An Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication Model for Coated Surfaces in Point Contacts

2007 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 509-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuchuan Liu ◽  
W. Wayne Chen ◽  
Dong Zhu ◽  
Shuangbiao Liu ◽  
Q. Jane Wang

An elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) model for coated surfaces in point contacts has been developed by combining the elastic deformation formulation for the coated surfaces with an EHL model. Inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) is employed first to obtain the influence coefficients (ICs) from the frequency response function (FRF). The subsequent calculation of elastic deformation is performed using the efficient algorithm of discrete convolution and fast Fourier transform (DC-FFT). The coating EHL model is verified by the comparison to available numerical results. The effects of coating on lubrication under various loads, speeds, rheological models, and pressure-viscosity behaviors are numerically investigated. Similar to the observations from dry contact, stiffer coatings in EHL tend to reduce the nominal contact radius but increase the maximum contact pressure, and vice versa for more compliant coatings. However, as coating thickness increases, the influence of coatings on film thickness, including the central and the minimum film thicknesses, does not follow a monotonic variation, and therefore, cannot be predicted by any simple film thickness equation. The reason for that is the pressure viscosity effect which tends to counterbalance the effect of coating. The average friction coefficient in lubricant film increases in stiff coating cases but decreases for compliant coating cases. Furthermore, two possible approaches to improving the minimum film thickness thus reducing friction and wear in mixed lubrication are indicated: a thin stiff coating for conventional EHL and a thick compliant coating for soft EHL.

2008 ◽  
Vol 131 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Ren ◽  
Dong Zhu ◽  
W. Wayne Chen ◽  
Yuchuan Liu ◽  
Q. Jane Wang

This paper reports the development of a novel three-dimensional (3D) deterministic model (3D L-EHL) for rough surface line-contact mixed-elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) problems. This model is highly demanded because line contacts are found between many mechanical components, such as various gears, roller and needle bearings, cams and followers, and work rolls and backup rolls in metal-forming equipment. The macro aspects of a line-contact problem can be simplified into a two-dimensional (2D) model; however, the topography of contacting rough surfaces, microasperity contacts, and lubricant flows around asperities are often three-dimensional. The present model is based on Hu and Zhu’s unified 3D mixed-EHL model (Hu and Zhu, 2000, “Full Numerical Solution to the Mixed Lubrication in Point Contacts,” ASME J. Tribol., 122(1), pp. 1–9) originally developed for point contacts and the mixed fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based approach for deformation calculation formulated by Chen et al. (2008, “Fast Fourier Transform Based Numerical Methods for Elasto-Plastic Contacts With Normally Flat Surface,” ASME J. Appl. Mech., 75(1), 011022-1-11). It is numerically verified through comparisons with results from the line-contact Hertzian theory and the conventional 2D line-contact smooth-surface EHL formulas. Numerical examples involving 3D sinusoidal and digitized machined surfaces are also analyzed. Sample cases indicate that transverse roughness may yield greater film thickness than longitudinal roughness. This observation is qualitatively in agreement with the trend predicted by Patir and Cheng’s stochastic model (1978, “Effect of Surface Roughness on the Central Film Thickness in EHL Contacts,” Proceedings of the Fifth Leeds-Lyon Symposium on Tribology, London, pp. 15–21). However, the roughness orientation effect does not appear to be quantitatively as great as that shown in the work of Patir and Cheng for the same range of λ ratio.


Author(s):  
A. V. Olver ◽  
D Dini

A difficulty with the standard fast Fourier transform (FFT) perturbation model of roughness in lubricated rolling contacts is that it does not necessarily converge towards the elastic case as the film thickness is reduced; rather it leads to a situation in which all the roughness is completely flattened. This is rarely the case for real engineering surfaces. Here, it is shown that this difficulty can be avoided by carrying out a Fourier transform of the elastostatically flattened roughness and using the resulting (complex) amplitude as the low-film thickness limit of each Fourier component in the elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) analysis. Results give a plausible convergence to the elastostatic solution, which is nevertheless consistent with the expected near-full-film EHL behaviour and which becomes identical to the earlier model for roughness that, statically, can be fully flattened. As expected, hydrodynamic action persists at the finest scale, even for very thin films.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Fan-Ming Meng ◽  
Sheng Yang ◽  
Zhi-Tao Cheng ◽  
Yong Zheng ◽  
Bin Wang

A non-Newtonian thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (TEHL) model for the elliptic contact is established, into which the inertia forces of the lubricant is incorporated. In doing so, the film pressure and film temperature are solved using the associated equations. Meanwhile, the elastic deformation is calculated with the discrete convolution and fast Fourier transform (DC-FFT) method. A film thickness experiment is conducted to validate the TEHL model considering the inertia forces. Further, effects of the inertia forces on the TEHL performances are studied at different operation conditions. The results show that when the inertia forces are considered, the central and minimum film thicknesses increase and film temperature near the inlet increases obviously. Moreover, the inertial solution of the central film thickness is closer to the experimental result compared with its inertialess value.


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.


Author(s):  
Zhanjiang Wang ◽  
Xiaoqing Jin ◽  
Shuangbiao Liu ◽  
Leon M. Keer ◽  
Jian Cao ◽  
...  

This paper presents a new method of contact plasticity analysis based on Galerkin vectors to solve the eigenstresses due to eigenstrain. The influence coefficients relating eigenstrains to eigenstresses thus can be divided into four terms the one due to the eigenstrains in the full space, others due to the mirrored eigenstrains in the mirror half space. Each term can be solved fast and efficient by using the three-dimensional discrete convolution and fast Fourier transform (DC-FFT) or the three-dimensional discrete correlation and fast Fourier transform (DCR-FFT). The new method is used to analyze the contact plastic residual stresses in half space.


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.


2010 ◽  
Vol 29-32 ◽  
pp. 857-861
Author(s):  
Jian Ping Liu ◽  
Xin Yi Zhang ◽  
Qing Xuan Jia

Considering lumen elastic deformation, Reynolds equation is deduced based on non-Newtonian model in this paper. Traction force and hydrodynamic mucus film thickness are calculated according to elastohydrodynamic lubrication theory. Compared with results based on Newtonian model and experiments, analysis based on non-Newtonian model reflects practical condition well. Lumen elastic deformation has some influence on traction force and mucus film thickness.


Author(s):  
A. D. Chapkov ◽  
C. H. Venner ◽  
A. A. Lubrecht

The influence of surface roughness on the performance of bearings and gears operating under ElastoHydrodynamic Lubrication (EHL) conditions has become increasingly important over the last decade, as the average film thickness decreased due to various influences. Surface features can reduce the minimum film thickness and thus increase the wear. They can also increase the temperature and the pressure fluctuations, which directly affects the component life. In order to describe the roughness geometry inside an EHL contact, the amplitude reduction of harmonic waviness has been studied over the last ten years. This theory currently allows a quantitative prediction of the waviness amplitude and includes the influence of wavelength and contact operating conditions. However, the model assumes a Newtonian behaviour of the lubricant. The current paper makes a first contribution to the extension of the roughness amplitude reduction for EHL point contacts including non-Newtonian effects.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Abd Alsamieh

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the behavior of a single ridge passing through elastohydrodynamic lubrication of point contacts problem for different ridge shapes and sizes, including flat-top, triangular and cosine wave pattern to get an optimal ridge profile. Design/methodology/approach The time-dependent Reynolds’ equation is solved using Newton–Raphson technique. Several shapes of surface feature are simulated and the film thickness and pressure distribution are obtained at every time step by simultaneous solution of the Reynolds’ equation and film thickness equation, including elastic deformation. Film thickness and pressure distribution are chosen to be the criteria in the comparisons. Findings The geometrical characteristics of the ridge play an important role in the formation of lubricant film thickness profile and the pressure distribution through the contact zone. To minimize wear, friction and fatigue life, an optimal ridge profile should have smooth shape with small ridge size. Obtained results are compared with other published numerical results and show a good agreement. Originality/value The study evaluates the performance of different surface features of a single ridge with different shapes and sizes passing through elastohydrodynamic of point contact problem in relation to film thickness and pressure profile.


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