Journal Bearing

Bearings:
The main function of bearing is to permit constrained relative motion of rigid parts. It is the
machine part which supports the rotating shaft, axles etc. Shaft rotates smoothly in the bearing.
Hence, loss of power due to friction is reduced. Bearing also confines the motion of shaft.
Types of bearings
Bearings are classified into two types. They are

1. Sliding contact bearings (plain bearings).

2. Rolling contact bearings (Anti-friction bearings).

Sliding contact bearings

They are also called as plain bearings. Lubricant oil film is kept between shaft and the
bearing. The mating surfaces are in sliding contact. Hence, it is known as sliding contact bearing.
It is classified into two

1. Based on oil film thickness.

2. Based on direction of load.

1. Based on thickness of lubricant oil film

It further classified into four types

a) Zero – film bearing

b) Thin – film bearing
c) Thick – film bearing (or) hydro dynamic bearing
d) Externally pressurized bearing (or) hydro static bearing.

Zero – film bearing

It does not use lubricant oil. Metal to metal contact take place. So, its application is limited.
Thin – film bearing
It is also named as boundary lubricated bearing. Even though thin oil film is lying between
mating surfaces, metal to metal contact take place.
Thick – film bearing
It is also named as hydrodynamic bearing. Thick oil film is lying between mating surfaces.
During running position, metal to metal contact does not occur. The relative motion between shaft
and bearing creates positive oil pressure which supports the load. Hence separate pump is not
required. But at the starting position, metal to metal contacts take place.
Externally pressurized bearing
 It is also named as hydro static bearing. External pump supplies oil to the bearing at high
pressure. This high pressure oil supports the load. At any position, metal to metal contact does not
occur.
2. Based on direction of load

a. Radial bearings (or) Journal bearing

b. Thrust bearings

In sliding contact bearing if load acts perpendicular to the axis of shaft, it is called journal bearing.

Shaft: Rotating part is called shaft.

Bearing: Shaft supporting member is called bearing.
Journal: The enclosed portion of shaft by the bearing is called journal.
Journal bearings
Hydrodynamic journal bearings are a bearing operating with hydrodynamic lubrication in
which the bearing surfaces are separated from the journal surface by the lubricant film.
Hydrodynamic journal bearing and a journal rotating in a clockwise direction. Journal
rotation causes pumping of the lubricant (oil) flowing around the bearing in the rotation direction. If
there is no force or load applied to the journal, its position will remain concentric to the bearing
position. However, a loaded journal will be displaced from the concentric position and forms a
converging gap between the bearing and journal surfaces.
The pumping action of the journal forces the oil to squeeze through the wedge shaped gap
generating a pressure. The pressure falls to the cavitations pressure (close to the atmospheric
pressure) in the diverging gap zone where cavitations forms.

The displacement of the shaft centre with respect to the bearing centre is known as
eccentricity. The eccentric position of the shaft is governed by the radial load carried by it and is
adjusted by itself until the load is balanced by the pressure generated in the converging lubricant
film between the bearing and the journal.
The line joining the centre joining the shaft and the sleeve centre is known as the line of
centre. The load carrying capacity depends on the amount of eccentricity (e), angular speed (ω),
viscosity of lubricant (µ), bearing dimensions and the clearance.
Types of Journal Bearings

i. Full Journal bearing

ii. Partial Journal bearing

Full journal bearing

Journal is surrounded by bearing fully. Covered angle is 360 o . It may be represented
as a cylindrical sleeve (bearing) wrapped around shaft. If the wrapping extends around the full 360 o
of the journal, it is termed as full journal bearing.

Partial journal bearing

Journal is surrounded by bearing partially. Covered angle is 120o .

Application of journal bearing [Refer to PSGDB P.NO: 7.30]

 Conveyors, Cam shafts, Motor shafts, Turbine shaft

Materials Used For Sliding Contact Bearings [Refer to PSGDB P.NO: 7.30]
All the desirable characteristics of bearing materials are not to be found to a high degree in
any particular bearing material. Hence the choice of a material for any application must represent a
compromise.

 Tine base Babbit and lead- basebabbit are in widespread use since they satisfy most
requirements for general application.
 Where loads are very high, bronze or brass bearings may be used. Bronze is an alloy of
copper and tin. This bronze bearing is suitable for heavy loads at slow speeds.
  Where high compressive and fatigue strength are required, copper, lead, and tin alloys may
be used.
 Gun metal is an alloy of copper, tin, and zinc. Gun metal bearing is suitable for high speeds.
 Nylon and rubber are used as bearing materials. It is used in water turbine bearings and
water pump bearings.

Properties of good sliding contact bearing materials [Refer to PSGDB P.NO: 7.30]
Required properties of good bearing material are given below

 To reduce wear, co-efficient of friction must be less.

 To maintain the clearance between shaft and bearing, co-efficient of thermal expansion must
be less.
 Low cost
 To adjust the alignment error, young’s modulus must be less.
 To remove the heat generated due to friction, thermal conductivity must be more.
 To prevent rusting, corrosion resistance must be high.
 To withstand hydro-dynamic pressure, compression strength must be high.
 To withstand varying load, fatigue strength must be high.

Lubricant
A lubricant (sometimes referred to as "lube") is a substance (often a liquid) introduced
between two moving surfaces to reduce the friction between them, improving efficiency and
reducing wear. It may also have the function of dissolving or transporting foreign particles and of
distributing heat.
Lubricants perform the following key functions.
 Keep moving parts apart, Reduce friction, Transfer heat, Transmit power, Protec t against
wear, Prevent corrosion, Seal for gasses, Stop the risk of smoke and fire of objects
Types of lubricants

 Solid, Semi-solid, Liquid

Lubrication
Lubrication is the process, or technique employed to reduce wear of one or both surfaces in
close proximity, and moving relative to each another, by interposing a substance called lubricant
between the surfaces to carry or to help carry the load between the opposing surfaces. The
interposed lubricant film can be a solid, a liquid, and gas.
Types of Lubrication

 Hydrodynamic Lubrication
 Hydrostatic Lubrication
 Elastro hydrodynamic Lubrication
The regimes of lubrication
As the load increases on the contacting surfaces three distinct situations can be observed with
respect to the mode of lubrication, which are called regimes of lubrication:
 Fluid film lubrication is the lubrication regime in which through viscous forces the load is
fully supported by the lubricant within the space or gap between the parts in motion relative
to one another (the lubricated conjunction) and solid-solid contact is avoided.[2]

 Hydrostatic lubrication is when an external pressure is applied to the lubricant in

the bearing, to maintain the fluid lubricant film where it would otherwise be
squeezed out.

 Hydrodynamic lubrication is where the motion of the contacting surfaces and the
exact design of the bearing is used to pump lubricant around the bearing to maintain
the lubricating film. This design of bearing may wear when started or stopped, as the
lubricant film breaks down.
HYDROSTATIC BEARINGS
Hydrostatic films are created when a high-pressure lubricant is injected between opposing
(parallel) surfaces (pad and runner), thereby separating them and preventing their coming into direct
contact. Hydrostatic bearings require external pressurization. The film is 5–50 micrometers thick,
depending on application.

Though hydrostatic lubrication does not rely on relative motion of the surfaces, relative motion
is permitted and can even be discontinuous. Figure 1 is a schematic of a hydrostatic bearing pad. To
handle asymmetric loads, hydrostatic systems generally employ several evenly spaced pads.
Hydrostatic bearings find application where relative positioning is of extreme importance. They are
also applied where a low coefficient of friction at vanishing relative velocity is required.
Lubrication of bearings
Journal bearing is lubricated for the following reasons.

 To reduce friction
 To reduce wear
 To transfer the heat due to friction
  To prevent the rusting of bearing surface.
 To prevent the damage of bearing surface.

Properties of good lubricant

The essential properties required for lubricant are

 High viscosity index, High flash point, High fire point, High corrosion resistance, Low
freezing point, Low cost.

Factor to be considered for the selection of type of bearing

While selecting the type of bearing, the following factors are considered

 Type of load, Speed of shaft, Space required, Vibrations, Temperature, Stating torque

Advantages of sliding contact bearing

 Low cost
 Silent in operation
 Long life
 Withstands shocks
 Not breaks easily
 Not affected by fatigue load
 Simple design
 Less radial space is enough
 Not damaged by impurities.

Disadvantages of sliding contact bearing

 More friction
 More loss of power
 High maintenance cost
 Large amount of lubricant is required
 Replacement is not easier
 Not operate in inclined position, and Less accuracy

Application of sliding contact bearing

 Diesel engine, Gas engines, Pumps, Compressors, Turbines, Aircraft engines, Conveyors
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