Theoretical Investigation in Thermoelastohydrodynamic Lubrication With Non-Newtonian Lubricants Under Heavy Load Change

Abstract

The time-dependent thermal compressible elastohydrodynamic (EHD) lubrication of sliding line contact has been developed to investigate the effect of a sudden load change. The time-dependent modified Reynolds equation with non-Newtonian fluids has been formulated using power law’s model. In this study, the non-Newtonian dilatant fluids for liquids-solid lubricants have been purposed experimentally using the common solid particles namely, Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The simultaneous systems of modified Reynolds and elasticity and energy equations with initial conditions were solved numerically using multigrid multilevel technique. The performance characteristics of the thermoelastohydrodynamic under line contact were presented with varying time for the pressure distribution, temperature distribution and oil film thickness. The transient response of the line contact between two surfaces was simulated under a heavy step load function. The coefficients of friction were also presented in this work at steady state condition with varying particle concentration. This simulation showed a significant effect of liquid-solid on thermoelastohydrodynamic (TEHD) lubrication under heavy load conditions.