Effect of Electrode Layout on Static Properties of Journal Bearings Using Liquid Crystal as a Lubricating Fluid

摘要

We reported the static characteristics of journal bearing using liquid crystal (LC) as the lubricating fluid in the previous report. When an external voltage was applied to the LC bearing, the bearing showed a high load capacity with a low friction force in a high eccentricity condition compared with a conventional bearing. In this work, we determined the static characteristics of the LC bearing when the voltage was applied partially in the circumferential direction of the bearing. The locus of the journal center, friction force, and pressure distribution were measured by changing the area of applying voltage. The friction force was lower than the condition of applying voltage to the whole area of bearing in every eccentricity condition if the voltage was applied to the maximum pressure region and its upstream area. We clarified the location of applying voltage to change the load capacity without losing the controllability of the bearing.