Thermo-elastohydrodynamica analysis of connecting rod bearing in internal combustion engine

A comprehensive method of thermo-elastohydrodynamic lubrication analysis fo r connecting rod bearings is proposed, which includes thermal distortion as well as elastic deformation of the bearing surface. Lubrication film tempe rature is treated as a time-dependent, two-dimensional variable which is av eraged over the film thickness, while the bearing temperature is assumed to be time-independent and three-dimensional. It is assumed that a portion of the hear generated by viscous dissipation in the lubrication film is absor bed by the film itself and the remainder flows into the bearing structure. Mass conserving cavitation algorithm is applied and the effect of variable vircosity is included in the Reynolds equation, Simulation results of the c onnecting rod bearing of an internal combustion engine are presented it is shown that the predicted level of the thermal distortion is as large as tha t of the elastic deformation and the bearing clearance, and that the therma l distortion has remarkable effects on the bearing performance. Therefore, the thermo-elastohydrodynamic lubrication analysis is strongly recommended to predict the performance of connecting rod bearings in internal combustio n engines.