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The EHRA (Electro-Hydraulic Rotary Actuator), using a vane rotary actuator, has the advantages of a high torque density and integration and is expected to become a joint actuator for robots. This research focuses on the sealing characteristics of various parts of a vane rotary actuator. The average Reynolds equation was used to analyze the leakage characteristics at the gap. A detailed theoretical analysis was conducted on the internal leakage mechanism of a vane rotary actuator using an X-ring as the dynamic seal for the rotor vane. According to the path of internal leakage, different sealing forms are considered as a series or parallel, and the Newton iteration method is used to obtain the total internal leakage characteristics of a vane rotary actuator. It was also considered that the deformation of the vane rotary actuator caused a thicker gap, leading to an increase in internal leakage. The calculation results are consistent with the experimental data. The analysis results indicate that when estimating the internal leakage of a vane rotary actuator, it is necessary to take the pressure of the high-pressure chamber and output shaft position as inputs. This research provides a reference for an analysis of the method of internal leakage for vane rotary actuators. It provides theoretical support for designing a vane rotary actuator with more minor internal leakage and a higher volumetric efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EHRA (Electro-Hydraulic Rotary Actuator), using a vane rotary actuator, has the advantages of a high torque density and integration and is expected to become a joint actuator for robots. This research focuses on the sealing characteristics of various parts of a vane rotary actuator. The average Reynolds equation was used to analyze the leakage characteristics at the gap. A detailed theoretical analysis was conducted on the internal leakage mechanism of a vane rotary actuator using an X-ring as the dynamic seal for the rotor vane. According to the path of internal leakage, different sealing forms are considered as a series or parallel, and the Newton iteration method is used to obtain the total internal leakage characteristics of a vane rotary actuator. It was also considered that the deformation of the vane rotary actuator caused a thicker gap, leading to an increase in internal leakage. The calculation results are consistent with the experimental data. The analysis results indicate that when estimating the internal leakage of a vane rotary actuator, it is necessary to take the pressure of the high-pressure chamber and output shaft position as inputs. This research provides a reference for an analysis of the method of internal leakage for vane rotary actuators. It provides theoretical support for designing a vane rotary actuator with more minor internal leakage and a higher volumetric efficiency.

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The cylinder gas film seal between dual-rotor reverse shafts is a new method for sealing aircraft engines that has excellent developmental prospects. We propose a novel method for determining if the sealing ring is fully fluid-lubricated using the average Reynolds equation. Considering surface roughness and centrifugal expansion, we calculated the dynamic pressure, gas film force and friction power consumption with and without inlet pressure differences for each of the four rotation modes. The gas film's dynamic pressure effects were weakest when the dual rotors rotated in a reverse direction (Mode 3), with or without differences in inlet pressure, since solid contact is most likely to occur under counter-rotation. When the dual rotors were in counter-rotation with an inlet differential pressure of 80 kPa and fixed inner and outer rotor speeds (e.g., 3000 rpm), we calculated the minimum sealing ring film thickness, leakage rate, friction power consumption and gas film force. Changes in outer rotor speed greatly influenced the minimum film thickness and the sealing ring's performance. Meanwhile, changes in the inner rotor speed had little influence on the minimum film thickness and sealing ring's lubrication performance. When the speed difference was fixed and the sealing ring was fully fluid-lubricated, lubrication performance changes were mainly affected by changes in centrifugal expansion caused by the outer rotor speed. Given a fixed rotor speed and under dual-rotor counter-rotation, we calculated the effects of inlet differential pressure changes on minimum gas film thickness, leakage rate, friction power consumption, gas film force and other sealing performance variables. Leakage rate and the friction power consumption increase as inlet differential pressure increases. Our results provide a theoretical reference for avoiding solid contact of the cylinder seal between dual-rotor reverse shafts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cylinder gas film seal between dual-rotor reverse shafts is a new method for sealing aircraft engines that has excellent developmental prospects. We propose a novel method for determining if the sealing ring is fully fluid-lubricated using the average Reynolds equation. Considering surface roughness and centrifugal expansion, we calculated the dynamic pressure, gas film force and friction power consumption with and without inlet pressure differences for each of the four rotation modes. The gas film’s dynamic pressure effects were weakest when the dual rotors rotated in a reverse direction (Mode 3), with or without differences in inlet pressure, since solid contact is most likely to occur under counter-rotation. When the dual rotors were in counter-rotation with an inlet differential pressure of 80 kPa and fixed inner and outer rotor speeds (e.g., 3000 rpm), we calculated the minimum sealing ring film thickness, leakage rate, friction power consumption and gas film force. Changes in outer rotor speed greatly influenced the minimum film thickness and the sealing ring’s performance. Meanwhile, changes in the inner rotor speed had little influence on the minimum film thickness and sealing ring’s lubrication performance. When the speed difference was fixed and the sealing ring was fully fluid-lubricated, lubrication performance changes were mainly affected by changes in centrifugal expansion caused by the outer rotor speed. Given a fixed rotor speed and under dual-rotor counter-rotation, we calculated the effects of inlet differential pressure changes on minimum gas film thickness, leakage rate, friction power consumption, gas film force and other sealing performance variables. Leakage rate and the friction power consumption increase as inlet differential pressure increases. Our results provide a theoretical reference for avoiding solid contact of the cylinder seal between dual-rotor reverse shafts.

A theoretical study is carried out to investigate the comprehensive effect of the machined roughness and fabricated textures, by solving the average Reynolds equation coupled with a mass-conservative cavitation algorithm and taking into account asperity contact. We analyzed the influence of surface roughness, which is represented by the combined rootmean-square roughness ς and surface pattern parameter δ on the optimum texture parameters including the dimple depth-over-diameter ratio and area density under hydrodynamic and mixed lubrication conditions. The results show that the effect of surface roughness on load-carrying capacity can be ignored under hydrodynamic lubrication condition. Furthermore, the optimum texture parameters under hydrodynamic lubrication condition and the optimum dimple depth-over-diameter ratio under mixed lubrication condition are determined at minimized friction coefficient, which can be taken as the same for smooth-textured surface and rough-textured surface. The corresponding minimum friction coefficient increases with increasing ς and δ, and decreasing dimple area density under mixed lubrication condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method for modeling and analysis of planar multibody systems with lubricated revolute joints is presented. This method is established by coupling the lubrication model of lubricated revolute clearance joint with the dynamics model of multibody system. The lubrication model is solved by the Finite Element Method, while the multibody dynamics equations are established by Lagrange's method. In order to take into account the effects of the surfaces roughness on the hydrodynamic lubrication when the oil film between the mating surfaces has a very small thickness, the average Reynolds equation is adopted. The hydrodynamic forces built up by the lubricant fluid are evaluated from the knowledge of the system variables and then included into the dynamics equations of the multibody system. In the end, the proposed approach is applied to the piston–connecting rod–crank system in a four-stoke gasoline engine with lubricated clearance joint at the big end of the connecting rod. The clearance size and lubricant viscosity are investigated so as to reveal their influences on both the dynamics and lubrication performances. From the main obtained results, it can be concluded that the use of lubricant at mechanism joints is an effective way to ensure better performance. Within a given range, the cases with smaller clearance or higher lubricant viscosity are conducive to maintaining the stability of the motion of mechanism, and will decrease the friction power loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The application of textured bearing surfaces results in a more complex lubricant flow pattern compared to smooth bearing surfaces. In order to capture the more complex flow pattern and possible inertia effects in the vicinity of the surface pockets, the Navier–Stokes equations should be used to model the flow between textured surfaces instead of the Reynolds equation. In this paper a multi-scale method is presented where the fluid flow in a single micro-scale texture unit cell is modelled using the Navier–Stokes equations, the results of which are then averaged to flow factors to be used in a novel texture averaged Reynolds equation on the macro-scale bearing level. Depending on the local flow conditions the non-linear inertia effects in the flow can either contribute or detract from the local load capacity of the lubricant film. Some results from the micro-scale calculations are presented, followed by the method developed to average these results to the macro-scale. The resulting flow-factors are presented and a load correction term is introduced. Although the method presented does not put restrictions to the texture dimensions, the texture unit cell dimensions are chosen equal to those in an experimental polymer water lubricated bearing. In a follow-up paper these results will be used to determine the efficiency of surface texturing in a lubricated journal bearing application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The friction model in the mixed lubrication regime is presented. • Model uses measured workpiece and tools surface topographies. • The lubricant pressure is determined using the average Reynolds equation. • Flow factors are determined for measured surface topographies. • The model is implemented in FE code for forming simulations. In deep drawing processes, mixed lubrication friction regime is common in which the friction condition is governed by solid–solid asperity contacts and lubricant pressure. In this study, a friction model in the mixed lubrication regime is developed that accounts for the effect of the surface topographies of sheet and tool on the lubricant pressure distribution. The overall friction due to solid–solid asperity contacts and lubricant pressure is determined using a coupled hydrodynamic and boundary friction models. The model is utilized in an in-house FE code (DiekA) for deep drawing simulations. In the FE simulations, the lubricant pressure is determined by solving the average Reynolds equation. The flow factors required in the average Reynolds equation are determined separately using measured tool and sheet surface topographies. Cross-die experiments are performed at different lubricant amounts to validate the friction model at a component level. The results show that punch force vs. displacement and strain field from experiments and FE simulations (using the new friction model) correlate very well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]