Numerical Simulation of Rough Thrust Pad Bearing Under Thin-Film Lubrication Using Variable Mesh Density

A numerical simulation of rough slider bearing under thin-film lubrication using variable mesh density has been carried out. The current investigation deals with the effect of deterministic surface roughness patterns, such as triangular, sawtooth, square and sinusoidal roughness patterns and temperature on pressure and film thickness distribution. The nature and shape of roughness and temperature play a significant role in pressure generation, which in turn influences load capacity and frictional coefficient. It has been observed that variable mesh density takes around 25% less number of iterations compared to fixed mesh density. Among all roughness patterns, square roughness dominates the generated pressure. Elastic deformation of greater than 50 nm in bounding surfaces has been found to influence the film formation. Small pressure generated under piezoviscous elastic and thermo-piezoviscous elastic conditions was deficient in causing squeezing effect on lubricant, which suggests that bearing is operating under isoviscous elastic and thermo-viscous elastic conditions instead of piezoviscous elastic and thermo-piezoviscous elastic. Insensitivity in load capacity was observed for a smaller value of film thickness.