Lubrication characteristics of planar and arc structural water-lubricated bearings under mixed thermal elastohydrodynamic conditions with journal misalignment

Abstract To investigate the steady-state lubrication characteristics of water-lubricated bearings dominated by journal misalignment, this study establishes a mixed thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (TEHL) model that comprehensively considers elastic deformation, journal misalignment, asperity contact, and thermal effects, with turbulence corrections introduced. The model is comprehensively validated through comparisons in terms of fluid film pressure and journal misalignment. Based on this model, an in-depth comparison is conducted between planar and arc structural bearings regarding their steady-state lubrication performances, including fluid film pressure, contact state, friction coefficient, and temperature field. The results show that the arc structural bearing forms a more uniform fluid film pressure, effectively suppresses end contact, exhibits lower friction coefficients and operational temperature rise, and demonstrates superior comprehensive steady-state lubrication performance. In contrast, the planar structural bearing is more sensitive to misalignment, leading to localized contact and significant temperature increase. This study elucidates the lubrication mechanisms and performance differences between the two structural bearings under complex working conditions, providing a theoretical basis for the reliability design and structural selection of heavily loaded water-lubricated bearings.