LIST OF CONTENT

No. TOPICS PAGE NUMBER

1.0 Theory 2-4

2.0 Operation Manual 5-8

3.0 A Graph of Shaft Speed against Reaction Torque 9

4.0 Comparison 10

5.0 Discussion 11

6.0 References 11

7.0 Fugure 12-15

1
1.0 Theory

Hydrodynamic Bearings are named so because of the lubricating principle involved in

the bearings. Apart from the construction that acts as the bearing, the lubrication plays a
very vital role in the construction to act as a bearing.

Hydrodynamic Lubrication is formed basically due to the dynamic motion or action of the
moving parts. When sufficient quantity of lubricant is present between two surfaces in
which at least one surface tends to move, the relative velocity of the moving surfaces
tends to pump the lubricant between the two surfaces separating the two surfaces by a
dynamic film of the lubricant.

1.0.1 Typical Construction Features of a Hydrodynamic Bearing:

A typical hydrodynamic bearing consists of the following:

1. The rotating member - Shaft
2. The supporting bearing - Outer Sleeve
3. Lubricant

p/s: refer figure 1

2
1.0.2 Working Principle of the Hydrodynamic Bearing:

1.0.2.1 Before the shaft starts to rotate, both the shaft and the outer sleeve
are in contact due to the self weight as shown below in the figure 2.

1.0.2.2 As the shaft tends to rotate the lubricant in between the shaft and
the sleeve tends to get squeezed and ultimately forms a boundary
lubrication between the shaft and the sleeve but still a slight amount
of metal to metal contact remains as shown in the figure 3 ;

1.0.2.3 As the shaft tends to rotate rapidly, the fluid lubricant is pumped by
the shaft. The lubricant surface near to the shaft has a velocity
which differs from the surface velocity of the oil surface near the
sleeve. This causes a pumping action in the lubricant. The pumped
lubricant ensures that the shaft and the sleeve remain out of
contact. This phenomenon of the lubricant pumping itself to keeps
two mating surfaces out of contact is termed as Hydrodynamic
Lubrication and hence the name Hydrodynamic Bearing. See
Figure 4:

This principle ensures that the shaft remains out of contact when required i.e.
during running. But a problem exists in this, the oil in between the sleeve and
shaft tends to flow towards you or away from you when you look at. Hence a
copious-continuous flow of the lubrication has to be ensured for the bearing to
work perfectly compensating the lubricant loss.

3
1.0.3 Applications of Hydrodynamic Bearings:
Though all of us may not have seen the hydrodynamic bearing, they tend
to work in some of the harsh and well know environments to us.

 The crankshaft and camshaft bearings in an automobile engine is a very

good example for Hydrodynamic bearing
 All hand operated lube oil pumps do posses hydrodynamic bearings.

1.0.4 Design and Selection Aspects:

This is a type of bearing where all parameters are to be selected by the
designer for designing the bearing. This is more of a bearing made for a
application rather than the one which is taken from off the shelf,

 An important note for the design of hydrodynamic bearings, the

hydrodynamic bearings are good in handling radial loads but will not be
able to carry any axial load. Hence necessary precaution is to be taken
during design of hydrodynamic bearings for accommodating the axial
loads generated.

4
2.0 Operation Manual
Experiment 1
Title: To Dismantle and Assemble The Hydrodynamic Bearing

2.0.1 Objective

2.0.1.1 Assembly and disassembly, including for the purposes of

maintenance and repair.

2.0.1.2 Familiar with all the components and their modes of

Operation.

2.0.1.3 Design and function of a hydrodynamic journal bearing.

2.0.1.4 Principles of lubrication and sealing elements.

5
2.0.2 Procedure

2.0.2.1 Dismantle hydrodynamic bearing set as per figure below;

- Loosen the bearing housing fastener screw. Refer figure

5:

- Place the lower sleeve into housing, after then place the
80.5mm diameter shaft into bearing housing. Connect
the servomotor shaft to bearing shaft and fastened the
shaft locking screw. Refer figure 6:

- Place the upper section sleeve on top of the shaft. Refer

figure 7:

- Place back the bearing upper cover and fastened with

secure screw. Refer figure 8:

6
2.0.3 After complete installation of hydro-journal bearing. We need to test it.
Follows the procedure stated below;

2.0.3.1 Switch ON the electrical panel power switch.

2.0.3.2 Set the oil temperature controller to control the oil temperature at 40°C.
2.0.3.3 Check the oil sump tank has sufficient oil. If less fill up again with SAE10
lubricant oil.
2.0.3.4 Start the oil pump to circulate the oil into the bearing
2.0.3.5 Decrease the servomotor output torque to zero. BY turning the torque
Potentiometer to fully anticlockwise.
2.0.3.6 Switch ON the servomotor, gradually turns the torque control
potentiometer, until the bearing shaft start rotates to 1000rpm. The shaft
must rotate more then 500rpm to exceed the bearing minimum oil lifting
speed
2.0.3.7 Record the speed and reaction torque as shown in the meters. Filled in
table 1 below;
2.0.3.8 Gradually decrease the shaft speed by decrement of 100rpm each time
and record the corresponding reaction torque into table 1 below;

Table 1 - 80.5mm diameter shaft fixed into bearing test result

Item Shaft Speed Reaction torque Oil temperature

Rpm Nm °C
1 800 0.447 40
2 700 0.401 40
3 600 0.343 40
4 500 0.314 40
5 400 0.253 40

7
2.0.4 After complete above test, we now change the bearing shaft to 79.5mm
diameter type and test the result speed and torque. Follows above
procedure to install the shaft into the bearing.

2.0.4.1 After completed installed the 79.5mm diameter shaft. Run the servomotor
and gradually increase the driving torque until the shaft rotates at 1000rpm
speed. Record the speed and torque value into table 2, follows the above
step and decrease the shaft speed and record the reaction torque value
into table2 below;

Table 2 - 79.5mm diameter shaft fixed into bearing test result

Item Shaft Speed Reaction torque Oil temperature

Rpm Nm °C
1 1000 0.132 42
2 900 0.132 42
3 800 0.118 42
4 700 0.102 42
5 600 0.101 43

2.0.5 Replace the shaft with 80.0mm diameter shaft and installed into the
bearing. Test run it and record the speed and torque into table 3 below

Table 3 - 80.0mm diameter shaft fixed into bearing test result

Item Shaft Speed Reaction torque Oil temperature

Rpm Nm °C
1 1000 0.253 41
2 900 0.223 41
3 800 0.222 41
4 700 0.192 41
5 600 0.163 41

8
3.0 Plot the graph of speed ( X - axis) and torque ( Y- axis ) of the above three
different size of shaft test result.

A graph of Shaft Speed against Reaction Torque

0.5

0.45

0.4

0.35
Reaction Torque(Nm)

0.3
79.5
80
0.25
80.5
0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Shaft Speed(rpm)

4.0 Compare the three different size of shaft, which give different clearance between
shaft and sleeve. Which give the lower friction force and explain what?

The lowest friction force is 79.5mm because in the graph show the lowest line is
79.5. At speed 600 the reaction of torque for diameter 79.5mm is 0.101 lowest
that diameter 80.0mm and 80.5mm. When the speed of shaft increases from
600 to 700 the reaction of torque is 0.102. At speed 800 rpm the graph increase
at 0.118 and at speed 900 the reaction of torque is 0.132. The final reading
speed at 1000 rpm the graph show the reaction of torque is 0.132. The graph
show that the reaction of torque for diameter 79.5mm is lower that diameter
80.0mm and 80.5mm as show in the graph.

9
5.0 Discussion

The graph above shows the shaft speed against reaction of torque. Note that
torque is inversely proportional to the speed of the output shaft. In other words,
there is a trade-off between how much a torque motor delivers, and now fast the
output shaft spins. Motor characteristic are frequently given as two points on this
graph.
Between shaft diameter of 79.5mm, 80.0mm and 80.5mm, diameter to give a low
reading is 79.5mm diameter shaft. At a speed 600rpm reading is 0.101 Nm of
torque, while the shaft 80.0 and 80.5mm diameter greater than 79.5mm. at a
speed of 700rpm, the reaction torque increased by 0.002 at 43 degrees. 80.0mm
diameter while still in the same reading and diameter of 80.5 rose sharply by
0.050. at speeds of 800, 900 and 1000 readings increasing torque reaction and
the reaction of the show is good. ( Although the shaft diameter readings in good

10
 condition but the 79.5mm diameter shaft is the lowest since the size of the
diameter of affected the reaction of torque.)

6.0 References
1) Chauhan, A., Sehgal, R. and Sharma, R. K. Thermohydrodynamic Analysis of
Elliptical Journal Bearing with Different Grade Oils. Tribology International 2010;
43: 1970-1977.
2) Bouyer, J.; Fillon, M. Experimental measurement of the friction torque on
hydrodynamic plain journal bearings during start-up. Tribol. Int. 2011, 44, 772–
781.
3) Bouyer, J.; Fillon, M. Behaviour of a hydrodynamic journal bearing: Torque
measurement during start-up. Presented at 10th International Conference of
Tribology, Bucharest, Romania, 8–10 November 2007.
4) Thomas Bevan,“The Theory of Machines”, 3rd ed., CBS Publishers &Distributors,
ND, 1984, Page 210-214.

11
7.0 Figure

Figure 1: Typical Construction of a Hydrodynamic Bearing

Figure 2

12
Figure 3

Figure 4:

13
Figure 5

Figure 6

14
Figure 7

Figure 8

15