Film thickness in elastohydrodynamically lubricated slender elliptic contacts: Part I – numerical studies of central film thickness

Author(s):  
Marius Wolf ◽  
Sergey Solovyev ◽  
Fatemi Arshia

In this paper, analytical equations for the central film thickness in slender elliptic contacts are investigated. A comparison of state-of-the-art formulas with simulation results of a multilevel elastohydrodynamic lubrication solver is conducted and shows considerable deviation. Therefore, a new film thickness formula for slender elliptic contacts with variable ellipticity is derived. It incorporates asymptotic solutions, which results in validity over a large parameter domain. It captures the behaviour of increasing film thickness with increasing load for specific very slender contacts. The new formula proves to be significantly more accurate than current equations. Experimental studies and discussions on minimum film thickness will be presented in a subsequent publication.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Wolf

In this paper, analytical equations for the central film thickness in slender elliptic contacts are investigated. A comparison of state-of-the-art formulas with simulation results of a multilevel EHL solver is conducted and shows considerable deviation. Therefore, a new film thickness formula for slender elliptic contacts with variable ellipticity is derived. It incorporates asymptotic solutions, which results in validity over a large parameter domain. It captures the behaviour of increasing film thickness with increasing load for specific very slender contacts. The new formula proves to be significantly more accurate than current equations.


2011 ◽  
Vol 308-310 ◽  
pp. 1929-1934
Author(s):  
Hui Li Dong ◽  
Shi Hua Yuan ◽  
Chao Wei

A novel configuration of CVT that contains two cones located in the same shaft face to face is researched about the traction performance under high speed based on the theory of elastohydrodynamic lubrication(EHL). The effects of load, radii of curvature and slip-roll ratio on the traction characteristics and power transmission are analyzed. The results show that with increasing load the traction coefficient enhances close to linearly where the load is not heavy and the minimum film thickness decreases linearly when the inner wheel radii of curvature less than 0.085m. The leftmost position could transmit higher power. The power transmitted improves slightly as slip-roll ratio enhances in an appropriate range.


2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Wang ◽  
C. H. Venner ◽  
A. A. Lubrecht

The effect of single-sided and double-sided harmonic surface waviness on the film thickness, pressure, and temperature oscillations in an elastohydrodynamically lubricated eccentric-tappet pair has been investigated in relation to the eccentricity and the waviness wavelength. The results show that, during one working cycle, the waviness causes significant fluctuations of the oil film, pressure, and temperature, as well as a reduction in minimum film thickness. Smaller wavelength causes more dramatic variations in oil film. The fluctuations of the pressure, film thickness, temperature, and traction coefficient caused by double-sided waviness are nearly the same compared with the single-sided waviness, but the variations are less intense.


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.


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.


Author(s):  
Duohuan Wu ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Peiran Yang ◽  
Ton Lubrecht

In this study, the effect of oil starvation on isothermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication of an impact motion is explored with the aid of numerical techniques. During the impact process, on comparison with the fully lubricated results, the pressure and film thickness are much lower and the entrapped film shape does not happen. The rebound is delayed by the oil starvation assumption. During the rebound process, a periphery entrapment is seen in the starved film thickness distribution. Under the starved condition, the maximum pressure gradient is higher. The central film thickness and minimum film thickness exhibit different variations compared with the results by fully flooded assumption.


2000 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 711-720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young S. Kang ◽  
Farshid Sadeghi ◽  
Xiaolan Ai

A model was developed to study the effects of a rigid debris on elastohydrodynamic lubrication of rolling/sliding contacts. In order to achieve the objectives the time dependent Reynolds equation was modified to include the effects of an ellipsoidal shaped debris. The modified time dependent Reynolds and elasticity equations were simultaneously solved to determine the pressure and film thickness in EHL contacts. The debris force balance equation was solved to determine the debris velocity. The model was then used to obtain results for a variety of loads, speeds, and debris sizes. The results indicate that the debris has a significant effect on the pressure distribution and causes a dent on the rolling/sliding bounding surfaces. Depending on the size and location of the debris the pressure generated within the contact can be high enough to plastically deform the bounding surfaces. Debris smaller than the minimum film thickness do not enter the contact and only large and more spherical debris move toward the contact. [S0742-4787(11)00501-7]


Author(s):  
C J Hooke

The elastohydrodynamic lubrication of point contacts is examined and results for the minimum film thickness are presented for a wide range of radius ratios and operating conditions. The results are compared with the predictions of the appropriate regime formulae. Although these formulae give a reasonable estimate of the contact's behaviour, the actual clearances are often substantially different, particularly close to the regime boundaries. Interpolation equations for seven values of radius ratio are given and these should be sufficient to allow the minimum clearance to be estimated for most isoviscous point contacts.


Author(s):  
C. J. Hooke ◽  
P Huang

The paper discusses the influence of viscoelasticity in elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL). It is shown that viscoelastic effects, particularly in soft materials such as rubber and polymers, may significantly affect the lubrication process. The variations of the pressure and film thickness with viscoelasticity are discussed, as is the internal energy loss in the material. Two effects are present. The first, controlled by the Deborah number based on the Hertz contact width, determines the width of the contact, the overall pressure distribution and the energy loss. The second, controlled by the Deborah number based on the entrainment length, largely determines the thickness of the entrained film and the minimum film thickness.


1984 ◽  
Vol 106 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. O. Jacobson ◽  
B. J. Hamrock

A procedure is outlined for the numerical solution of the complete elastohydrodynamic lubrication of rectangular contacts incorporating a non-Newtonian fluid model. The approach uses a Newtonian model as long as the shear stress is less than a limiting shear stress. If the shear stress exceeds the limiting value, the shear stress is set equal to the limiting value. The numerical solution requires the coupled solution of the pressure, film shape, and fluid rheology equations from the inlet to the outlet. Isothermal and no-side-leakage assumptions were imposed in the analysis. The influence of dimensionless speed U, load W, materials G, and sliding velocity U* and limiting-shear-strength proportionality constant γ on dimensionless minimum film thickness Hmin was investigated. Fourteen cases were investigated for an elastohydrodynamically lubricated rectangular contact incorporating a non-Newtonian fluid model. The influence of sliding velocity (U*) and limiting shear strength (γ) on minimum film thickness was observed to be small. Hence the film thickness equation obtained for a Newtonian fluid is sufficient for calculations considering non-Newtonian effects. Computer plots are also presented that indicate in detail pressure distribution, film shape, shear stress at the surfaces, and flow throughout the conjunction.


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