Stopping criterion in iterative solution methods for Reynolds equations

Iterative solution methods are usually used for solving a variety of Reynolds equations in lubrication analysis due to their simplicity and effectiveness. The objective of this study is to present a robust stopping criterion for iterative methods, by which the iterative process of the methods can be terminated for high execution efficiency without sacrificing the solution accuracy. In this study, the compressible and incompressible fluid Reynolds equations are solved by popular relaxation methods. A very efficient preconditioned conjugate gradient method is also applied in a case for verification. The proposed stopping criterion for iterative methods is based on a coarse-grid truncation error analysis. Three different gridwork groups are required for estimating the truncation errors, which involves only a small amount of additional execution time. In the numerical models examined, the amount of truncation error in a model is insensitive to the gridwork used. It is also found that in a calculation the best prediction of truncation error for terminating the iteration is obtained by using the average fluid film pressure. It is shown that for all the cases tested the proposed stopping criterion can meet the objective stated. The stopping criterion can also be applied when the efficiency of iterative methods is to be compared in solving Reynolds equations.