CFD Analysis of The Effect of Constant and Varying Depth Dimples Textured Surface on The Performance of Hydrodynamic Journal Bearing

In this study, we use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to examine the impact of surface texturing on the performance of journal bearings. Particularly, we evaluate the influence of dimples of varying depth on the lubricant film thickness and frictional losses in journal bearings. We used the ANSYS Fluent program to simulate a journal bearing with a 50 mm diameter. By maintaining their width constant at 4mm, we changed the depth of the dimples on the bearing surface. In the area of the bearing where the lubricant film thickness is the minimum, the dimples were inserted. The dimple depths that we employed ranged from 0.25mm to 2.5mm. As a result of the thicker lubrication coating caused by the application of dimples on the bearing surface, frictional losses are reduced, according to our findings. Overall, our work shows how surface texturing can enhance journal bearing performance and offers guidance on how to create textured surfaces that are best for journal bearings. Our findings imply that using dimples of a specific depth in the bearing’s minimum film thickness zone might significantly boost performance, with possible uses in a variety of industrial contexts.