Analysis of the Effect of Rectangular Texture on Performance of Journal Bearings with Water Lubricant Using Computational Fluid Dynamics Method

Journal bearings are one of the machine elements that function to reduce friction that occurs in machine components. Journal bearings are commonly used in industry and power plants because they are capable of working at high shaft rotation and large loads. This research focuses on the effect of providing a surface texture with rectangular geometry on the performance produced using water lubricants. The flow of lubricant in the journal bearing is greatly influenced by the condition of the surface texture provided. These conditions will give different results to the journal bearing performance parameters. Several parameters are analyzed as performance comparisons, namely the value of load carrying capacity (load capacity), friction force (friction force), and acoustic power level (noise). These parameters were generated using the Ansys Fluent 3D simulation model. This research shows the differences in the values ​​of the resulting performance parameters. Providing a rectangular texture has the same effect on lubrication as water fluid. The presence of a rectangular texture has been able to increase the load carrying capacity value but also increases noise emissions and friction force values. This research shows the conclusion that not all parameters of journal performance can be improved as a whole and produce the opposite consequences.