Solution of Thermal Deformation and Its Effects on High-Speed Point-Contact Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication

A new method (ITD method) to solve the thermal deformation of contacting surfaces was proposed, and its effect on the non-Newtonian thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (TEHL) model for the high-speed point contacts was studied. The film pressure was calculated using the Reynolds equation considering the fluid inertia force, and the temperatures of the lubricant and contacting solids were computed with the chase-after method. At the varied working conditions, effects of the thermal deformation on the TEHL performances were analyzed. To validate the model, the ITD method was verified with the finite element method and discrete summation method, and a central film thickness experiment was conducted to verify the rationality of the TEHL model considering the thermal deformation. It was revealed that the ITD method accurately and quickly evaluated the thermal deformation. With the thermal deformation considered, the film thickness reduced and inclined towards the outlet. Moreover, the central film thickness with the thermal deformation was close to the experimental result.