ACTA MECHANICA

Acta Mechanica 118, 121-134 (1996)

9 Springer-Verlag 1996

Hydrodynamic lubrication
of squeeze-film porous bearings
A. A. Elsharkawy and M. M. Nassar, Safat, Kuwait

(Received December 19, 1994; revised June 1, 1995)

Summary. Closed-form analytical solutions for three different types of squeeze-film porous bearing are
introduced in this paper. The effects of the permeability parameter on the pressure profile, load-carrying
capacity, and time required to squeeze the fluid out of the lubricated conjunction are presented. The results
show that as the permeability parameter increases, both the pressure profiles and the load-carrying capacity
of the bearing decrease in the case of pure squeeze motion. Furthermore, the results show that for
dimensionless permeability parameters less than 0.001, the effect of the porous layer on the hydrodynamic
lubrication of squeeze-film porous bearings can be neglected.

Notation

C Clearance, m
e Eccentricity, m
h Film thickness, m
hp Porous layer thickness, m
k:, Permeability of the porous layer in x-direction, m 2
kr Permeability of the porous layer in y-direction, m 2
kz Permeability of the porous layer in z-direction, m 2
kl Permeability ratio
P Pressure within film region, Pa
p* Pressure within porous layer, Pa
P Dimensionless pressure within film region
p* Dimensionless pressure within porous layer
r Radial coordinate
f Dimensionless radial coordinate
IAa Velocity of surface a in x-direction, m/s
Ub Velocity of surface b in x-direction, m/s
1)a Velocity of surface a in y-direction, m/s
Vb Velocity of surface b in y-direction, m/s
W Squeeze velocity, -~h/&, m/s (wa = - w , wb = 0)
WO Flow velocity into porous layer in z-direction, m/s
Wz Load-carrying capacity per unit width, N/m
Wz Dimensionless load-carrying capacity
X Coordinate, m
X Dimensionless x-coordinate
y Coordinate, m
Z Coordinate, m
Z Dimensionless z-coordinate
? Dimensionless parameter, l/hp
Lubricant viscosity within film region, Pa s
tl* Lubricant viseosity within porous layer, Pa s
122 A.A. Elsharkawy and M. M. Nassar

Lubricant viscosity at atmospheric pressure, Pa s

Q Lubricant density within film region, K g / m 3
Lubricant density within porous layer, Kg/m 3
Circumferential coordinate, rad
tp Dimensionless permeability parameter, kzhp/ho 3
Eccentricity ratio

1 Introduction

A positive pressure can be generated in a fluid contained between two surfaces when the surfaces
are moving toward each other. A finite time is required to squeeze the fluid out of the gap, and this
action provides a useful cushioning effect in bearings. The reverse effect, which occurs when the
surfaces are moving apart, can lead to cavitation in liquid films. For squeeze-film bearings
a relationship needs to be developed between load and normal velocity at any instant. In recent
years the study of squeeze-film lubrication has gained much attention because of its wide-ranging
applications in engineering and industry. It has applications in almost all reciprocating
machines, especially in steam engines and automobile and aircraft, piston engines.
Porous bearings have been widely used in industry for a long time. The main advantage of
these bearings is that they need no exterior oil supply once the bearing with its porous material
impregnated with oil is installed. In a porous journal bearing, as the journal picks up speed, the
oil in the porous matrix is injected and the hydrodynamic oil film is formed.
The mathematical model for the hydrodynamic lubrication of porous bearings consists of
two partial differential equations with the boundary conditions. The first partial differential
equation is a modified form of the Reynolds equation that governs the fluid flow within the
lubricated conjunction. The second partial differential equation governs the fluid flow within the
porous layer. The boundary conditions consist of the continuity condition for the pressure at the
interface between the fluid and the porous layer within the conjunction and some other
conditions that depend on the bearing geometry. A complete solution for this mathematical
model requires simultaneous solution of the governing equations while considering all the
boundary conditions. Both analytical and numerical approaches can be used to solve the
mathematical model of hydrodynamic lubrication of porous bearings.
Morgan and Cameron [1] established a mathematical model for investigating the hydrodyna-
mic lubrication of porous bearings. A hydrodynamic lubrication analysis for a plane porous
slider bearing was introduced by Parakash and Vij [2]. Bhat [3] developed an analytical solution
for the hydrodynamic lubrication of a porous composite slider bearing. He found that the porous
composite slider has more load-carrying capacity and more friction than the corresponding
porous inclined slider. The slip velocity at the fluid-porous interface was considered for an
inclined porous slider bearing by Patel and Gupta [4]. They found that neglecting the slip velocity
at the fluid-porous interface overestimates the load-carrying capacity and the coefficient of
friction. They concluded that the slip velocity parameter should be minimized in order to
increase the performance of porous slider bearings.
Murti ([5], [6], and [7]) presented theoretical analyses of short, long, and finite porous journal
bearings. The pressure distributions within the film region and the porous layer were taken in
series form satisfying all the boundary conditions. The Galerkin method was used in the analysis.
Murti's results showed a progressive reduction in the load-carrying capacity, increment in the
friction parameter, and attitude angle as the permeability parameter was increased. Cusano [8]
also presented an approximate analytical solution for hydrodynamic lubrication of finite porous
Squeeze-film porous bearings 123

journal bearings. Cusano [9] used the short bearing approximation to solve mathematically the
hydrodynamic lubrication of two-layer porous journal bearing.
Numerical methods were used to solve the hydrodynamic lubrication of porous journal
bearings by Reason and Dyer [10] and Reason and Siew [11]. Furthermore, the steady-state
performance of finite hydrodynamic porous journal bearings in turbulent regimes was studied by
Kumar [12] and Kumar and Rao [13]. Kumar and Rao [13] employed numerical methods to solve
the governing partial differential equations for a wide range of bearing parameters.
All these above-mentioned studies used Darcy's model and neglected the viscous shear in the
lubricant film, which penetrates across the permeable interface to form what is effectively
a boundary layer region in the porous layer. Recently, Lin and Hwang [14] considered the viscous
shear in the lubricant film by applying the Brinkman-extended Darcy model. They were able to
incorporate the design parameters of the porous layer into the analysis to derive a modified form
of the Reynolds equation. The mathematical model in this case will have only one partial
differential equation. Lin and Hwang's [14] results for short journal bearing showed that the
effects of viscous shear increase load-carrying capacity and decrease coefficient of friction.
These studies neglected the effect of normal squeeze motion on the lubrication performance
of porous bearings. However, other studies which concentrated on the effect of a porous layer on
the hydrodynamic lubrication of squeeze-film bearings. Wu [15] introduced analytical analysis of
the squeeze film between porous rectangular plates. Bujurke et al. [16] presented a simplified
model of knee-joint squeezing of a single porous surface lubricated with a second-order fluid. The
effects of variable permeability and roughness on the hydrodynamic characteristics of squeeze-
film porous rectangular plates were studied by Bujurke and Patil [17]. These studies showed that
the porous facing significantly influenced the behavior of the squeeze film.
The present study presents closed-form analytical solutions for three different types of porous
bearing under normal squeeze motion. The pressure distributions within the film region and
within the porous matrix were derived. The load-carrying capacity and the time required to
squeeze the lubricant out of the conjunction were also derived in closed form. The advantage of
exact analytical solutions is that accurate data which help in rational design calculations, can be
obtained rapidly. In this study some assumptions were considered. The flow in the film region
was assumed to be laminar, the fluid to be isoviscous and incompressible, the porous facing to
have uniform thickness, the pressure is constant across the film thickness, and the flow in the
porous layer to follow Darcy's law. Inertia effects within the film were neglected.

2 Governingequations
Figure 1 shows the geometry of a lubricated conjunction and the velocity components of the
bounding surfaces a and b. Surface b is covered with a porous layer of uniform thickness. Analysis
of the performance of fluid-film bearings involves solving Reynolds equation, which can be
derived from the Navier-Stokes equations and the continuity equation. A complete derivation of
the general Reynolds equation that governs the fluid flow within the lubricated conjunction was
given by Hamrock [18]. A flow term allowing for flow into the porous layer at the interface can be
included with the general Reynolds equation to obtain the following modified form:

Oh cqh Oh ~o
+ ~ ~7 - Qu. - : - - ~vo 7 - + h ~ - ewo. (i)
o~ ox ay t
124 A.A. Elsharkawy and M. M. Nassar

Surface a

Lubricated region w h

Porous layer S ufface b

Fig. 1. Geometry of lubri-

cated conjunction and velocity
components of bounding sur-
faces

It is assumed in this equation that interracial slip at the fluid-porous interface is absent. If the
density and viscosity of the fluid are assumed to be constant, side leakage is neglected, surface b is
stationary, and the motion of surface a is restricted to normal approach, then Eq. (1) can be
written as

Ox h3 ~xx 12t/(w + Wo), (2)

where w = -Oh/& is the squeeze velocity.

The steady-state mass continuity equation applicable for the fluid flow within the porous
Iayer is
0 9 9
9--s (O'u*) + ~y (~*v*) + ~z (Q'w*) = 0. (3)

The equations for the velocity components of fluid flow within a porous layer are given by
Darcy's law:

u* - (4)
~/* 9x

v*- kr @*
t/* 0y (5)

kz @*
w* - (6)
r/* 9z

Substituting Eqs. (4) to (6) into Eq. (3) gives

9-s # x J +Oyy\t/* a y J + ~ z ~-z// =0" (7)

If the fluid is assumed to be isoviscous and incompressible and side leakage is neglected, then
Eq. (7) wiU be

ax + • k 9z ) = 0. (8)
Squeeze-film porous bearings 125

The velocity component at the interface between the fluid film and the porous layer can be
expressed as

kz fop*'], (9)

where (~p*/OZ)T is the pressure gradient at this surface. Substituting Eq. (9) into Eq. (2) gives

(~ h3 ~xx = -12r/w + 12kz ~-Z/T. (10)

The solution of the porous bearing problem demands simultaneous solving of Eqs. (8) and (10)
with boundary conditions that depend on the geometry of the bearing. The general solution of
Eqs. (8) and (10) with the boundary conditions can be assumed in the form of the product of two
functionsfl(x) f2(z), and the amplitude of the solution can be obtained by using the orthogonality
method on the partial differential equation governing the fluid flow within the lubricated
conjunction (Eq. (10)). The eigenvalue of the solution can be easily obtained from the partial
differential equation governing fluid flow within the porous media (Eq. (8)).

3 Parallel-surface bearing of infinite width

Figure 2 shows the geometry of two parallel surfaces of infinite width separated by a fluid film
of thickness ho. The lower surface is covered with a porous layer of uniform thickness hv, and
the upper surface is under normal squeeze motion. Equations (10) and (8) in this case can be
written as

82p 12r/oW _12kz

_ 8p* (11)
OX2- ho 3 + ho 3 63Z z=O

O2p, 82P* -- 0 (12)

OX2 -]-kl 2 02,2

where k l 2 = kdkx is the permeability ratio.

w(t) : - ~3h

h0 i~._ x

hl, Porouslayer I
~x..-~,\",x\x\\\\\\\xx
~Pdgxd subs~a'ate

Fig. 2. Geometry of two parallel surfaces of infinite width separated by fluid film
126 A.A. Elsharkawy and M. M. Nassar

Let X = x/l, Z = -z/hp, P = pho3/qoWl 2, and P* = p*ho3/tlowl2; then Eqs. (11) and (12) can
be written in the following dimensionless form:

32p 0P*
~?X2 + 12~p72 0Z z=o + 12 = 0, (13)

0zp* 82p*
aX 2 +k1272 OZ 2 = 0 , (14)

where ~p = kzhp/ho 3 and 7 = 1/hp.

The boundary conditions in this case are

P=P* at Z=0, (15)

3P*
=0 at Z=I, (16)
3Z
1
P=P*=0 at X= +-. (17)
-2

Simultaneous analytical solutions of Eqs. (13) and (14) with the boundary conditions (15) to (17)
yield the pressure distribution within the film region P(X) and the pressure distribution in the
porous layer P*(X, Z) as follows:

48 sin ( 2 ) cos (c~.X)

P(X)
6 (18)
/-"
n =0,1,2,... ~.(Ctn2 + 12~p722n tanh 2.)

&
48sin (?) COS n,
P*(X, Z) = 2.. (19)
n=o,l,2 .... Ctn c o s h 2n(O:n2 q- 12W22. tanh 2.)

where c~. = n~ and 2. = ~./k17.

By integrating the pressure distribution over the lubricated area, the dimensionless load-
carrying capacity can be written as

Wz - ~tloW(t) I - .=o,1,2
~ . . . .~. 2r~
t . 2 + 12W22. tanh 2.)" (20)

For time-independent loads (Wz not a function of time), Eq. (20) can be used to determine the time
taken for the gap between the parallel surfaces to be reduced by a given amount. The time
approach At required to reduce the value for the film thickness ho,1 to a final value ho,2 can be
written as
96si ( )
At=tlol3(1 1) fi c~n2(~n2+12~p722ntanh2n) (21)
2w~ h~,2 ho~,l .=o,1,2 .... "

Figure 3 shows the effect of the permeability parameter ~p on the pressure profiles while the
parameter 7 was held fixed at 1000. As the permeability parameter increases, the pressure in the
film region decreases. This reduction in the pressure leads to a significant decrease in the
load-carrying capacity as shown in Table 1. The parameter 7 has negligible effects on pressure
profiles and the dimensionless load-carrying capacity. This can be easily noticed from Taylor
Squeeze-film porous bearings 127

1,6 J,'r "r = 0.001

ap = k, h, / ho~
1.4- = =

1.2-

].0-

a,, 0.8- Table 1. Effect of dimensionless per-

meability parameter ~p on dimension-
0.6- less load parameter W~ for parallel
surface bearing of infinite width
0.4-
k~hp w~,ho 3
0,2- ho a flow(t) l 3

0.0 I I I I I
0.0 0.999 8
-0.4 -0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0001 0.998 6
X 0.001 0.987 9
0.01 0.8927
Fig. 3. Effect of dimensionless permeability parameter
0.1 0.4547
on pressure profiles for two parallel surfaces of infinite
1.0 0.076 9
width

expansion of 12~py22, tanh 2,. However, the porous layer thickness has significant effects on
lubrication performance because it is a variable in the permeability parameter ~p. For ~p equals
0 the pressure profile and the dimensionless load-carrying capacity are in exact agreement with
those of impermeable (nonporous) surfaces.

4 Journal bearings

Figure 4 shows a long porous bearing press-fitted into a solid housing and supporting a non-
porous journal through a fluid film. Rotational velocities are all zero (i.e., only normal squeeze
motion is considered). In this case Eq. (10) can be written as

c3(h3 ~c?p)= 12rb2t/oc ~~ cos ~b + 12kzr~2 ~-z

@*z=o" (22)

In Fig. 4 the coordinate starts at the minimum film thickness. Therefore, the film shape can be
defined as

h = c(l - e cos ~b). (23)

Substituting Eq. (23) into Eq. (22) gives

ddq~ (h
\ 3 ~dp) = -12q~176176 @*
+ 12kzrb2 ~-z z=0" (24)

The pressure distribution in the porous matrix for this case will be
~2p, ~2p,
0qS~ + (karb) 2 0z-
~- = 0 (25)

where k~ 2 = kz/kois the permeability ratio.

128 A.A. Elsharkawy and M. M. Nassar

Let Z = -z/h;, P = pc3/6rlorb2w, and P1 = p*c3/6tlorb 2w, then Eqs. (24) and (25) can be
written in the following form:

(1 - e cos q~)3 ~ + 12~py2 0Z z=o + 2 cos q5 = 0 (26)

O2p* 02p*
~b2 -~- k12~ 2 OZ 2 -- 0 (27)

where q~ = kzhSc 3, and y = rb/hp.

The boundary conditions in this case are

P(_+~b)=P*(+_~b,Z)=O at 4)= + u (28)

OP
--=0 at qS=0 (29)
aq~
P*(~b,Z)=P(q~) at Z=O (30)
0P*
=0 at Z = 1. (31)
OZ

Simultaneous analytical solutions of Eqs. (26) and (27) with boundary conditions (28) to (31) yield
the pressure distribution within the film region P(X) and the pressure distribution in the porous
layer P*(~b, Z) as follows:

Fsin (_1 _-_~,) ~ sin (1 + c~,) ~ cos (~,qS)

2c~,
~, [_ (1 - c~.) (1 + c~.) A
P(q~) (32)

Porous layer

Fig. 4. Geometry and coordinate system

for porous journal bearing
Squeeze-filmporous bearings 129

Fsin (1 -- ~.) n sin (1 + a.) ~_~ cosh 2.(Z 1) COS (c,.~)

2c~"L (1 - a.) (1 + a.) J
P*(~b, Z) = (33)
. , , , .... cos .b.(13 1
where c~, = n/2 and 2, = ct,/kly.
The load-carrying capacity can be expressed as

wz = 2 ~ prb cos q5dO. (34)

0

From Eqs. (32) and (34), the following equation for the dimensionless load-carrying capacity can
be easily derived
4C~n 2 [sin (1 _-_a.) n sin (1 + a.) n] sin (c,.~)
Wzc3 ~ L (1-~.) (l+a.) 3
(35)
-- ~ 2_a
W~ 6rlorb3w(t) .=1,3,5,...n(1 -- a2) c~2 1 -- 2 e2 + 12~722. tanh2. [(3) 1
Figure 4 shows that the film thickness is a minimum when q~ = 0. Therefore,
hmi n = c(1 - ~). (36)

Differentiating Eq. (36) with respect to time gives

dhmin de
- - - c - - . (37)
dt dt
The squeeze velocity can be written as
dhmin de
w(t) . . . . c --. (38)
dt dt
Substituting Eq. (38) into Eq. (35) gives
t2 ~2

f f ~sin_(l_- a") n s i n ( l + e") ~_ sin(ct.n )

w~c---~2 dt ----- ~, 40~n2[ (1 -- a.) (1 + e.) ] de (39)
6.or. .... l
tl

where el and e2 are the eccentricity ratios at time tl and t2, respectively. Integrating Eq. (39) yields
the time required to squeeze the film as

7"3484~/~ ~ cl [atanh (1.2247e2~ _ (1.2247e1~] (40)

At- wzC .=1,3,5.... \ ~ ] atanh \ ~ , ] [ ,

where
4a. 2 sin (a.g) [sin (_1_-e.) n sin (1 + cQ ~-I
(41)
cl- ~iZ-23 L (1-~.) (1+~.) J'
12~py22. tanh 2.
c2 = (42)
O~n2
 130 A . A . Elsharkawy and M. M. Nassar

The effect of the permeability parameter ~ on the pressure profiles is shown in Fig. 5. The para-
meter y and the eccentricity ratio e were held fixed at 1000 and 0.3, respectively. Figure 6 shows
the effect oft0 when y and e were held fixed at 1000 and 0.6, respectively. Figures 5 and 6 show that
the pressure decreases as the permeability parameter ~ increases. It is clear from these figures that
the pressure gradient ~?P/8~is very small (approximately approaches 0) at q~ = _+~. Comparing
Fig. 5 with Fig. 6 shows that as the eccentricity ratio increases the pressure increases. The effect of
the permeability parameter ~ on the dimensionless load-carrying capacity Wz is shown in Table 2
for various eccentricity ratios. For this case also the parameter y has a negligible effect on the
pressure profiles of the porous journal bearing.
If ~p = 0 (either k= = 0 or hp = 0; i.e. equivalent to the case of nonporous surfaces), the
pressure distribution and the load-carrying capacity can be derived easily from Eqs. (26), (28),
(29), and (34) as

P(q~) = e
1
e cos q5 -- 1) 2
11
(e + 1) i '
(43)

Table 2. Effect of dimensionless permeability parameter ~p on dimensionless load-

carrying capacity Wz at various eccentricity ratios for long journal bearing

=
kzhp WzC 3

Ca 6%rb3w(t)

e=0.2 e=0.3 e=0.4 e=0.5 s=0.6

0.0 6.676 8 7.255 7 8.258 2 10.0419 13.643 9

0.0001 6.668 3 7.254 6 8.2451 10.022 7 13.608 4
0.001 6.592 6 7.156 4 8.129 8 9.852 7 13.297 0
0.01 5.926 5 6.3717 7.1320 8.424 3 10.8210
0.1 2.9328 3.0393 3.2021 3.4390 3.7808
1.0 0.485 0 0.487 8 0.4919 0.4971 0.503 7

9.0 9.0
= . = ,

8.0 8.0- ~b=k, hp/c 3

7.0- 7.0-

6.0- 6.0-

5.0- = , = , 5.0-

4.0- 4.0-

3.0- 3.0- ~ = 0.1

2.0- 2.0-

1.0- 1,o- ,r = 1.o

0.0 J I I 7- I t I 3.0 I I I I I I I
-4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4,0 -4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0

Fig. 5. Effect of dimensionless permeability para- Fig. 6. Effect of dimensionless permeability para-
meter lp on pressure profiles for long porous meter W on pressure profiles for long porous
journal bearing at e = 0.3 and 7 = 1000 journal bearing at e = 0.6 and y = 1000
Squeeze-film porous bearings 131

W~ - 2re ]/1 -/~2

(e2 _ 1)2 . (44)

The results obtained from Eqs. (32) and (35) for ~ = 0 are in exact agreement with these obtained
from Eqs. (43) and (44) for the same value of eccentricity ratio.

5 Parallel circular plates

Figure 7 shows two parallel circular plates separated by a fluid film of thickness ho. The lower
surface is covered with a porous layer of thickness h e. F r o m the geometry of the problem, axial
symmetry exists and the pressure is a function only of the radius. Therefore, the appropriate
governing equations in this case are

d(dp) dp* (45)

drr rh3 dr = -12~lorw(t) + 12kzr-~z ~=o

~2p* 1 t3p* c32p*

~c3r + --r ~ - r + k12 ~ Z 2 = 0 (46)

where k~ 2 = k(z)/k(r) = constant is the permeability ratio.

Let f = r/R, Z = --z/h v, P = pho3/6rloWR z, and P* = p*ho3/6tlowRZ; then Eqs. (45) and (46)
can be written in the following dimensionless form

~2p 1 ~P t~P*
~f~ + f- ~ - + 12~p~2 ~Z z=o + 2 = 0 (47)

OZp, 1 OP* 02P *

~Of + r ~ + k1272 ~ = 0 (48)

where ~p = kzhp/ho 3, and y = R/hp.

The boundary conditions in this case are

P*(f,Z)=P(f) at Z=0, (49)

3h
w(t)= - - -&

R _1

ho
J Circular plate
Fluid region
~l

hP ' - 7 - - ~ ,N X
Porous layer [
\~xx~xx'N'NN~Rigidsubstrate~x,x",~'N~",

Fig. 7. Geometry of two parallel circular plates separated by fluid film

132 A.A. Elsharkawy and M. M. Nassar

P(r-)=0 at F=I, (50)

#p*
-0 at Z=I. (51)
~Z

Simultaneous analytical solutions of Eqs. (47) and (48) with the boundary conditions (49) to (51)
yield the pressure distribution within the film P(r-) and the pressure distribution in the porous
layer P*(f, Z) as follows

4Jo(2,r-) (52)
P(F) = ~
n~1,2,3,...
2 , J 11,l2 n,,) [ 2 n 2 -~ 12~p72c~,tanh c~,]

4Jo(,~.r-) cosh ~ . ( z - 1)
PI(F, Z)
,,=t,2,3,... 2,,Ji(2,) ~ ~-,[2-~ + ~ - t a n h o~,,] (53)

where 2. can be determined from Jo(2.) = 0 and c~. = 2,,/k17.

The dimensionless load for this case can be written as
R

w zho 3 f 4fJo(2,r-)
W~ - 127rqow(t) R 3 - ~
n = 1 , 2 , 3 ....
2.J1(2,) 121p72~n tanh c~,] dr.
[ 2 n 2 -~- (54)
0

Integrating Eq. (54) gives

4 (55)
Wz ~ n = 1 , ~2 , 3 ....
~n2[/~n2 + 12~p72C~,tanh a,]"

The time approach At required to reduce the value of the film thickness ho,1 to a final value
ho,2 can be written as

At_6rCrloR4( 1 1 ) 4
Wz hTo.2
.
h2o.t ~
n=1,2,3 ....
2,2[2, 2 + 12~p72a, tanh c~,]" (56)

0,6

b = O.O ff/ = O.O01 ffj = kzh~/ho~

0.5- ~ h ~ = 1 0 0 0
= ,

0.4-

a.., 0.3- Table 3. Effect of dimensionless permea-

=0.1 bility parameter lp on dimensionless load
parameter W~ for parallel circular plates
0.2-
kzhp wzho 3
lp - h~a W~ - 127ZqoW(t) R a
0.1-

0.0 0.124 9
0.0 [ i E [ i i i i i i
0.0001 0.124 7
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 0.001 0.123 5
? 0.01 0.1115
0.1 0.056 8
Fig. 8. Effect ofdimensionless permeabilityparameterlp on
1.0 0.009 6
pressure profiles for two parallel circular plates
Squeeze-film porous bearings 133

Figure 8 shows the effect of the permeability parameter ~p on the pressure profiles when the
parameter 7 was held fixed at 1000. Table 3 shows the effect of permeability on dimensionless
load-carrying capacity. Figure 8 and Table 3 show that as the permeability parameter ~p in-
creases, both the pressure and the dimensionless load-carrying capacity decrease. In this case also
the parameter 7 has negligible effects on pressure profile, load-carrying capacity, and time
required to squeeze the lubricant out of the conjunction when the parameter ~p is held fixed at
a certain value.

6 Conclusions

Hydrodynamic lubrication analysis for three different types of squeeze-film porous bearing has
been introduced in this study. Closed-form solutions for pressure distribution within the
lubricated conjunction, the pressure distribution within the porous layer, load-carrying capacity,
and time required to squeeze the fluid out of the conjunction have been derived. The advantage of
exact analytical solutions is that accurate data, which help in rational design calculations, can be
obtained easily. The effect of the permeability parameter on the pressure profiles and the
load-carrying capacity is presented. The results showed that as the permeability parameter
increases, both the pressure and the load-carrying capacity decrease in the case of normal squeeze
motion. Furthermore, the results show that for dimensionless permeability parameter ~p < 0.001,
the effect of the porous layer on pressure profile, load-carrying capacity, and time required to
squeeze the film out of the lubricated conjunction can be neglected.

Acknowledgement

The first author gratefully acknowledges the Kuwait University Research Unit, which supported this
research under grant No. EDM-116.

References

[1] Morgan, V. T., Cameron, A.: Mechanism of lubrication in porous metal bearings. Lubrication and Wear
Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London, Paper 89, 151-157 (1957).
[2] Parakash, J., Vij, S. K.: Research note: hydrodynamic lubrication of a porous slider. J. Mech. Eng. Sci.
15, 232-234 (1973).
[3] Bhat, M. V.: Hydrodynamic lubrication of a porous composite slider bearing. Jap. J. Appl. Physics 17,
479-481 (1978).
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134 A.A. Elsharkawy and M. M. Nassar: Squeeze-film porous bearings

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Authors' addresses: A. A. Elsharkawy, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, College of

Engineering and Petroleum, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 5969, Safat 13060, Kuwait, and M. M. Nassar,
Department of Mathematics, College of Technological Studies, Safat, Kuwait