Radial Friction Bearings Conditioned by Melt

The paper presents a technique and an accurate implementation of a self-similar solution of the problem of calculating the hydrodynamic endless radial friction bearing coated by low-melting-point metal of bearing bush operating at a viscoelastic lubricant with the account of the dependence of viscosity of the lubricant and the shear modulus on temperature. Based on the equation of motion of the liquid lubricating material having viscoelastic properties (Maxwell liquid) for the case of a “thin layer”, with the dependence of the viscosity of the lubricant and the shear modulus on the temperature, the continuity equation and the energy dissipation rate for determining the function of formula \( \Phi \left( {\theta } \right) \), conditioned by the melt surface of the bearing bush coated by low-melting-point metal, the asymptotic solution for the zero and first approximation in powers of the small parameter K conditioned by the melt are found. As a result of problem solving, the velocity field and pressure in the lubricating layer and the molten layer are determined, as well as the value of the function \( \Phi _{ 1} \left( {\theta } \right) \) conditioned by the melt surface of the bearing bush coated by low-melting-point metal. The numerical analysis of the obtained analytical expressions for the load-bearing capacity and friction force with simultaneous consideration of important factors such as the viscosity of liquid viscoelastic lubricant, shear modulus, Deborah number, the parameter characterizing the dependence of viscosity on the lubricant, and shear modulus on temperature, allowed one to refine the tribotechnical design models in the following order: load-bearing capacity by 22%, frictional force by 27%.