On the pressure projection in elasto-hydrostatic lubrication problems-Part 2: FE approximation to observe the pressure projection

We have argued in Part 1 that the conventional Reynolds equation including the deformation of elastic disc does not obtain the pressure spike. However, as the experimental results in some papers have found the pressure projection, it can be intuitively explained as being caused by something hard in the oil film; by the pressure sensor, namely, manganin; or by the solidified lubricant. In this paper, the first of these possible causes is analyzed, for the first time, by introducing the fluid velocity variable in the direction of the oil film thickness and using the solid-fluid coupled finite-element (FE) method. It is shown by the numerical results based on Hamilton's experimental data that the pressure projection can be obtained by introducing the thickness of the pressure sensor, and that the projection profile varies with the sensor location on the disc. However, to solve the non-linearity of lubricant viscosity accurately is left for future research because the above FE analysis does not converge with the experimental data.