Stability analysis of circular pressure dam hydrodynamic journal bearing with couple stress lubricant

A generalized Reynolds equation has been derived for carrying out the stability analysis of a plain circular pressure dam hydrodynamic bearing operating with couple stress fluids. The Galerkin form of the finite element method has been used to solve the equation obtained. A non-dimensional parameter, ‘l’ has been used to indicate the length of the long chain polymer added to the bulk Newtonian fluid. The dynamic characteristics, which have been calculated for a wide range of dam parameters, have been found to be greatly influenced with the variation of the couple stress parameter ‘l’. The critical mass of the journal, obtained as a solution to the linearized equations of motion is used to demonstrate the increased stability of the journal bearing system.