
G=0.8 1.13
G=1.0 80 1.12
10
G=3.0 70 1.11

Direction of Rotation
0 1.1
60
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 1.09
50
Theta (Degree) 1.08
40 1.07
Fig. 6. Temperature profile along the direction of rotation, e ¼ 0.1, 1.06
30
b ¼ 1.0. 1.05
20
1.04
60 10 1.03

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Temperature (in degree C)

50
Axial Direction
40
Fig. 10. Temperature contour plots, b ¼ 1.0, e ¼ 0.1, G ¼ 0.3.
30
G=0.0 90
G=0.3 1.13
20
G=0.5 80 1.12
G=0.8 1.11
70
Direction of Rotation

10 G=1.0
1.1
G=3.0 60
0 1.09
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 50 1.08
Theta (Degree) 40 1.07

30 1.06
Fig. 7. Temperature profile along the direction of rotation, e ¼ 0.1, 1.05
b ¼ 2.0. 20
1.04
10 1.03
90
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
1.16
80 Axial Direction
70 1.14
Fig. 11. Temperature contour plots, b ¼ 1.0, e ¼ 0.1, G ¼ 0.5.
Direction of Rotation

60 1.12

50 1.1
produces cooling effect in the bearing and is operation
40
1.08 friendly but the pressure is also reduced due to the increase
30
1.06
non-circularity. Hence there should be a compromise
20 between these two governing parameters.
1.04
10 A set of contour plots of the temperature ratio T ratio is
developed for the same condition as it is for pressure
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
profile, b ¼ 1:0 and e ¼ 0:1. The entire bearing surface
Axial Direction
which is opened as a grid is divided into 94 elements in
Fig. 8. Temperature contour plots, b ¼ 1.0, e ¼ 0.1, G ¼ 0.0. the direction of rotation for entire 3601 circumference and
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
458 P.C. Mishra et al. / Tribology International 40 (2007) 453–458

90 90
1.11 1.065
80 80 1.06
1.1
Direction of Rotation

70 70 1.055

Direction of Rotation
1.09
60 1.05
60
1.08 1.045
50 50
1.07 1.04
40 1.06 40 1.035
30 1.05 30 1.03

20 1.025
1.04 20
1.02
10 1.03 10 1.015
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Axial Direction Axial Direction

Fig. 12. Temperature contour plots, b ¼ 1.0, e ¼ 0.1, G ¼ 0.8. Fig. 15. Temperature contour plots, b ¼ 1.0, e ¼ 0.1, G ¼ 3.0.

90
1.1
80 duplicated after the non-circularity of 0.3 and the
1.09
70
temperature rise is less in the case of a journal bearing
Direction of Rotation

1.08 with higher non-circularity value. This analysis is encoura-

60
1.07 ging for the future work of estimating all the parameters of
50
1.06 the bearing like load-carrying capacity, friction force,
40 1.05 coefficient of friction, flow in to the bearing and side
30 1.04 leakage. With the consideration of non-circularity and
20 1.03
bearing surface roughness the present state of bearing
10
parameter analysis can be upgraded to more significant
1.02
level and can give a more realistic parameter values and can
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 approach the experimental value.
Axial Direction

Fig. 13. Temperature contour plots, b ¼ 1.0, e ¼ 0.1, G ¼ 1.0. References

[1] Reason BR, Narang IP. Rapid design and performance evaluation of
90 steady state Journal bearing—A Technique amenable to program-
1.08 mable Hand Calculator. Trans ASLE 1981;25(4):429–44.
80
[2] Crosby WA. An investigation of performance of journal bearings with
70 1.07
slightly irregular bore. Tribol Int 1992;25(3):199–204.
Direction of Rotation

60 1.06 [3] Jang JY, Chang CC. Adiabatic analysis of finite width journal bearing
with non-newtonian lubricants. Wear 1988;122:63–75.
50 1.05 [4] Barwell FT, Lingard S. The thermal equilibrium of plain journal
40 bearing: In: Proceedings of the Leeds–Lyon Conference, Lyon,
1.04
30
September 1979. Bury St.Edmunds, England: Mechanical Engineering
1.03 Publication; 1980.
20 [5] Barwell FT. Bearing systems principle and practice. Oxford: Oxford
10 1.02 University Press; 1979.
[9] Pinkus O, Bupara C. Adiabatic solution for finite journal bearing.
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 J Lubr Technol Trans ASME 1979;101:492–6.
Axial Direction

Fig. 14. Temperature contour plots, b ¼ 1.0, e ¼ 0.1, G ¼ 2.0.

Further reading

[6] Boyd J, Raimondi A. Applying bearing theory to the analysis and

16 elements along the axial direction. The elements are
known as Node Theta and Node Z, respectively. Figs. 8–15
represents the aforesaid contour plots.
5. Conclusion
From the above analysis it is concluded that with
increasing non-circularity the pressure gets reduced and
design of journal bearing—I & II. ASME J Appl Mech 1951:298–361.
[7] Pinkus O. Analysis of journal bearing with arbitrary load vector. In:
Proceedings of the ASLE lubrication conference, 1956. p. 1213–7.
[8] Pinkus O. Solution of Reynolds equation for arbitrarily loaded
journal bearing. ASME No-60-Lub-3 1961:145–52.
[10] Hasimoto H. Dynamic characteristics analysis of short elliptical
journal bearings in turbulent inertial flow regime. Tribol Trans
1992;35(4):619–26.
[11] Hasimoto H. Optimum design of high speed short journal bearing by
mathematical programming. Tribol Trans 1997;40(2):283–93.