Finite Element Analysis of Grooved Gas Thrust Bearings and Grooved Gas Face Seals

Abstract

A finite element method enabling the Reynolds equation solution for any face geometry of gas thrust bearing or of gas seal is presented. Difficulties due to thickness discontinuities are reduced by integration by parts of the terms involving derivatives. The weak form of the finite element Reynolds equation is then solved and the nonlinearity of the equation leads to the use of Newton-Raphson procedure. The process is fast convergent. The problem of oscillating solution is solved by the use of an upwind procedure. Some numerical examples show the accuracy and efficiency of the procedures. It is shown that the developed finite element program provides a numerical tool, more efficient than the method used until now, for the grooved gas seals design.