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Moving contact line dynamics calculations include two models: precursor film models and slip models. The lubrication approximation method is used to establish a three-dimensional mathematical model to analyze the droplet thermocapillary migration behavior on a non-uniformly heated solid substrate with a wettability track. The contact line dynamics in the slip model and the disjoining pressure effect in the precursor model are proposed to regulate the substrate wettability. Both models are numerically implemented to investigate droplet spreading for three cases: free spreading on an isothermal substrate, thermocapillary migration on a uniform wettability substrate, and thermocapillary migration on a wettability-confined track. For the case of free spreading on an isothermal substrate, the three-dimensional results of the slip and precursor contact line models are essentially consistent with two-dimensional slip model results. For the case of thermocapillary migration on a uniform wettability substrate, the results of the two models essentially agree with the experimental results. Decreasing the thermal gradient reduces the discrepancies between the two models that result from the coordinate transformation method used in the slip model, which reduces the contact angles measured in the y-direction and enlarges the advancing contact angle in the migration direction. For the case of thermocapillary migration on a wettability-confined track, the slip model gradually shows a "dynamic-pinning" behavior with increasing equilibrium contact angle in the hydrophobic region. By contrast, the precursor film model maintains a stationary pinning behavior but separates a residual liquid outside the track. The precursor film model is preferred over the slip model in lubrication approximations for three-dimensional fluids when calculating complex moving contact dynamics caused by wettability differences. However, the precursor film model must be further optimized to prevent numerical instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a cylinder immersed in viscous fluid moving near a flat substrate covered by an incompressible viscoelastic fluid layer, and study the effect of the fluid viscoelasticity on the lift force exerted on the cylinder. The lift force is zero when the viscoelastic layer is not deformed, but becomes non-zero when it is deformed. We calculate the lift force by considering both the tangential stress and the normal stress applied at the surface of the viscoelastic layer. Our analysis indicates that as the layer changes from the elastic limit to the viscous limit, the lift force decreases with the decrease of the Deborah number (De). For small De, the effect of the layer elasticity is taken over by the surface tension and the lift force can become negative. We also show that the tangential stress and the interface slip velocity (the surface velocity relative to the substrate), which have been ignored in the previous analysis, give important contributions to the lift force. Especially for thin elastic layers, they give dominant contributions to the lift force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stick–slip is a standard friction-induced self-excited vibration that usually occurs in the boundary or mixed lubrication regimes. Broadening of the hydrodynamic lubrication regime is conducive to suppressing stick–slip motion. In this paper, the load carrying capacity of a magnetic fluid (MF) film in the presence of a magnetic field is derived based on the modified Reynolds equation. An additional lifting force produced by MF under the magnet was applied between the tribopairs to achieve the full fluid lubrication. Thus, the stick–slip is expected to be inhibited in a lower speed scope. The effect of magnet thickness on the lifting force is investigated experimentally and theoretically. Special attention is given to the influence of the lifting force on the friction and the critical transition speed of the hydrodynamic lubrication regime. Results demonstrate that the lifting force increases with the increment of the magnet thickness. The presence of the additional lifting force expands the hydrodynamic lubrication and makes the critical transition speed move left, as shown by the friction transitions on the Stribeck curve. Therefore, stick–slip motion can be suppressed at a lower sliding speed. Such beneficial effects are more pronounced in thicker magnets. It can be confirmed that, so long as the lifting force is higher than the normal load, the friction will invariably operate in the full film lubrication and the stick-slip motion may be eliminated theoretically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friction remains as the primary mode of energy dissipation and components wear, and achieving superlubricity shows high promise in energy conservation and lifetime wear protection. The results in this work demonstrate that direct superlubricity combined with superlow wear can be realized for steel/Si3N4 contacts on engineering scale when polyhydroxy alcohol solution was selectively modified by amino group. Macroscopic direct superlubricity occurs because 3-amino-1,2-propanediol molecules at the friction interface could be induced to rotate and adsorb vertically on the friction surface, forming in-situ thick and dense molecular films to passivate the asperity contacts. Furthermore, amino modification is also conducive to improving the lubrication state from boundary to mixed lubrication regime by strengthening the intermolecular hydrogen bonding interaction, presenting enhanced load-bearing capability and reduced direct solid asperity contacts. Thus, direct superlow average friction of 0.01 combined with superlow wear are achieved simultaneously. The design principle of direct superlubricity and superlow wear in this work indeed offers an effective strategy to fundamentally improve energy efficiency and provide lifetime wear protection for moving mechanical assemblies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ocular lubrication, where the eyelid constantly slides on the curved corneal surface, is considered as one of primary lubrication systems in bio-tribology. Under reliable lubrication conditions, sensitive ocular tissues remain intact from fatigue damage during spontaneous blink cycles. The tear film, evenly filled between cornea and conjunctiva, is a biological fluid with dynamic adjustment ability, which provides superior lubrication with the friction coefficient of below 0.01. However, the lubrication failure may result in a variety of uncomfortable symptoms such as inflammatory reactions, tissue damage and neurological abnormalities. Therefore, it is essential to clarify the fundamental mechanism of ocular lubrication, which helps to alleviate and even recover from various ocular symptoms. This review firstly demonstrates that the ocular components, containing lipids and mucins, contribute to maintaining the lubrication stability of tear film. Furthermore, the ocular lubrication state in various physiological environments and the physical effect on tear film dynamics are further discussed. As typical applications, the therapeutic agents of dry eye syndrome and contact lens with superior lubrication effects are introduced and their lubrication mechanisms are clarified. Finally, this review summarizes a series of the latest research inspired by ocular lubrication. Overall, this work will provide a valuable guidance on the theoretical research and extensive applications in the field of biological lubrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamical modeling of spur gears with typical faults is crucial research topic for understanding fault features and vibration mechanisms. Meanwhile, the lubrication plays an important role in dynamic model. In this work, a novel coupled model combined dynamic model with elastohydrodynamic lubrication model is proposed by considering typical faults action mechanisms. A modified backlash error model takes into account the deformation and oil film backlash to calculate the time-varying backlash. The Runge–Kutta, multigrid integral and five-level Dmeyer wavelet transform method are combined to calculate the lubrication properties and dynamic characteristics at each meshing position along the line of action. Influences of typical faults on the contact performance, such as pressure distribution, oil film thickness, vibration response and bifurcation chaotic behavior are studied. The results show that the typical faults have a significant impact on both the lubrication and dynamic characteristics of the system. The spatial placement of faults can significantly alter the distribution of lubrication parameters. The disturbance of gear faults cause the system attractor unfold and the phase trajectory diffuse and make the system tend to be unstable. The typical faults are more sensitive at low excitation frequencies and less affected at high excitation frequencies. The research provides a basis for the fault diagnosis and detection of gearbox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on the evolution of lubrication wedge shaping in internal combustion piston engines, taking into account liquid microflows on curved surfaces and coating microgeometries. It introduces a new approach to the analysis of friction losses by simulating the microflow of lubricating oil between the surfaces of piston rings cooperating with the cylinder surface. The models used take into account three types of microgeometry and material expansion. Key results indicate that microirregularities with a stereometry of 0.1–0.2 µm significantly influence the distribution of oil film thickness in the phase of maximum working pressure, which is critical for the functioning of the seal ring. The innovation of the work consists of demonstrating that, despite small changes in the friction force and power in the piston rings, changes in the minimum values of the oil film thickness are significant. The work highlights the failure to take into account microgeometry parameters in friction models, which leads to significant errors in the simulation results, especially in terms of oil film continuity and the contribution of mixed friction. The simulations also indicate that advanced geometric models with high mesh resolution are necessary only for the assessment of changes in oil film thickness during the highest pressure increase in the combustion chamber and taking into account various mixed friction conditions. The results suggest significant progress in engine design and performance, confirming the importance of advanced fluid and mixed friction models in piston engine lubrication research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the reliability and lifespan of wind turbines, this paper takes the two-stage fixed shaft gearbox experimental platform of wind turbines as the research object. Based on Hertz contact theory, the oil film pressure and thickness in the contact area are solved by combining the equations of elastohydrodynamic lubrication and the Newton Raphson method; And the lubrication characteristics of the transmission system were analyzed to verify the correctness of the method; At the same time, in response to partial load phenomenon caused by system coupling deformation, genetic algorithm was selected to modify the gear teeth. The results show that the max unit load on the tooth face and the maximum stress of tooth root decreased by up to 26.48 % and up to 20.35 % respectively after modification which can improve the uneven distribution of oil film and the lubrication performance of the tooth surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing Phan-Thien Tanner fluid film behavior on a vertically upward moving tube can help predictive models in engineering, notably in coating and lubrication operations. This paper provides a theoretical analysis of the dynamics of stagnant rings and uniform Phan-Thien Tanner fluid film adhered to a vertically upward moving tube. Formulated ordinary differential equations are solved to get exact analytic expressions for velocity, flow rate, average velocity, shear stress components, and stagnant rings. Highly nonlinear algebraic equations are solved using Newton's method in MAPLE to find the linear and exponential Phan-Thien Tanner film thicknesses. The uniform film thickness widens with increasing constant tube velocity, while it decreases with increasing Deborah number, Stokes number, and elongation parameter. The analysis delineates that stagnant rings shrink around the tube as the Stokes number, Deborah number, and elongation parameter increase. The minimal Stokes condition for the existence of a realistic stagnant ring is also determined. It has been established that whenever the Stokes number is less than the minimal Stokes condition, stagnant rings do not form. A comparison between the exponential Phan-Thien Tanner, linear Phan-Thien Tanner, upper convected Maxwell, and Newtonian fluids is also provided for stagnant rings and fluid film thickness. Following the application of an efficient approximation on tube geometry, plate geometry is approximated, and the outcomes are consistent with existing literature. The results of this research are significant for a wide range of biofluid applications, including agrochemical uses, paint and surface coating flow behavior, thin films on the cornea and lungs, and chemical and nuclear reactor design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high-speed motors has stimulated the demand for high-speed reducers. In response to the lack of research on high-speed reducers and the challenge of developing high-speed transmission systems, this study proposes a novel wedge-loading planetary traction drive (WPTD). First, a more accurate theoretical analysis model is established by considering the combined effects of elastic deformation, loading state, and a elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) traction mechanism. Second, the mixed thermal EHL model is introduced into the performance analysis of traction drive for the first time. The fitting formulas for predicting traction contact behavior are derived, and a performance analysis method for all line-contact traction drives is presented. Third, the loading performance, transmission characteristics, and the influence of different parameters on the transmission characteristics of WPTD are analyzed. Finally, the theoretical model is validated by prototype performance tests. The results show that the loading mechanism demonstrates a good self-adaptive loading effect, and WPTD achieves a peak efficiency of 96%. Additionally, WPTD delivers superior efficiency and vibration and noise performance because of its smooth power-transfer characteristics, thereby providing a possible solution for high-speed and low-vibration transmissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work explores experimentally the effects of DC electrical currents on lubricant film thickness alteration in lubricated sliding steel contacts in the boundary and mixed regime as measured by ultrasound. The experiments were performed in a two-electrode cell-based pin-on-disk tester instrumented with ultrasonic transducers. Unelectrified and electrified tribological tests were conducted on steel flat-on-flat contacts under various speeds and loads using both a mineral base oil and a gear oil. Film thickness, coefficient of friction (CoF), and electrical contact resistance (ECR) were measured during short experiments (30 s) in unelectrified and electrified (1.5 and 3 A) conditions. The results suggest that film thickness, CoF, and all ECR are altered by passing DC currents through the contact. In particular, film thickness increased and decreased, respectively, by applying electricity at the different speeds and loads tested. These alterations were majorly ascribed to oil viscosity decrease by local heat and surface oxidation caused by electrical discharge and break down at the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymers are widely used in bearing applications. In the case of water-lubricated stern tube bearings, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-based composites are used due to their excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and tunable mechanical properties. Their tribological performance, however, depends on operating conditions. In this work, TPU was blended with carbon fiber, graphene platelet, and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Friction tests of TPU based-composites against copper countersurface were carried out in water to mimic the actual operating conditions of the bearing. Most of the resulting contacts were in the boundary lubrication regime, in which friction was attributed to both contact mechanics of asperities as well as water lubrication. Our results show that the viscoelasticity of TPU has a considerable impact on its tribological performance. Water lubrication at 50 °C promotes the softening of polymer surface material during sliding, resulting in higher fluctuation in the coefficient of friction and wear loss. This is attributed to the reduced thermomechanical properties. In addition, Schallamach waviness is observed on worn surface. The tribological properties of TPU are significantly improved by the inclusion of carbon fiber, graphene platelet, and UHMWPE. The formation of graphene transfer-layers and UHMWPE transfer film reduces friction and wear loss, while the inclusion of carbon fiber enhances wear resistance due to improved mechanical properties and load bearing capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Durability and reliability have been studied for decades through intensive trial-error experimentation. However, there are numerous fields of application where the costs associated with this approach are not acceptable. In lubricated machines with severe dynamic loads, such as high-power-density engines, simulation tools offer clear advantages over intensive testing. Prototypes and multiple scenarios can be cost-effectively simulated to assess different lubricants and engine configurations. The work presented here details the study of wear based on a validated elastohydrodynamic (EHD) simulation model of the connecting rod journal bearing. This model accounts for elastic deformation through a connecting rod finite element model (FEM). In addition, multiple lubricant rheological and tribological dependences, determined by specific experimental tests, are applied in the model through their interaction with the simulation software. Correspondingly, a novel wear algorithm is proposed to predict wear depth over time evolution along a proposed wear cycle based on the typical working ranges of high-performance engines. A final assessment is presented to compare 4 different ultralow-viscosity lubricants in their protective performance under severe conditions. The results show the evolution of the wear load and wear depth over the wear cycle. This evaluation is key to describing a lubricant selection procedure for high-power-density engines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is an optimized extension based on the authors' previous research on the tribo-chemical reaction under constant temperature field of two-stroke internal combustion engines (ICEs). It establishes a coupled analysis model that considers the tribo-chemical reactions, dynamic contact, and interface lubrication of the piston ring-cylinder liner (PRCL) system under transient temperature conditions. In this study, for the first time, the prediction of the tribofilm thickness and its influence on the surface micro-topography (the comprehensive roughness) are coupled in the working temperature field of the PRCL system, forming an effective model framework and providing a model basis and analytical basis for subsequent research. This study findings reveal that by incorporating temperature and tribofilm into the simulation model, the average friction deviation throughout the stroke decreases from 8.92% to 0.93% when compared to experimental results. Moreover, the deviation during the combustion regime reduces from 39.56% to 7.34%. The proposed coupled model provides a valuable tool for the evaluation of lubrication performance of the PRCL system and supports the analysis software forward design in two-stroke ICEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stochastic uncertain tribodynamic model is established for a spur gear pair for the first time. The stochastic uncertainty of pinion rotation speed propagated to lubrication performance is investigated. The probability density function of the minimum lubricant film thickness hmin evolves over time periodically at interval of an engagement process. Correspondence between abrupt increase in meshing force and amplification of hmin uncertainty is found. Robust and reliable lubrication performance can be achieved by suppressing the hmin uncertainty and decreasing the lubrication failure probability. This can be done by increasing lubricant viscosity, and decreasing input torque and uncertainty level of input rotation speed. This work lays a solid foundation for robust and reliability based optimization for tribodynamic gear system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the demand for energy-efficient and, at the same time, durable, functional components, the improvement of tribological behavior is playing an increasingly important role. One approach to reducing friction in lubricated tribological systems is the microtexturing of the surfaces tailored to the application, but in most cases, this leads to increased manufacturing costs and thus often makes their use in industry more difficult. In this work, we, therefore, present an approach for an efficient design and fully integrated production process using a cam tappet as an example. For the used cam tappet contact, we first determined the optimal texture geometries using two differently complex EHL (elastohydrodynamic lubrication) simulation models. Based on these, textured tappets were manufactured in a combined manner using sheet-bulk metal-forming and deposition with a diamond-like-carbon (DLC) coating for additional wear protection without further post-processing of the coating. We show that the simulation approach used has a rather subordinate influence on the optimization result. The combined forming of components with textured surfaces is limited by the local material flow, the resulting texture distortion, and tool wear. However, a targeted process design can help to exploit the potential of single-stage forming. The applied DLC coating has good adhesion and can completely prevent wear in subsequent reciprocal pin-on-disc tests, while the friction in the run-in behavior is initially higher due to the soothing effects of the coating. The experiments also show a tendency for shallow textures to exhibit lower friction compared to deeper ones, which corresponds to the expectations from the simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of lubrication in metallic artificial hip joints is discussed to prevent the two bearing surfaces from contacting each other. This study aims to analyse the characteristics of elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) and investigate the effect of radial clearance and head size on the tribological performance of metallic artificial hip joints under steady-state conditions using the Fluid-Structure-Interaction (FSI) method. The average load in the z-direction and flexion-extension motion around the y-axis were used to represent normal walking. This study demonstrates that the film thickness profile from the validation study aligns with the findings of the previous study. The contour of the fluid pressure in the central contact zone changes with different time steps – the direction of fluid movement corresponds to the solid-fluid reaction. Additionally, the deformation of the cup surfaces contributes to the continuous fluid film that separates the contact surfaces. Furthermore, design parameters also influence EHL performance. It has been discovered that less radial clearance and a larger head size led to an increase in fluid film thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Installation error is one of the most prominent factors affecting the lubrication of face gear. To analyze the lubrication performance of the face gear with installation errors, the installation error model of the orthogonal face gear transmission system is established. Then, the contact path, equivalent curvature radius, load distribution and entrainment velocity are studied using the face gear loaded tooth contact analysis (LTCA). On this basis, the lubrication governing equations of the face gear are established according to the elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) theory. In addition, the oil film thickness, oil film pressure and coefficient of friction in the process of face gear drives are calculated using the method of progressive mesh densification (PMD). Finally, the effects of axis intersection angle error, axis intersection error and axial displacement error on lubrication characteristics are analyzed. The results reveal that when the axial intersection angle error and axial displacement error are negative and the axial intersection error is positive, the minimum oil film thickness of the face gear tooth surface is less than that without error. When the error values are the same, the minimum oil film thickness and coefficient of friction have larger changes with the axial displacement error than with the axis intersection error, and the contact path has a bigger movement range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wax is a prevalent lubrication material extensively employed in various engineering applications. Understanding the degradation characteristics of the waxy lubrication layer under diverse stress variables and levels is crucial for ensuring system security and reliability. Due to the unclear mechanism governing the degradation of the waxy lubrication layer under different stress variables, existing degradation models are unsuitable for modeling waxy lubrication layer degradation data. To address this challenge, we propose a functional data‐driven method leveraging dense observations of waxy degradation. Through extensive simulations and a case study, we demonstrate the superior performance and effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friction and wear are the main failure sources of face seals. When the surfaces of sealing rings exhibit greater roughness, the level of friction might increase and lead to sealing failure. Therefore, in this paper, based on the elastic contact hypothesis of rough and wavy surfaces and the influence of temperature on the elastic modulus of materials, a thermoelastic contact lubrication model of a gas-lubricated end seal is established. The novelty and advantage of this study is that it takes the effect of surface roughness into consideration during thermoelastic analysis of gas-lubricated seals. The film pressure, temperature, contact force and deformation of a gas spiral groove-faced seal are numerically determined. The influence of surface roughness on the contact distribution, deformation and temperature of the end-face seal at different speeds and pressures is analyzed. The film thickness increases as the rotational speed increases from 1 rpm to 2000 rpm, while the contact pressure sharply decreases from 0.25 kPa to 0. The analysis shows that the roughness contact mainly happens on the inner side of the rings due to convergent distortion of the seal faces, which easily causes partial wear of the seal faces. Moreover, it can also be found that the spiral grooves on the sealing surface can produce obvious hydrodynamic pressure effect due to the function of shear speed when the speed increases to 2000 rpm, while the film temperature increases from 293.3 K to about 306 K. The greater surface roughness results in a larger temperature rise under low-rotational-speed and lower-seal-pressure conditions, which further increases the risk of severe wear or even failure of the seal faces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rolling element bearings are widely used in aero engines, high-speed trains, precision machine tools, and other technical fields due to their high rotational accuracy and strong carrying capacity. With the development of rotating machinery in the direction of high speed, the working conditions of rolling element bearings are becoming more and more harsh, resulting in thermal problems that will seriously affect the mechanical properties of the bearing and the stability of the rotor system. In this paper, the four-degrees-of-freedom quasi-static model of cylindrical roller bearings was established based on the elastohydrodynamic lubrication theory combined with slicing technology. The local thermal approach and the thermal resistance network method were adopted to calculate the frictional heat generation and the transient temperature field of bearings. So the thermal-mechanical coupling model was obtained considering the correction of the thermal effect. On this basis, the influences of temperature on the vibration of the bearing-rotor system were researched. Finally, the temperature and stiffness of the bearings under various operating conditions were discussed. The coupling theory of thermal characteristics and mechanical properties of such bearing-rotor systems was improved. Practical Applications: Cylindrical roller bearings generally play a supporting role in rotating machinery and are widely used on high-speed occasions. For example, aero engines work under high-speed conditions, and high speeds in mechanical systems often bring serious thermal problems. As one of the core components, the spindle bearing must be able to overcome such a complex working environment. In this paper, cylindrical roller bearings and bearing-rotor systems are mathematically modeled for this feature in order to study their thermal and dynamic characteristics. The conclusions of this paper can provide relevant references for the design theory of this type of bearings applied in the fields of aero engines, high-speed precision machine tools, high-speed trains, etc., as well as theoretical guidance for the evaluation of their actual service performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following study investigates the effects of Rabinowitsch fluid on journal bearing lubrication under the influence of velocity slip and variable viscosity. The finite difference method is used to produce a numerical solution to the 2D Modified Reynolds equation. The findings verify the previous results, which indicate that the dilatant (shear-thickening) fluid pressure is higher than the Newtonian and pseudo-plastic (shear-thinning) fluids. The results show that in the presence of slip, the pressure distribution rises with the piezo- viscosity parameter (variable viscosity) by up to 75%. Compared to the Newtonian, and pseudo-plastic (shear thinning) fluid, the dilatant (shear-thickening) fluid produces the highest pressure. A higher eccentricity ratio, slip-velocity, piezo-viscosity parameter, and dilatant fluid enhances the load-carrying capacity. The reduction in the attitude angle plays an integral part in the load-carrying capacity of the journal bearing. The attitude angle decreases for all values of the bearing ratio; the dilatant fluid has the most significant reduction in attitude angle compared to the Newtonian and pseudo-plastic fluids. Slip effects reduce the attitude angle, and a further reduction occurs when the piezo-viscosity and slip factors are combined. The slip-velocity, lower values of the bearing's length to diameter ratio, greater piezo-viscosity, higher values of the eccentricity ratio, and the dilatant fluid minimize friction. The Rabinowitsch fluid properties and the addition of both slip and variable viscosity increase bearing performance by increasing the pressure distribution, load-carrying capacity of the journal bearing and reduction of the frictional parameter, and should be considered when optimizing pressure, load, and friction for the creation of the ideal journal bearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to understand the vibration characteristics of full ceramic ball bearings under grease lubrication, reduce the vibration of the bearings and improve their service life. Design/methodology/approach: The Hertz contact stiffness formula for full ceramic ball bearings is constructed; the equivalent comprehensive stiffness calculation model and vibration model of full ceramic ball bearings are established. The dynamic characteristic test of full ceramic ball bearing under grease lubrication was carried out by using the bearing life testing machine, and its vibration was measured, and its vibration acceleration root-mean-square was obtained by software calculation and compared with the simulation results. Findings: At the rotational speed of 12,000 r/min, the root-mean-square value of vibration acceleration is maximum 10.82 m/s2, and the error is also maximum 7.49%. As the rotational speed increases, the oil film stiffness decreases. In the radial load of 600 N, the vibration acceleration root-mean-square is minimum 6.40 m/s2, but its error is maximum 6.56%. As the radial load increases, the vibration of the bearing decreases and then increases, so under certain conditions increasing the radial load can reduce the bearing vibration. With different types of grease, the best preload is also different; low-speed heavy load should be used when the viscosity of the grease is large, and high-speed light load should be used when the choice of smaller viscosity grease is made. Originality/value: It provides a theoretical basis for the application of full ceramic ball bearings under grease lubrication, which is of great significance for reducing the vibration of bearings as well as enhancing the service life of bearings. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-03-2024-0094/ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to study the tribological performance of the water-lubricated journal bearings by developing an EHL model considering non-Gaussian roughness and cavitation. An elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) model is established by solving the Reynolds equation, elastic deformation and film thickness equations in a coupling manner by using the finite difference method with a successive over-relaxation scheme. The non-Gaussian flow factors and cavitation factors are incorporated in the Reynolds equation to tackle the roughness and non-Gaussian roughness effects. The result shows that the coefficient of friction increases with an increase in skewness. A significantly increase in the minimum film thickness is observed for a surface having high negative skewness. The friction coefficient decreases with an increase in the L/D ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present in this article a numerical technique to simulate the hydrodynamic behaviour of a magnetic reading device. In the transient regime, the evolution of the air pressure is computed as the solution of a time dependent compressible Reynolds equation. The proposed numerical method is based on a local discontinuous Galerkin method combined with a $ \theta- $method for the time derivative. We present some numerical tests to show the good behaviour of the numerical scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribological behavior of an addendum modified altered tooth sum optimized spur gear set were experimentally compared with that of the standard spur gear under several loading conditions including the wear morphology study and wear debris analysis. The temperature, viscosity, elastohydrodynamic oil film thickness, specific film thickness, and combined surface roughness variation under increasing operating load were analyzed experimentally. Finally, the performance impact of addendum shifted altered tooth sum optimized gear was examined. Results show that the tribological improvement strongly depends on the addendum alteration and modified tooth sum condition. The modification of the addendum in gears with a negatively altered tooth sum facilitates the transition from single-tooth contact to two-tooth contact, broadening the lubrication range while preserving optimal film thickness and improving wear resistance. However, it is reverse to decrease the film thickness and increase wear for standard and profile-modified positively altered tooth sum gear. The gear tribological performance can be significantly improved by profile modification and negatively altered tooth sum approach with a lower rate of degradation of oil and damage on the tooth contacting surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduction of frictional power losses in power transmitting gears takes a crucial role in the design of energy- and resource-efficient drivetrains. Water-containing lubricants like glycerol and polyalkylene glycols have shown great potential in achieving friction within the superlubricity regime with coefficients of friction lower than 0.01 under elastohydrodynamic lubrication. Additionally, a bio-based production of the base stocks can lead to the development of green lubricants. However, one challenge associated with the application of water-containing lubricants to gearboxes is the evaporation of water and its impact on the lubricant properties. In this study, the influence of water evaporation on elastohydrodynamic friction and film thickness was investigated for three water-containing polyalkylene glycols. Two nominal water contents of 20 wt% and 40 wt% and two viscosities were considered. The results show that the friction increases continuously with higher evaporated water content, while the overall friction level remains low in nearly water-free states. A similar trend is observed for film thickness, where the strong increase in viscosity results in a notable increase in film thickness. Nevertheless, the sensitivity of friction and film thickness to water evaporation is low for small amounts of evaporated water. This allows generous thresholds for permissible variations in water content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We numerically investigate the pressure drop reduction (PDR) performance of microchannels equipped with liquid-infused surfaces, along with determining the shape of the interface between the working fluid and lubricant within the microgrooves. The effects of different parameters, such as the Reynolds number of working fluid, density and viscosity ratios between the lubricant and working fluid, the ratio of the thickness of the lubricant layer over the ridges to the depth of the groove, and the Ohnesorge number as a representative of the interfacial tension, on the PDR and interfacial meniscus within the microgrooves are comprehensively studied. The results reveal that the density ratio and Ohnesorge number do not significantly affect the PDR. On the other hand, the viscosity ratio considerably affects the PDR, and a maximum PDR of 62% compared to a smooth non-lubricated microchannel is achieved for a viscosity ratio of 0.01. Interestingly, the higher the Reynolds number of the working fluid, the higher the PDR. The meniscus shape within the microgrooves is strongly affected by the Reynolds number of the working fluid. Despite the insignificant effect of interfacial tension on the PDR, the interface shape within the microgrooves is appreciably influenced by this parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present analysis deals with the impact of nonlinear convection on MHD non-Newtonian fluid flow considering exponentially stretched sheet through porous media. Additionally, the effects of radiation, Joule heating and energy dissipation have been taken into account. The considered flow situation of nonlinear PDEs is transmuted to nonlinear ODEs using similarity analysis. The numerical computations are derived using a fourth-order Runge–Kutta scheme with a shooting technique. Meaningful observations are discussed for velocity and energy profiles. Further, the impact of pertinent parameters considering pseudoplastic fluids (n = 0. 6) and dilatant fluids (n = 1. 3) is briefed through graphs. It is noted that the escalation in the values of the power-law index declines the velocity and energy profile. Higher values of the nonlinear parameter decline the energy profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL), the load distribution between the gear meshing surfaces is shared by the oil film and the asperities of the gear's rough surface. Based on the load‐sharing concept, this paper proposes a time‐varying meshing stiffness (TVMS) model for gears with mixed EHL. The initial step involves the utilization of the Greenwood‐Williamson model to calculate the contact stiffness of surface asperities, while the lubricating film is assessed using a curve‐fitting formula to investigate the influence of gear surface morphology on TVMS. Subsequently, the incorporation of gear fillet foundation deformation and friction enables accurate TVMS determination. The proposed method is employed to examine the meshing stiffness of the gear pair under both dry lubrication and EHL conditions. Comparative analysis reveals favorable agreement between the proposed model and experimental results obtained under dry lubrication, thereby highlighting the superior performance of the proposed approach. Moreover, the time‐varying friction coefficient under EHL is computed, and the impacts of gear surface morphology parameters, temperature, speed, and load on lubrication conditions and TVMS are investigated. The findings presented in this paper contribute significantly to advancements in gear design and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lubricating medium of the aerostatic spindle is gas, with relatively low rigidity, which is easy to cause rotor offset and additional vibration under the action of external load, thus affecting the processing accuracy of the spindle. To solve the problem of unbalanced vibration of the spindle, a new type of controllable radial aerostatic bearing is designed by combining piezoelectric ceramics, which use the inverse piezoelectric effect of piezoelectric ceramics to squeeze the air film to produce corresponding control force, and the radial unbalanced vibration of the spindle is suppressed. A bearing–rotor–piezoelectric ceramic coupling model was established, and the control method of feedforward combined with feedback was used to reduce the hysteresis characteristics of piezoelectric ceramics. On this basis, the sliding mode controller of the entire system, and through research, it is found that the sliding mode controller based on the extended observer has the best vibration suppression effect compared with other sliding mode controllers in the article; this research results can improve the rotation accuracy of the spindle system and the machining accuracy of ultra-precision machine tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the mechanical characteristics of contact between mating surfaces in the state of mixed lubrication, with a specific focus on the distribution of surface asperity heights in mechanical precision machining parts, which deviates from a Gaussian distribution. To achieve this, a normal contact model is developed for mating surfaces experiencing mixed lubrication, incorporating the non-Gaussian contribution nature of surface asperities and accounting for relative motion between mating surfaces. This model allows us to derivate the stiffness information in both solid and liquid domains to comprehend the contact behavior of mating surfaces under mixed lubrication conditions. The investigation results reveal that several key factors including normal load, viscosity, relative motion velocity, and non-Gaussian roughness parameters influence the normal contact stiffness of non-Gaussian rough surfaces in mixed lubrication mating surfaces significantly. These findings provide valuable insights that enhance our understanding of the performance of mating surfaces under mixed lubrication, and serve as a reference for the optimization design of mechanical equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dynamic loaded tooth contact analysis (DLTCA) for computing entrainment speed. • Accurate solution to elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) governing equation. • Discrete convolution and fast Fourier transformation (DC-FFT) for flank elastic deformation. • A separation flow method for iteration of EHL governing equation. • Accurate entrainment effect-based EHL forecasting model for hypoid gears. In full consideration of time-varying meshing performance and oil film characteristics, entrainment effect on elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) is developed for establishing accurate forecasting model of the complex hypoid gears. Firstly, dynamic loaded tooth contact analysis (DLTCA) is employed to determine the meshing interface kinematics, load distribution and entrainment speed under dynamic load condition. Then, entrainment speed is introduced into the EHL governing equation and accurate forecasting model is established. With accurate discretization of EHL governing equation, discrete convolution and fast Fourier transformation (DC-FFT) method is employed to compute the flank elastic deformation. Finally, a hypoid gear set in automotive industrial application is exercised to verify entrainment effect on EHL assessment in the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oil film lubrication performance of a large hydrostatic turntable operating at the model of constant surface cutting speed is studied. Firstly, the rotary speed equation which is bound by the constant surface cutting speed is established. According to the fluid lubrication theory, the gap flow equation, the oil film temperature rise equation and the double‐rectangular‐cavity oil pad bearing capacity equation are derived. Further, a prediction model of oil film lubrication performance in the operating mode is established. The change rules of temperature, pressure and other performance indexes of the film with time are obtained by numerical simulation. And, the above laws are verified by design experiments. It is found that the cutting speed, feed rate leaves a significant impact on the law of variations of oil film performance with time. According to the conclusions, it will be beneficial to improve the bearing capacity of the hydrostatic turntable and further improve the machining accuracy by using cutting parameters reasonably to control the speed within a certain range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to predict the spiral bevel gear churning power loss, based on the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method, the computational model for the splash lubrication of the spiral bevel gear pair is established and validated by experiments. The churning power loss of spiral bevel gears is obtained and the corresponding flow field distribution in the gearbox with a pair of spiral bevel gears is analysed under a standard operating condition. For the churning power loss of spiral bevel gears, the loss of teeth surface is mainly caused by pressure while the loss of gear side is mainly generated by the viscous force. The effects of the gear rotational speed, oil level, oil temperature and oil shroud on the churning loss are also investigated and analysed. Ultimately, an optimisation method is proposed for the original spiral bevel geared transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The locally oriented roughness is a common feature of surface finished by a machining process, such as the surface of the cylinder liner, and may significantly influence lubrication characteristic. A homogenised transient Reynolds equation for the locally oriented roughness is derived. The Jacobsson–Floberg–Olsson (JFO) boundary conditions was implicitly incorporated into the transient Reynolds equation to ensure the mass flow conservation. On this foundation, a model for the transient lubrication in the cylinder liner‐piston ring considering the effects of the surface roughness and cavitation is established. Then, the results of model developed here are compared with those from the stochastic model by Patir and Cheng. and the effect of the direction of roughness on the lubrication properties is analysed. The homogenised transient Reynolds equation and the lubrication model developed here have great potential for understanding and optimising the transient lubrication considering the surface local roughness orientation, cavitation and starved lubrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to propose an optimization framework using deep neural networks (DNN) coupled with nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II and technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution method to improve the tribological properties of camshaft bearing pairs of internal combustion engine. Design/methodology/approach: A lubrication model based on the theory of elastohydrodynamic lubrication and flexible multibody dynamics was developed for a V6 diesel engine. Setting DNN model as fitness function, the multi-objective optimization genetic algorithm and decision-making method were used to optimize the bearing pair structure with the goal of minimizing the total friction loss and the difference of the average values of minimum oil film thickness. Findings: The results show that the lubrication state corresponding to the optimized bearing pair structure is elastohydrodynamic lubrication. Compared with the original structure, the optimized structure significantly reduces the total friction loss. Originality/value: The optimized performance and corresponding structural parameters are obtained, and the optimization results were verified through multibody dynamics simulation. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-12-2023-0417/ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of elliptical injector will not only increase the atomization quality, but also reduce spray tip penetration, which has the potential to avoid wall wetting. However, so far the research on the effect of elliptical GDI nozzle on impinging spray is seldom reported. In this study, A GDI nozzle with circular and elliptical cross section shapes was employed to study the spray impingement characteristics through VOF-spray one way coupling method. The results revealed that the elliptical spray has shorter penetration as compared to circular spray, and the circular spray impingement time is earlier than the elliptical spray. Additionally, the spray rebound height of the circular spray was larger than that of the elliptical spray at the initial injection progress, while the elliptical spray rebound height became higher at the end of the injection. Furthermore, the elliptical spray impingement wall film mass and area were always smaller as compared with circular spray, and the injection pressure showed a negative influence on wall film mass. Finally, the average film thickness of the spray-wall impingement for an elliptical nozzle is observed to be reduced by 10.3% compared to that of a circular nozzle. Increasing the injection pressure is helpful to decrease the average wall film thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a method to predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of plain bearings operating under stationary, wear-critical conditions. In this method, the transient wear data of a coupled elastohydrodynamic lubrication (mixed-EHL) and wear simulation approach is used to parametrize a statistical, linear degradation model. The method incorporates Bayesian inference to update the linear degradation model throughout the runtime and thereby consider the transient, system-dependent wear progression within the RUL prediction. A case study is used to show the suitability of the proposed method. The results show that the method can be applied to three distinct types of post-wearing-in behavior: wearing-in with subsequent hydrodynamic, stationary wear, and progressive wear operation. While hydrodynamic operation leads to an infinite lifetime, the method is successfully applied to predict RUL in cases with stationary and progressive wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General reductions in lubricant viscosities and increasing loads in machine components highlight the role of tribofilms in providing surface protection against scuffing. However, the relationship between the scuffing process and the growth and removal of tribofilm is not well understood. In this study, a multiphysics coupling model, which includes hydrodynamic lubrication, asperity contact, thermal effect, tribochemistry reaction, friction, and surface wear, was developed to capture the initiation of surface scuffing. Simulations and experiments for a piston ring and cylinder liner contact were conducted following a step-load sequence under different temperature conditions. The results show that high temperature and extreme load could induce the lubricant film collapse, which in turn triggers the breakdown of the tribofilm due to the significantly increased removal process. The failures of both lubricant film and tribofilm progress instantaneously in a coupling way, which finally leads to severe scuffing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastoelastohydrodynamic lubrication of rough surfaces (R-PEHL) is a cutting-edge area of research in interface fluid-structure coupling analysis. The existing R-PEHL model calculates the elastic-plastic deformation of rough surface by the Love equation in a semi-infinite space smooth surface, which deviates from the actual surface. Therefore, it is an innovative work to study the exact solution of elastic-plastic deformation of rough surface and its influence on the solution results of R-PEHL model. In this paper, a new contact calculation model of plastoelastohydrodynamic lubrication (PEHL) with three-dimensional (3D) rough surface is proposed by integrating numerical method of EHL and finite element method. The new model eliminates an original error introduced by the assumption of semi-infinite space in contact calculation, providing wide applicability and high accuracy. Under the given rough surfaces and working conditions, the study reveals that: (1) the oil film pressure calculated by the new model is lower than that of the smooth surface in semi-infinite space by 200–800 MPa; (2) the Mises stress of the new model is 2.5%–26.6% higher than that of the smooth surface in semi-infinite space; (3) compared with the semi-infinite space assumption, the rough surface plastic deformation of the new model is increased by 71%–173%, and the local plastic deformation singularity may appear under the semi-infinite space assumption; (4) the plastic deformation caused by the first contact cycle on the rough surface of the new model accounts for 66.7%–92.9% of the total plastic deformation, and the plastic deformation of the semi-infinite space accounts for 50%–83.3%. This study resolves the contradiction between the smooth surface assumption and the rough surface in the existing R-PEHL model, establishing a solid logic foundation for the accurate solution of R-PEHL model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Super-precision bearing lubrication condition is essential for equipment's overall performance. This paper investigates a monitoring method of bearing lubrication using multi-sensors based on graph data. An experiment was designed and carried out, establishing a dataset including vibration, temperature, and acoustic emission signals. Graph data were constructed based on a priori knowledge and a graph attention network was employed to conduct a study on monitoring bearing lubrication abnormalities and discuss the influence of a missing sensor on the monitoring. The results show that the designed experiments can effectively respond to the degradation process of bearing lubrication, and the graph data constructed based on a priori knowledge show a good effect in the anomaly monitoring process. In addition, the multi-sensor plays a significant role in monitoring bearing lubrication. This work will be highly beneficial for future monitoring methods of bearing lubrication status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We proposed a numerical method to investigate the thermo-fluid–structural coupled characteristics of a mechanical seal of a reactor coolant pump (RCP), especially during extended loss of AC power (ELAP) operation. We developed a finite element program for the general Reynolds equation, including the turbulence effect to calculate the pressure, opening force, and leakage rate of fluid lubricant and the two-dimensional energy equation to calculate the temperature distribution of the fluid lubricant. We verified the accuracy of the developed program by comparing the simulated temperature distribution and leakage rate of this study with those of previous research. Heat conduction and elastic deformation due to pressure and temperature changes at the seal structure were analyzed using an ANSYS program. The results showed that temperature more significantly affected the elastic deformation of the seal structure near clearance than pressure both under normal and ELAP operating conditions. High temperature and pressure of the coolant under ELAP operating conditions deform the seal structure, resulting in a much smaller clearance of the fluid film than normal operating condition. However, even with a small clearance under ELAP operation, the leakage rate slightly increases due to the high internal pressure of the coolant. This research will contribute to the development of robust mechanical seals for RCPs by accurately predicting the characteristics of mechanical seals, especially when the RCP is operating under ELAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the second part of a two-part report studying the responses of a typical point-contact elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) system to multiscale roughness mimicked by wavy surfaces. The wavy surfaces are defined by three key parameters: amplitudes, frequencies, and directions. The previous Part I paper focuses on the full film lubrication condition, while the current paper focuses on the partial film regime where asperity contacts occur. A transient thermal EHL model simulates lubrication problems with different waviness parameters, loads, and speeds. The total number of simulations is 1600. Performance parameters, including the asperity contact ratio, minimum film thickness, maximum pressure, central point film thickness, central point pressure, mean film thickness, coefficient of friction (COF), and the maximum temperature rise, are obtained for each simulation. These performance parameters are post-processed in the same manner as those in the previous Part I paper. The influences of the waviness parameters, load, and speed values on the eight performance parameters are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]