Effects of Load System Dynamics on the Film Thickness in EHL Contacts During Start Up

2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Popovici ◽  
C. H. Venner ◽  
P. M. Lugt

By means of numerical simulations the effects of the loading system on the contact dynamics of an EHL contact during start up have been studied. The work was initiated by experimental results obtained for the start up situation on a ball on disk apparatus in which strong film thickness oscillations were observed. In this paper it is shown how much, under operational conditions as they appear in a ball on disc rig, inertia, and stiffness related to the configuration of the loading system can influence the film thickness and mutual approach. For this purpose a model was used in which the usual force balance equation has been replaced by an equation of motion for the loading system in which an inertia and spring effect appear. It was shown that for large accelerations, the loading system does induce oscillations in the film thickness, and predictive formulas for the oscillation frequency derived from a dry contact analysis are shown to be accurate. The nature of the oscillations is explained in relation to the general aspects of time dependent solutions to EHL problems. However, the predicted oscillation amplitudes are small compared to what is seen in the experiments and although some of the phenomena shown in the solutions presented here also appear in the experimental results the experimentally observed oscillatory behavior appears to be of a different nature. As the model used here has given good predictions of the dynamic behavior of single contacts in ball on disc experiments in earlier studies it is concluded that it is unlikely that the oscillatory behavior observed in the experiments is only due to the dynamics of the loading system and other effects must play a role.

Author(s):  
Mihai Arghir ◽  
Omar Benchekroun

Abstract This paper presents a new structural bump foil model that can handle all operating conditions from start-up to full speed. The model is based on a nonlinear contact algorithm with friction and gaps. The top foil is modeled as a curved beam while bump foil uses a coupled truss model. The model considers the gaps between the bump foil and the bearing casing, between the bump foil and the top foil and between the rotor and the top foil. Thus, any numerical interference between the rotor and the top foil is avoided. A mixed lubrication model is used for the thin film pressures. Following this algorithm, contact pressures appear if the film thickness is less than three times the equivalent roughness of the rotor and of the top foil. Fluid pressures are calculated from numerical solutions of Reynolds equation while contact pressures, if present, are calculated with the model of Greenwood and Williamson. The model is validated by comparisons with the experimental results obtained for start-up operating conditions of a first-generation foil bearing of 38.1 mm diameter with static loads of 10–50 N. Theoretical predictions of the start-up torque and takeoff speed compare well with experimental results. It is also shown how manufacturing bump height errors can explain the differences between theoretical and experimental predictions. Further validations are presented for the same bearing operating at high speeds (30, 45, and 55 krpm) and heavy static loads (up to 200 N). The calculated minimum film thickness and attitude angle are compared with experimental data from the literature.


Author(s):  
Mihai Arghir ◽  
Omar Benchekroun

Abstract The paper presents a new structural bump foil model that can handle all operating conditions from start-up to full speed. The model is based on a non-linear contact algorithm with friction and gaps. The top foil is modeled as a curved beam while bump foil uses a coupled truss model. The model considers the gaps between the bump foil and the bearing casing, between the bump foil and the top foil and between the rotor and the top foil. Thus, any numerical interference between the rotor and the top foil is avoided. A mixed lubrication model is used for the thin film pressures. Following this algorithm, contact pressures appear if the film thickness is less than three times the equivalent roughness of the rotor and of the top foil. Fluid pressures are calculated from numerical solutions of Reynolds equation while contact pressures, if present, are calculated with the model of Greenwood and Williamson. The model is validated by comparisons with the experimental results obtained for start-up operating conditions of a first generation foil bearing of 38.1 mm diameter with static loads of 10 N to 50 N. Theoretical predictions of the start-up torque and take-off speed compare well with experimental results. It is also shown how manufacturing bump height errors can explain the differences between theoretical and experimental predictions. Further validations are presented for the same bearing operating at high speeds (30, 45 and 55 krpm) and heavy static loads (up to 200 N). The calculated minimum film thickness and attitude angle are compared with experimental data from the literature.


Author(s):  
Eduardo de la Guerra Ochoa ◽  
Javier Echávarri Otero ◽  
Enrique Chacón Tanarro ◽  
Benito del Río López

This article presents a thermal resistances-based approach for solving the thermal-elastohydrodynamic lubrication problem in point contact, taking the lubricant rheology into account. The friction coefficient in the contact is estimated, along with the distribution of both film thickness and temperature. A commercial tribometer is used in order to measure the friction coefficient at a ball-on-disc point contact lubricated with a polyalphaolefin base. These data and other experimental results available in the bibliography are compared to those obtained by using the proposed methodology, and thermal effects are analysed. The new approach shows good accuracy for predicting the friction coefficient and requires less computational cost than full thermal-elastohydrodynamic simulations.


Author(s):  
Fadi Ali ◽  
Ivan Křupka ◽  
Martin Hartl

This study presents experimental results on the effect of out-of-contact lubricant channeling on the tribological performance of nonconformal contacts under starved lubrication. Channeling of lubricant was carried out by adding a slider with a limited slot for scraping the displaced lubricant on one of mating surfaces (ball). Thus, the scraped lubricant is forced to flow back into the depleted track through the limited slot resulting in robust replenishment. The measurements have been conducted using optical tribometer (ball-on-disc) equipped with a digital camera and torque sensor. The effect of lubricant channeling was compared to the original contact condition by means of measuring friction and film thickness. The results show that the out-of-contact lubricant channeling leads to a significant enhancement of film thickness and friction reduction under starved conditions. Indeed, the starved elastohydrodynamic lubrication contacts transformed to the fully flooded regime after introducing the flow reconditioning. Moreover, the film thickness decay over time, which is common with starved elastohydrodynamic lubrication contacts, has not been observed in the case of lubricant channeling. However, the beneficial effect of lubricant channeling diminishes as the original contact condition tends to the fully flooded regime. The results of this study can be easily implemented in practical applications such as radial and thrust rolling-element bearings.


2016 ◽  
Vol 285 ◽  
pp. 83-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Almenglo ◽  
Martín Ramírez ◽  
José Manuel Gómez ◽  
Domingo Cantero

A technique using Newton’s rings for mapping the oil film of lubricated point contacts is described. A theoretical value for the film thickness of such contacts in elastohydrodynamic lubrication is derived. The experimental results give the exit constriction predicted by previous theory but never shown in detail. The comparison of theoretical and experimental oil film thicknesses, which is satisfactorily accurate, gives strong evidence for a viscous surface layer some 1000Å thick. This film agrees with the known ‘lubricating power’ of the various oils tested.


2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hung-Yi Lin ◽  
Weileun Fang

Abstract Stiffness of micromachined structures is limited by thin film thickness. Hence, static loads such as thin film residual stresses, or dynamic loads such as the inertia force could significantly deform the thinness micromachined torsional mirror. This work aims to stiffen the thin film micromachinined torsional mirror. The proposed torsional mirror exploits a reinforced frame to improve the stiffness of the mirror plate. Consequently, the mirror plate has less deformation no matter subject to the residual stresses or to the dynamic inertia force. In addition the reinforced frame stiffen the mirror without increasing the mass significantly. In application of this technique, the micro torsional mirror was fabricated through the integration of DRIE, conventional bulk and surface micromachining processes. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed design significantly improves the flatness of the mirror plate in both static and dynamic conditions. Consequently, the optical performance of the micro torsional mirror was improved.


Author(s):  
Syed Adnan Qasim ◽  
M. Afzaal Malik

In the normal low-speed engine operation, elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) of piston skirts and lubricant rheology reduce friction and prevent wear. In a few initial start up cycles, a very low engine speed and absence of EHL cause adhesive wear. This study models hydrodynamic and EHL of piston skirts in the initial very low cold engine start up speed by using a high viscosity lubricant. The 2-D Reynolds equation is solved and inverse solution technique is used to calculate the pressures and film thickness profiles in the hydrodynamic and EHL regimes, respectively. The work is extended to investigate the effects of three very low initial engine start up speeds on the transverse eccentricities of piston skirts, film thickness profiles and pressure fields in the hydrodynamic and EHL regimes. Despite using a viscous lubricant, thin EHL film profiles are generated at low start up speeds. This study suggests very low speed optimization in the cold initial engine start up conditions to prevent piston wear under isothermal conditions.


2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lissett Barrios ◽  
Mauricio Gargaglione Prado

Dynamic multiphase flow behavior inside a mixed flow electrical submersible pump (ESP) has been studied experimentally and theoretically for the first time. The overall objectives of this study are to determine the flow patterns and bubble behavior inside the ESP and to predict the operational conditions that cause surging. The theoretical study includes a mechanistic model for the prediction of the flow behavior inside the pump. The model comprises a one-dimensional force balance to predict occurrence of the stagnant bubbles at the channel intake. This model depends on two important variables, namely the stagnant bubble size and the bubble drag coefficient. The bubble size has been measured and a physically based correlation is presented. A new correlation for the drag coefficient is proposed as a function of rotational speed and Reynolds number. The model enables the prediction of the operational envelope of the ESP, namely the transition to surging.


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