Development and discussion of a two-phase homogeneous model for a generalized Reynolds equation

The authors of this work believe that the nature of the cavity can be gaseous or vaporous depending upon the thermodynamic state. The flashing phenomenon occurs largely due to normal and shear forces in bearings, but solely due to normal forces in squeeze file situations. During flashing, pressure fall beneath the saturation pressures and vapor is produced throughout the entire mass of the depressurized fluid. Others have introduced a sink/sourc term in their continuity equation which depends on the strength of condensation/evaporation induced by the temperature and pressure conditions, applies the concept to the generalized Reynolds equation and couples it to the kinetic theory of nucleation, to yield a model for the sink/source term