Abstract: Water-lubricated bearings are critical components in marine propulsion systems, directly influencing vessel operational safety and reliability. This study investigates the mechanism of water film pressure distribution under different slat profiles by establishing a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analysis model of the bearing. Systematic numerical calculations were carried out for various slat types and groove arrangements. The effects of flat, convex, and concave slats on bearing load capacity and wedge-shaped water film pressure distribution were compared. The results indicate that concave slats generate a larger positive pressure zone in the circumferential direction and exhibit more continuous water film pressure distribution. In the studied 24-slat bearing, the difference in maximum water film pressure between the slat-down and groove-down arrangements was only 1%. In contrast, the local groove configuration increased maximum water film pressure by 17.6% compared to the other two arrangements, also demonstrating superior axial pressure distribution. In conclusion, the combination of concave slats and a local groove design significantly enhances the load-carrying capacity and operational reliability of large-scale water-lubricated bearings.

Key words: water-lubricated bearing, slat type, load-carrying capacity, groove arrangement

摘要： 水润滑轴承是船舶推进系统的关键部件,其性能直接影响船舶运行的安全性与可靠性。该文通过建立水润滑轴承流固耦合分析模型,揭示了不同板条型面下水膜压力分布的机理;针对多种板条类型与不同沟槽布置形式,对比分析了平面型、凸面型与凹面型板条对轴承承载力及楔形水膜压力分布的影响。结果表明,凹面型板条可在周向形成更大范围的正压区,且液膜压力分布连续性更好。在所研究的24块板条轴承中,板条向下与沟槽向下两种布置形式的最大水膜压力仅相差1%,而局部沟槽布置形式的水膜压力较二者提高了17.6%,高压水膜的连续性更好。综上所述,采用凹面型板条与局部沟槽相结合的设计可显著提升大型船舶水润滑轴承的承载性能与运行可靠性。

关键词: 水润滑轴承, 板条类型, 承载力, 沟槽布置