Numerical study of surface dimple phenomenon by starvation in simple sliding contact
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to use a thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) algorithm incorporating an Eyring flow model to solve a steady-state contact in simple sliding motion.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical model was used to investigate the effect of starvation on the surface dimple phenomenon by gradually reducing the thickness of the inlet oil layer.
Findings
The increase in the starvation degree reduces the dimple depth, film thickness, the pressure peak and the temperature rise. Under the severe starvation condition, the dimple is eliminated so that the EHL contact becomes partly parched. In elliptical results, for the same starvation parameters, the oil replenishment is stronger than that in circular contact.
Originality/value
This paper fulfils an exploration to study how the oil starvation influences the surface dimple phenomenon.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work is sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51275253). Professor J. Wang thanks the support of China Scholarship Council for its support of this research at Oakland University, in the USA.
Citation
Cui, S., Nishikawa, H., Wang, J. and Zou, Q. (2017), "Numerical study of surface dimple phenomenon by starvation in simple sliding contact", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 69 No. 6, pp. 980-989. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-12-2016-0316
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited