Tribology

UTTERWORTH
ElNEMANN

0301-679X(

Transient
response
e journal
bearing
with non-Newtonian
R. Sinhasan*

and

International

Vol. 28. No. 4, pp. 233-239,

1995
Copyright
@ 1995 Elsevier
Science Ltd
Printed
in Great Britain.
All rights reserved
0301-679X/95/$10.00
+O.OO

95)00007-7

of a twolubricated
lubricant

K. C. Goyal+

A computer
aided study of the transient
response
of a two-lobe
journal
bearing with non-Newtonian
lubricant
is presented.
To
obtain a solution
for a non-Newtonian
lubricant,
firstly the
momentum
and continuity
equations
for a Newtonian
lubricant
are
solved using a finite element
method
and then the solution
is
upgraded
iteratively.
The non-Newtonian
effect is introduced
in
each iteration
by modifying
the viscosity
term using a cubic shear
law. The nonlinear
trajectories
obtained
in the present study
indicate that the two-lobe
journal
bearing
system becomes
unstable
even at values of non-dimensional
journal
mass less than
the critical journal
mass computed
using the linearized
equations
of motion
and Rouths
criterion.
Keywords:
journal
bearings,
finite element
method

non-Newtonian

lubricants,

Introduction
The modern trend in the design of high speed rotating
machines is to keep the weight and costs low. As a
result a large number of rotating machines use
hydrodynamic journal bearings and operate continuously at or above the first critical speed. The classical
theory of hydrodynamic lubrication assumes that
the lubricant behaves as a Newtonian viscous fluid.
However, characteristics of lubricants are often controlled using additives in order to meet the specific
requirements of many engineering applications. Polymer thickened oils behave as pseudoplastic or dilatant
fluids. The viscosities of these lubricants follow nonlinear relationships between shear stresses and shear
strain rates.
The transient response of circular and non-circular
journal bearing systems has been studied by many
investT.gators-. Li et ~1.~ carried out linear and
nonlinear transient analyses of rigid rotors in elliptical,
* Mechanical
arld Industrial
Engineering
Roorkee,
Roorkee
- 247 667, India
t Mechanical
Engineering
Department,
119,

Department,

University

R. E. C. Kurukshetra

of
- 132

India

Received
October

15 November
I994

1993;

revised

2 January

1994;

accepted

Tribology

18

transient

motion,

offset half, three-lobe and four-lobe journal bearings

using a fast Fourier transform analysis.
Allaire et ~1.~ predicted that out of the four bearings
(elliptical, offset half, three-lobe and four-lobe) studied, elliptical bearings had the most violent whirl
vibration, while the offset half bearings exhibited the
least amount of sub-synchronous vibration. Richie
developed a fast technique to obtain the nonlinear
transient response of a finite journal bearing. Chandrawat and Sinhasan6 and Jain et al. studied the transient
response of flexible journal bearing. The linear and
nonlinear trajectories both predict limit cycles for rigid
circular journal bearings with a Newtonian lubricant
(K = 0) when Mj is equal6 to a,. However, in the
caseof flexible bearings, as per the nonlinear trajectories, the journal bearing system remains stable even if
the journal mass(Mj) is above the critical mass(44,).
These studies conclude that the flexibility of the
bearing affects significantly the dynamic response of
the journal bearing system.
A review of the literature indicates that the available
studies on the transient response of journal bearings
are for bearings lubricated with Newtonian lubricants.
As the performance characteristics of bearings with
non-Newtonian
lubricants
are
significantly
differentR-l, it is expected that the transient response
International

Volume

28 Number

4 June

1995

233

Transient

response

of a two-lobe

journal

bearing:

R. Sinhasan

x, z

Nomenclature

and K.C. Goyal

horizontal and vertical components of

journal centre perturbation
from its
steady state equilibrium position
(XYWC

A bar over a symbol indicates a non-dimensional

quantity. The corresponding
symbol without a
bar refers to the dimensional quantity.

(ax/at)l(wc),
(a"X/at2)/(w%),

B;,, B,, fluid film damping

coefficients

(N s

radial clearance (m)

journal diameter (m)
eccentricity (m)
fluid film thickness (m)
hlc
non-linearity
factor
KI(cI~J,~~R)
length of bearing (m)
critical mass of journal (kg)

fl
h
K
7z
L
M
-c
MC
5
Mj
P
P
EL

RS
R
r
n

ci
n
al

angular coordinate for locating the

starting of positive pressure zone in
nth lobe
angular coordinate for locating the end
of positive pressure zone in nth lobe
YJR
shear strain rate
+clwR
eccentricity ratio, E = e/c
elliplicity ratio, l p = epic
bearing aspect ratio, A = LID
viscosity of lubricant (N s m-)
reference viscosity
apparent viscosity
h4Ja)/cLo
shear stress (N rn-)
T* (c/pOwR)
attitude angle ()
angular speed of journal (rad SK)

n
a2

mass of journal (kg)

Mjl[~,R4/(OC3)]
fluid film pressure (N m-l)
Pl(p,pR2/c2)
friction power loss (N m SC)
PJ( pOw2R4/c)
side flow (m3 s-l)

Qsl(wcR2)
radius of journal
R/c
radial coordinate

fluid film stiffness

(m)

coefficients

zj>/c

coordinates of a lobe centre from the

geometric centre of bearing
(XL, w/c
axial coordinate (m)
Greek Symbols
angular coordinate (rad)

K~[F~R~/(~c~)I

(d2z/dt2)l(w%)

coordinates of journal centre from

geometric centre of bearing (m)
Cxj,

c
D

(aZ/at)/(wc)

(N m-l)

SW, sx,,
t
r
u,w,v
--u,w,v
W
W,, W,
w, wx,
WZ
x, Y, z

time (s)
tw
velocity components of fluid flow in IX, r
and y directions
(u,w,v)/wR
load carrying capacity (N)
horizontal and vertical components of W
(N)
W, Wx, WJ/(I.WR~/C~)
coordinate axes with origin at geometric
centre of bearing

of such bearing systems will also be affected. To the

best of the authors knowledge,
so far only linearized
stability analyses of journal bearings lubricated with
non-Newtonian
lubricants
have been reportedlO,l.
Although a linearized analysis accurately predicts the
bearing characteristics
for small journal oscillations
such that the fluid film stiffness and damping coefficients are taken as invariant with respect to perturbations. As perturbations
grow, results obtained using
linearized analysis become more and more approximate
234

Triboiogy

International

Volume

28 Number

o&J)

Matrices and vectors

global fluidity matrix for the entire
assemblage (non-dimensional)
column vector for hydrodynamic
terms
for entire assemblage (nondimensional)
column vector for the entire assemblage
corresponding
to the journal centre
velocity ir, (non-dimensional)
column vector for the entire assemblage
corresponding
to the journal centre
velocity iJ (non-dimensional)
global column vector unknown quantities
(non-dimensional)

and the use of nonlinear equations of journal motion

becomes essential to study the dynamic response of
journal bearing systems more accurately.
In the present work, a study of the transient response
of a two-lobe
journal bearing with non-Newtonian
lubricant is presented. For obtaining a solution for the
non-Newtonian
lubricant, firstly the three-dimensional
momentum
and continuity
equations in cylindrical
coordinates are solved for a Newtonian lubricant using
4 June

1995

Transient

response

of a two-lobe

the finite element method and then the solution is

upgraded using iterative schemes. The non-Newtonian
effect .s incorporated by modifying t_heviscosity-term
using Ihe cubic shear stress law (r + KT~ = y) in
each iteration. The trailing edge of the positive pressure
zone satisfying the Reynolds boundary condition is
also established in each iteration. The linear and
nonlinear motion trajectories of the journal centre are
obtained by numerically integrating the equations of
motior using a fourth-order Runge-Kutta method.

journal

bearing:

Figure 1 shows geometric details of a two-lobe bearing.

The present analysis is carried out with reference to
an x,y.z coordinate system with origin at the geometric
centre of the bearing.
The momentum (neglecting the local and convective
inertia terms) and continuity equations governing the
laminar flow of an incompressible Newtonian lubricant
in the clearance space of a finite journal bearing are
written in cylindrical coordinates in the following nondimensional form:

and

K.C. Goyal

Using the finite element formulation based on Galerkins technique and following the usual assembly procedurer3, the following non-dimensional global system
equation is obtained:
cc> ($1 = (%I)

Analysis

R. Sinhasan

+ %vw

+ z

ow

(4)
The
three-dimensional
20-noded
isoparametric
elements, in which there are 20 nodes for velocity and
eight corner nodes for pressure in each element, are
used for discretization of the lubricant flow-field.
Boundary

conditions

The following boundary conditions, pertinent to the

flow field, are defined in terms of pressure, pressure
gradient and velocity components.
p=Oatcu=f3T,cw;
(for fith lobe of two-lobe bearing, n = 1,2)

(1)

p=OatP=
;=;=;=oat;=R+h

?A

V=O
u = 1 ~ XJ sintv + ZJ COS(Y
where

atY=R

(5)

W = - Z., cosa - 2, sinci

-

aci = Oata = ciz

(2)
The flllid film thickness for an aligned bearing is given
by:

a;

Non-Newtonian

model

The cubic shear stress law8 which gives the nonlinear

relationship between shear stress and shear strain rate
for the non-Newtonian lubricant is given by:
i+
KT~ =q
(6)
The term i is taken as the second invariant of the
shear strain rate12.

The apparent (CL,) viscosity is given by:

La = 2;;
I

Journal

centre

motion

trajectory

The journal centre, if disturbed from its static equilibrium position, experiences a change in the hydrodyn-

Fig I
Tribology

International

Volume

28 Number

4 June

1995

235

Transient

Journal

response

of a two-lobe

journal

bearing:

centre motion trajectory

The journal centre, if disturbed from its static equilibrium position, experiences a change in the hydrodynamic force. The journal centre starts whirling around
its static equilibrium position owing to the unbalance
force. The motion trajectories are obtained by integrating numerically the linearized and nonlinear equations
of motion of the journal.

R. Sinhasan

and

K.C. Goyai

Table 1 Comparison
of static
and dynamic
performance
characteristics
of rigid two-lobe
journal
bearings
(ep = 0.5, LID = 1.0)
Characteristics

E = 0.25
1

w
Linearized

equations

of motion

Equation (9) is numerically integrated as an initial

value Problem for specified initial cond&i~s_or+X,
2, X, Z and journal mass MJ to obtain X,2, X, Z at
a different time. Thus, the locus of the journal centre
is obtained.
Nonlinear

equations

Here, A;, and AFZ are the components of the out of

balance force in the x and .z directions respectively.
Equation (10) is numerically integrated to obtain X,
2, x, 2, which gives the required trajectory.

7. Present
work
2. Lund
and
Thomsen4

with

2.842
88.28
0.389
17.6307
0.82
3.43
-4.51
6.95
3.86
-2.55
13.74

supply

5.6887
78.83
0.5128
20.7988
1.26
1.82
-3.46
5.14
3.024
-0.18
9.41

groove

of 20

5.305
81.8
0.452
18.8496
1.14
1.52
-3.54
4.99
2.49
-0.01
9.04

arc

studies, comparatively larger values of the initial

disturbances were used.

A computer program, based on the analysis and

solution algorithm presented in this paper, was
developed. To authenticate the validity of the results,
the fluid-film stiffness and damping coefficients of
two-lobe journal bearings with Newtonian lubricant,
computed using the presently developed program, are
compared with the published results14in Table 1. The
comparison is good. A comparison of the static and
dynamic performance characteristics of circular journal
bearings with non-Newtonian lubricants (cubic shear
stress law) is also made with the published results,
in Table 2. Here also, the agreement is good.

procedure

The solution of Equation (4) gives the nodal pressure

and velocity components in the positive pressure zone
of the lubricant flow field. The velocity components
so obtained are used to calculate the shear strain rate
i/ for the lubricant model using Equation (7). The
Newton-Raphson method is used to calculate the
shear stress 7 using equation (6). The apparent
viscosity (pa) is then computed at each Gauss point
using Equation (8). Equation (4) is solved again using
this value of apparent viscosity to obtain the nodal
pressures and velocity components. The iterative
process is repeated until the required convergence is
not achieved. Using these converged nodal pressures,
components of the fluid film force are calculated.
Linear and nonlinear motion trajectories of the journal
centre are obtained by integrating the equations of
motion, (9) and (lo), respectively, using the fourth
order Runge-Kutta method. For starting the process
of numerical integration of Equations19) a@ (lo),
the initial values of disturbances X,2X and 2 were,
firstly, selected the same as used in Reference 6 so
that the two results can be compared. In further
236

EL

S
-xx
S
-x=
S
-2x
S
-==
5
-xx
Bxz = Rx
B zz

Results and discussion

of motion

The nonlinear equations of motion of the journal are

written as:

Solution

3.1388
84.26
0.4478
19.51
1.0056
3.763
-4.3566
6.8604
4.633
-2.6328
14.3866

8
-s

The linearized equations of motion of the journal are

written as

E = 0.35

Tribology

International

Volume

28 Number

Table 2 Comparison
of static
and dynamic
performance
characteristics
of rigid circular
journal
bearings
with
non-Newtonian
lubricants(cubic
shear
stress
model)
(E = 0.6, L/D = 1.0. K= 0.1,
1.0)
Characteristics

K = 1 .O
1

w
5h
a6

2.92
54.6
0.918
8.6
1.89
0.62
-3.32
2.67

!?L

S
-xx
S
-x=
S
-2x
S zz
1 Present
2 Hayashi
3 Swami

4 June

1995

work
and

et al.O

Wada

K=
3

3.4
52.0
0.79
7.6
1.67
0.66
-2.9
2.17

12
4.35
52.3
0.92
13.38
1.88
0.57
-3.25
2.57

0.1
3
4.2
50.0
0.82
8.5
1.78
0.44
-3.0
2.4

Transient

response

of a two-lobe

The values of critical journal mass were computed

using linearized equations of motion9 and Rouths
criterioni5. The nonlinear trajectories presented in the
paper were computed using nonlinear equations of
motion (10) by taking different values of journal massbelow, equal to and above the critical journal mass
computed for the corresponding linearized case.

journal

bearing:

R. Sinhasan

Two-lobe
-

Nonlinear

---

LUlea1

journal
6

and

K.C. Goyal

bearing

The values of initial

perturbations on journal centre
-displacements (X,Z) and velocities are given on each
figure. The values of journal mass (Mj) and critical
journal mass (M,) for the corresponding linearized
case have also been given on each figure.
The linear and nonlinear journal centre motion trajectories for a rigid two-lobe journal bearing with Newtonian lubricants are presented in Fig 2 for W = 2.0. It
is observed that the linearized trajectory predicts a
limit cycle whereas the nonlinear trajectory indicates
diverging motion, i.e. instability. In the case of rigid
circular journal bearings, the linear and nonlinear
trajectories, both presented in Reference 6, show limit
cycles when Mj = M, but the two types of trajectories
presented in Reference 16 differ and the nonlinear
trajectory diverges, indicating instability for Mj = M,.
The analysis used in Reference 6 is based on Reynolds
equation whereas the analysis presented in Reference
16 is based on three-dimensional momentum and
continuity equations. The difference in the two formulations is because of the assumptions involved in
the derivation of Reynolds equation. Comparing the
trajectories presented in Figs 2 and 5 for a Newtonian
lubricant, it can be seen that the nonlinear trajectories
show instability for Mi = M,.
Figure 3 shows the linear and nonlinear trajectories
for rigid two-lobe journal bearings with non-Newtonian
lubricants for W = 2.0 and K = 0.1. The linear and
nonlinear trajectories show stable motion as zj = 0.8
M, but when Mj = m, the linear trajectory forms a
limit cycle, whereas the nonlinear trajectory diverges,
i.e. in-stability. The motion trajectories for W = 2.0
and K = 1.0 are shown in Fig 4. In this case al%,
linear trajectory forms a limit cycle when AZ, = M,
whereas the nonlinear trajectory yields unstable
motion., but the linear and nonlinear trajectories both
predict stable motion when Mj = 0.8M,. Linear and
nonlinear motion trajectories for W = 4.0, i? = 0.0
and a; = M, are shown in Fig 5. The linear trajectory
forms a limit cycle and nonliner trajectory predicts
unstable motion. Figure 6 shows linear and nonlinear
Two-lobe
- - -

Nonlinear
Lmear

journal

-6

w = 2.0
"0

6r

I
6

Fig 3

Two-lobe

journal

bearing

10

w=
if=

0.1

bearing

- 6r

-6

M,=0.8sic

Fig 4

Fig 2
Tribology

International

Volume

28 Number

4 June

1995

237

Transient

response

of a two-lobe

journal

bearing:

R. Sinhasan

and

K.C. Goyal

Two-lohc
Two-iobe

journal

journal

bearing

bearing

-3

Fig 5
motion trajectories for W = 4.0 and M = 0.1. The
linear and nonlinear motion trtiectories are obtained
for M, = M,, ~j = 0.9M, and A4, = 0.8%?,. The linear
motion trajectory gives rise to a limit cycle when
journal mass equals critical mass and the nonlinear
trajectory gives rise to a limit c@e when aj = 0.9M,
and unstable motion for Mj = MC. Here, both linear
and nonlinear rngtion trajectories predict stable motion
when Mj = O.E&. The linear and nonlinear motion
trajectories for W = 4.0 and K = 1.0 are presented in
Fig 7. The linear
trajectory
forms a limit cycle
when journal mass equals critical mass and nonlinear
trajectory yields stable motion for Mj = 0.9M,.
The results indicate that the stability margins (critical
mass) obtained from nonlinear motion trajectories for
Two-lohe

journal

Fig 7

rigid bearings depend on both W and x. A summary

of the various cases studied is presented in Table 3.
The stability margins (critical mass) obtained from the
nonlinear trajectories are less than those obtained
bearing

= 4.0

K = 0.1

0.9M,

Fig 6
Tribology

n=

/;=O

I
3

238

x=

International

Volume

28 Number

4 June

1995

= 0.02

Transient

Table

3 Transient

response

(two-lobe

response

of a two-lobe

Mj

0.1

27.75
28.8

1.0

26.55

0.0
0.1

65.68
63.01

1.0

64.41

0.0

2.0

4.0

R. Sinhasan

and

K.C. Goyal

Transient

response

Linear

Nonlinear

@j = &k
Mj = Mu
~~
O.~M~
Mi = M,
i;i?j= 0.8M~

Limit cycle
Limit cycle
Stable
Limit cycle
Stable

Unstable
Unstable
Stable
Unstable
Stable

Mj = 4
Mi = ML
7Gj = 0.9!,
Me O-&MC
Mj = Mu
TL7j= 0.9A4c
MC = 0.8M,

Limit cycle
Limit cycle
Stable
Stable
Limit cycle
Stable
Stable

from l-he linearized equations of motion for both

Newtonian and non-Newtonian cases. Therefore, to
define the stability margins more precisely, the nonlinear trajectories should be obtained. The results presented here indicate that the transient response
obtained using linearized equations of motion of the
journa- predicts a limit cycle when the journal mass
equals the critical journal mass for bearings with both
Newto lian and non-Newtonian lubricants, whereas the
transient response obtained using nonlinear equations
of motion predicts unstable motion even at values of
non-dimensional journal mass lower than the critical
journa: mass.
The linear and nonlinear journal centre motion trajectories presented in Figs 2-7 indicate that the journal centre
once disturbed from the equilibrium position starts
osciJating and the magnitude of oscillation is affected
by K more at smaller loads than at higher loads.
As the computation involved for obtaining the nonlinear
trajectory for a two-lobe bearing is quite expensive, only
a few selected trajectories have been presented.
Conclusions
On the basis of the results and discussionspresented in
the previous section, the following conclusionsare drawn:

(2)

bearing:

bearing)

(1)

journal

The linearized equations of motion (Equation

(9)) predict a limit cycle when the journal mass
equals the critical mass for both Newtonian and
non-Newtonian lubricants at different loads.
The nonlinear equations of motion (Equation
(1~0)) predict a lower value of stability margin
than predicted by linearized equations of motion
for both the Newtonian and non-Newtonian
lubricant cases.

2. Singh D.V., Sinhasan R. and Tayal

of journal
centre motion
trajectory.
Technol. 1976, 620-628

1. Ake!-s A., Michaelon

S. and Cameron
A. Stability
contours
for
a whirling finite journal bearing.
Trans. ASMEJ.
Lubr. Technol.
1971, 93, 177-190

Tribology

S.P. Theoretical
Trans. ASME

3. Li D.F., Choy K.C. and Allaire

P.E. Stability
characteristics
of four multilobe
journal bearing
Trans. ASME .I. Lubr.
Technol.
1980, 291-299
4. Allaire
P.E., Li D.F. and Choy
response
of four multilobe
journal
Lubr.
Technol.
1980. 300-307
5. Ritchie G.S. Nonlinear
hearings.
Trans. ASME

prediction
J. Lubr.

and transient
configurations.

K.C.
Transient
unbalance
bearings.
Trans. ASME
J.

dynamic
characteristics
of finite journal
J. Lubr. Technol.
1983. 105, 375-376

6. Chandrawat
H.N. and Sinhasan R. A study
transient
performance
characteristics
of
bearing.
Tribal.
Int. 1988. 21(3), 137-148

of steady state and

a flexible
journal

7. Jain S.C., Sinhasan R. and Pilli S.C. A study

response
of compliant
shell journal
bearings.
1989, 32. 297-304

on the dynamic
Tribal.
Trans.

8. Wada S. and Hayashi H. Hydrodynamic

bearings
by pseudo-plastic
lubricants.
279-286

lubricarion
Brrlt JSME.

9. Hayashi
bearings
967-974

lubrication
of journal
Bull JSME
1974 17

H. and Wada S. Hydrodynamic

by pseudo-plastic
lubricants.

of journal
I971 14

10. Swami S.T.N.,

Prabhu
B.S. and Rao B.V.A.
Stiffness
and
damping
characteristics
of finite width journal
bearings with a
non-Newtonian
film and their application
to instability
predication. Wear 1975, 32, 379-391
Il.

Safar Z.S. Journal

bearings
operating
lubricant
films. Wear 1979, 53, 95-108

with

12. Darby R. Viscoelastic

Fluids: An Introduction
and Behaviour.
Marcel Dekker,
New York,
13. Zienkiewiez
Hill, New

O.C. The
Delhi, 1979

Finite

Element

non-Newtonian

to their Properties
1976

Method.

Tata McGraw

14. Lund J.U. and Thomsen

K.K. A calculation
method and data
for the dynamic
coefficients
of oil lubricated
journal
bearings
system design and optimization.
ASME
Design Engg. Conf.,
Chicago,
1978, 1-2
15. Kuo B.C.
1962

References

Unstable
Unstable
Limit cycle
Stable
Unstable
Stable
Stable

Automatic

Control

Systems.

Prentice

Hull,

Tokyo,

16. Sinhasan R. and Goyal K.C. Transient

response of a circular
journal bearing lubricated
with non-Newtonian
lubricants.
Wear
1992, 156, 385-399

International

Volume

28 Number

4 June

1995

239