Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The paper presents the results of an investigation of methods of mathematically coupling the equations of elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) that define the EHL line contact problem. The objective is to develop numerical solvers for use in the study of thin-film/rough surface contacts such as found in gears. It has been found that deformation behaviour of the surfaces is a dominant effect and that full rather than partial coupling is necessary for stable solutions. For cases considered using a Newtonian lubricant a first-order formulation of the Reynolds equation is required at high loads in the high-pressure part of the contact.

The fully coupled method is also applied to contact between a moving smooth surface and a stationary rough surface. The significant changes brought about by non-Newtonian oil behaviour are demonstrated, together with the ability of the method to provide solutions for cases where the λ ratio (of film thickness to surface roughness) is as low as 0.1.

Keywords

elastohydrodynamic lubrication coupled numerical solvers deformation rough surfaces

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Grubin

A. N.

Vinogradova

I. F.

Fundamentals of the Hydrodynamic Theory of Lubrication of Heavily Loaded Cylindrical Surfaces, 1949, Book 30, DSIR Translation 337 (Central Scientific Research Institute for Technology and Engineering, Moscow).

Dowson

Higginson

G. R.

Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication, 2nd edition, 1966 (Pergamon Press, Oxford).

Evans

H. P.

Snidle

R. W.

The elastohydrodynamic lubrication of point contacts at heavy loads. Proc. R. Soc. Lond., 1982, A382, 183.

Lubrecht

A. A.

ten Napel

W. E.

Bosma

d. Trans. ASME, J. Tribology, 1986, 108, 551.

Venner

C. H.

Higher-order multilevel solvers for the EHL line and point contact problem. Trans. ASME, J. Tribology, 1994, 116, 741.

Evans

H. P.

Snidle

R. W.

Wildhaber—Novikov circular arc gears: Elastohydrodynamics. Trans. ASME, J. Tribology, 1993, 115, 487–492.

Rhode

S. M.

K. P.

A unified treatment of thick and thin elastohydrodynamic problems by using higher order element methods. Proc. R. Soc. Lond., 1975, A343, 315.

Okamura

A contribution to the numerical analysis of isothermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication. In Proceedings of 9th Leeds—Lyon Symposium on Tribology,) 1982, p. 313.

Houpert

L. G.

Hamrock

B. J.

Fast approach for calculating film thicknesses and pressures in elastohydrodynamically lubricated contacts at high loads. Trans. ASME, J. Tribology, 1986, 108, 411.

10.

Dowson

Wang

An analysis of the normal bouncing of a solid elastic ball on an oily plate. Wear, 1994, 179, 29–37.

11.

Roelands

C. J. A.

Correlational Aspects of the Viscosity—Temperature—Pressure Relationship of Lubricating Oils, 1966 (Druk URB, Gronigen).

12.

Johnson

K. L.

Tevaarwerk

J. L.

The shear behaviour of elastohydrodynamic oil films. Proc. R. Soc. Lond., 1977, A356, 217.

13.

Conry

T. F.

Wang

Cusano

A Reynolds—Eyring equation for elastohydrodynamic lubrication in line contacts. Trans. ASME, J. Tribology, 1987, 109, 648.

14.

Hughes

T. G.

Evans

H. P.

Elcoate

C. D.

A novel method for integrating first and second order differential equations in elastohydrodynamic lubrication for the solution of smooth isothermal, line contact problems. Int. J. Numer. Meth., 1997 (submitted).

15.

Venner

C. H.

Multilevel solution of the EHL line and point contact problems. PhD thesis, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands, 1991.

16.

Patching

M. J.

Evans

H. P.

Snidle

R. W.

Micro EHL analysis of ground and superfinished steel discs used to simulate gear tooth contacts. Tribology Trans., 1996, 39, 595–602.

17.

Elcoate

C. D.

Coupled solution methods for the elastohydrodynamic problem. PhD thesis, University of Wales, Cardiff, 1996.

18.

Evans

H. P.

Snidle

R. W.

A model for elastohydrodynamic film failure in contacts between surfaces having transverse finish. Trans. ASME, J. Tribology, 1996, 118, 847–857.

19.

Brandt

Lubrecht

A. A.

Multilevel matrix manipulation and fast solution of integral equations. J. Comp. Phys., 1990, 90, 348–370.

On the coupling of the elastohydrodynamic problem

Abstract

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References