On the elastohydrodynamic lubrication performance of crankshaft bearing based on the effect of whole engine block deformation

Purpose The elastic deformation of crankshaft bearing surface will be caused when acted by oil film pressure, which will affect the lubrication performance of crankshaft bearing. The model of the single bearing housing was usually used in the calculation of the elastic deformation of bearing surface. In actual internal combustion engine, the main bearing housing is combined together with engine block; deformation of the main bearing surface will be affected by deformation of the engine block. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of deformation of the whole engine block on the hydrodynamic lubrication performance of main bearings. Design/methodology/approach The loads of main bearings were calculated by the whole crankshaft beam‐element finite element method. The lubrication of crankshaft bearings was analyzed by dynamic method. The elastic deformations of bearing surface under oil film pressure were calculated by compliance matrix method. The compliance matrix was established by finite element analysis. Findings It may be not necessary to consider the effect of elastic deformation of bearing surface under film pressure in the lubrication analyses of main bearings for internal combustion engine when the very high calculating accuracy is not required. Originality/value The elastohydrodynamic lubrications of crankshaft bearings considering the deformation of engine block were analyzed for the main bearings of an engine. Till now, whether or not the complicated model of the whole cylinder block should be considered to calculate the elastic deformation of main bearing surface in the lubrication analyses of crankshaft main bearings has not been done.