A thermohydrodynamic lubrication model of turbulent cavitating flow for high-speed spiral groove thrust bearing was developed considering the effects of cavitation, turbulence, inertia, breakage, and coalescence of bubbles. Comparing with the classical thermohydrodynamic model, this model can predict not only the distributions of pressure and temperature rise but also the distribution of bubble volume and bubble number density. Static characteristics of the water-lubricated spiral groove thrust bearing in the state of turbulent cavitating flow were analyzed, and the influences of multiple effects on the static characteristics of the bearing were researched. The numerical calculation result shows that the bubbles are mainly distributed in inlet and outlet of the spiral groove, the distribution of bubble volume is skewed under the equilibrium state, and small bubbles account for a large proportion of the cavitating flow under high-speed condition. Furthermore, the load carrying capacity and the leakage flow of the bearing decrease due to the effect of cavitation under high-speed. The maximum temperature rise of the bearing decreases due to the effect of cavitation effect.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the evolution of cavitation bubbles for the high-speed water-lubricated spiral groove thrust bearing. A theoretical model of cavitation bubble evolution considering multiple effects (interface, breakage, and coalescence of bubbles) was established for the bearing. A high-speed experimental setup was developed to measure the distribution of bubbles. The theoretical model is verified by the experimental data. The results show that the Boltzmann-type bubble transport equation can be used to describe the bubble evolution of the bearing under the breakup and coalescence at high-speed conditions; the volume of the bubble group presents a skewed distribution in equilibrium; the number of small-sized bubbles is greater than that of large-sized bubbles at high rotational speed; the bubbles are mainly distributed at the inlets and outlets of spiral grooves; the bubble number density increases with the groove depth and spiral angle; more bubbles are generated near the outer diameter of the bearing. The study provides a theoretical and experimental basis for the bubble evolution of the water-lubricated spiral groove bearing under high speeds.
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