Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Toward Investigation of External Oil Flow From a Journal Bearing in an Epicyclic Gearbox

Berthold, Martin; Morvan, Herve; Young, Colin; Jefferson-Loveday, Richard J.

Authors

Martin Berthold

Herve Morvan

Colin Young

Richard J. Jefferson-Loveday



Abstract

High loads and bearing life requirements make journal bearings the preferred choice for use in high power, planetary gearboxes in jet engines. With the planet gears rotating about their own axis and orbiting around the sun gear, centrifugal forces generated by both motions interact with each and generate complex kinematic conditions. This paper presents a literature and state-of-the-art knowledge review to identify existing work performed on cases similar to external journal bearing oil flow. In order to numerically investigate external journal bearing oil flow, an approach to decompose an actual journal bearing into simplified models is proposed. Preliminary modeling considerations are discussed. The findings and conclusions are used to create a three dimensional (3D), two-component computational fluid dynamic (CFD) sector model with rotationally periodic boundaries of the most simplistic approximation of an actual journal bearing: a non-orbiting representation, rotating about its own axis, with a circumferentially constant, i.e. concentric, lubricating gap. In order to track the phase interface between the oil and the air, the Volume of Fluid (VoF) method is used. External journal bearing oil flow is simulated with a number of different mesh densities. Two different operating temperatures, representing low and high viscosity oil, are used to assess the effect on the external flow field behaviour. In order to achieve the future objective of creating a design tool for routine use, key areas are identified in which further progress is required.

Citation

Berthold, M., Morvan, H., Young, C., & Jefferson-Loveday, R. J. (2018). Toward Investigation of External Oil Flow From a Journal Bearing in an Epicyclic Gearbox. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 140(6), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4038284

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jul 30, 2017
Online Publication Date Jan 17, 2018
Publication Date Jun 1, 2018
Deposit Date Oct 3, 2017
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power
Print ISSN 0742-4795
Electronic ISSN 1528-8919
Publisher American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 140
Issue 6
Article Number 062501
Pages 1-9
DOI https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4038284
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/961205
Publisher URL http://gasturbinespower.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/article.aspx?articleid=2661035
Additional Information Copyright © 2017 by Rolls-Royce plc

Files





You might also like



Downloadable Citations