A Performance Prediction of Microgrooved Bearings Under Mixed Lubrication

In the designs and analysis of engine bearings for automobiles, the precise prediction of the lubrication condition in severe condition is important. In the mixed-elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication analysis, the contact between the projections of surface roughness distributed stochastically is usually considered. This paper describes a theoretical model under the mixed lubrication in the microgrooved bearing. In this modeling, it is assumed that the section shape of microgrooved bearing alloy takes the circular arc form. In the part where contact is caused, the contact pressure is calculated by the Hertzian equation. The elastic deformation of the bearing by the mixed pressure with which oil film pressure and contact pressure are mixed by each allotment ratio is considered. Moreover, the balance requirement between the sum total of mixed pressure on bearing surface and the journal load is met. Under such an assumption, the numerical calculation model is newly obtained to predict the bearing performance in the mixed lubrication of microgrooved bearing. The numeric solutions of EHL based on the mixed lubrication are compared with EHL based on the fluid lubrication. The predicted oil film thickness at the center of bearing by the mixed lubrication model is remarkably thin compared with that by the fluid lubrication model. This shows that the load ability of the oil film thickness decreases by generating contact.