Lubrication performance of magnetorheological fluid-lubricated rubber stern bearing test ring

The purpose of this paper is to propose magnetorheological fluid-lubricated rubber stern bearing test ring, to study the effects of temperature, magnetic field strength and eccentricity ratio on lubrication performance. The Reynolds equation considering effects of eccentricity ratio, temperature and magnetic field strength is adopted and solved by finite difference method and successive over-relaxation method to calculate pressure distribution and friction coefficient with real bearing shapes and boundary conditions. Bearing capacity can be improved and friction coefficient can be reduced by decreasing temperature, increasing magnetic field strength and increasing eccentricity ratio. The paper’s results may provide important design theoretical and experimental guidelines support for rubber stern bearing in this kind of magnetorheological fluids-lubricated.