Groove Ball Research Articles

Thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication characteristics and optimisation of the ball-type tripod universal joint

Purpose This paper aims to study the influence of three-column groove shell radius, ball radius, lubricating oil viscosity and elastic modulus on the thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (TEHL) characteristics and optimisation of the ball-type tripod universal joint. Design/methodology/approach The point contact TEHL model of the joint was developed, and the multi-grid method was used to solve it. The influence of three-column groove shell radius, ball radius, lubricating oil viscosity and elastic modulus on the lubrication characteristics was analysed. Further, the optimisation of the joint TEHL performance was carried out by the Kriging approximation model combined with the multi-objective particle swarm optimisation (MOPSO) algorithm. Findings The research results show that increasing groove shell radius and ball radius can effectively increase the oil film thickness, and decrease the oil film pressure, as well as the temperature rise. Decreasing elastic modulus can reduce the oil film temperature rise and pressure, and increasing viscosity can effectively increase the oil film thickness. The optimised minimum oil film thickness increases by 33.23% and the optimised maximum oil film pressure and maximum temperature rise decrease by 11.92% and 28.87%, respectively. Furthermore, the relative error of each response output is less than 10%. Originality/value This study applies TEHL theory to the tribological research of the ball-type tripod universal joint, and the joint’s lubrication performance is improved greatly by the Kriging model and MOPSO algorithm, which provides an effective measure to raise the joint’s working efficiency.

Impact-Rubbing Dynamic Behavior of Magnetic-Liquid Double Suspension Bearing under Different Protective Bearing Forms

The magnetic-liquid double suspension bearing (MLDSB) is a new type of suspension bearing, with electromagnetic suspension as the main part and hydrostatic supports as the auxiliary part. It can greatly improve the bearing capacity and stiffness of rotor-bearing systems and is suitable for a medium speed, heavy load, and frequent starting occasions. Compared with the active electromagnetic bearing system, the traditional protective bearing device is replaced by the hydrostatic system in MLDSB, and the impact-rubbing phenomenon can be restrained and buffered. Thus, the probability and degree of friction and wear between the rotor and the magnetic pole are reduced drastically when the electromagnetic system fails. In order to explore the difference in the dynamic behavior law of the impact-rubbing phenomenon between the traditional protection device and hydrostatic system, the dynamic equations of the rotor impact-rubbing in three kinds of protection devices (fixed ring/deep groove ball bearing/hydrostatic system) under electromagnetic failure mode are established, and the axial trajectory and motion law of the rotor are numerically simulated. Finally, the dynamic behavior characteristics of the rotor are compared and analyzed. The results show that: Among the three kinds of protection devices (fixed ring/deep groove ball bearing/hydrostatic system), the hydrostatic system has the least influence on bouncing time, impact-rubbing force, and impact-rubbing degree, and the maximum impact-rubbing force of MLDSB is greatly reduced. Therefore, the protective bear is not required to be installed in the MLDSB. This study provides the basis for the theory of the “gap impact-rubbing” of MLDSB under electromagnetic failure, and helps to identify electromagnetic faults.