Magnetohydrodynamic lubrication flow between parallel rotating disks

Abstract

The motion of an electrically conducting, incompressible, viscous fluid in the presence of a magnetic field is analyzed for flow between two parallel disks, one of which rotates at a constant angular velocity. The specific application to liquid metal lubrication in thrust bearings is considered. The two field configurations discussed are: an axial magnetic field with a radial current and a radial magnetic field with an axial current. It is shown that the load capacity of the bearing is dependent on the MHD interactions in the fluid and that the frictional torque on the rotor can be made zero for both field configurations by supplying electrical energy through the electrodes to the fluid.