A theoretical simulation of thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication for a Newtonian fluid in impact motion

• A mathematical model is built describing thermal EHL phenomenon in a impact-rebound process.
• The plane surface is lubricated with a layer of Newtonian lubricant.
• In an impact problem, the larger the initial impact gap, the larger the thermal rise.
• Surface waviness fluctuates film thickness obviously but pressure and temperature slightly.
• Future work will focus on the influence of a rheological model.

In this work, the thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (TEHL) in an impact motion is explored using multigrid (MG) method and column by column scanning techniques. A steel ball impacts onto an infinite steel plane lubricated with a thin layer of oil. The study starts from a smooth contact problem and the results are compared with the corresponding isothermal ones. Then surface waviness is imposed on the steel ball surface to check the fluctuation in the oil film.

Pressure, film thickness and mid-layer temperature profiles in X-direction with surface waviness, hoil=10 μm, h0⁎=0.5mm, A=0.5 μm, L =100 μm. (a) Pressure. (b) Film thickness. (c) Temperature.Figure optionsDownload high-quality image (66 K)Download as PowerPoint slide