Influencing factors on hydrodynamic lubrication failure of upstream pumping mechanical seal

Considering the effect of viscosity-temperature relationship and cavitation of micro-scale film,the influencing factors on hydrodynamic lubrication performance of upstream pumping mechanical seal were investigated based on the theory of hydrodynamic lubrication.N-S equation,energy equation,viscosity-temperature equation and vapor transport equation were solved with the finite volume method by using Fluent software,which was performed to analyze the influence of the viscosity-temperature and cavitation effect on hydrodynamic lubrication failure of the film.The research demonstrates that it will lead to the significant difference of the temperature field by considering the coupling of temperature and viscosity.When the film thickness decreases and the rotating speed rises,cavitation regions and viscous friction heat increases,the opening force of the film is also enhanced.However,the growth rate is restricted to the cavitation regions and viscous friction heat,and the opening force begins to decline to a certain extent,and thereby being insufficient to open the surfaces of the seals and leading to the failure of automatic adjustment function and severe wear,lubrication failure occurrs.Through comprehensive research on the influences of viscosity-temperature and cavitation effect on hydrodynamic lubrication performance,the theories of failure and design of upstream pumping mechanical seal are further developed.

Dynamic Characteristics of Lubrication and Wear Prediction of Slipper/Swash-Plate in Axial Piston Pumps

A novel dynamic model describing the slipper posture of the swash plate in axial piston pumps is proposed, taking into account the hydrodynamic and squeezing effects, which involves three degrees of freedom. The variation in the lubricating film thickness and the slipper tilt are accurately calculated. The influence of hydrodynamic effects and charging pressure on the slipper lubrication is discussed. The minimum film thickness, the overturning angle and the azimuth angle are obtained.Then, the trajectory of minimum thickness on the friction surface of the swash plate is predicted, the accuracy of which can be verified with the abrasion distribution of an actual swash plate. Research results can predict the durability and provide theoretical help for the design of the slipper.

Dynamic Characteristics of High-speed Water-Lubricated Spiral Groove Thrust Bearing Based on Turbulent Cavitating Flow Lubrication Model

The water-lubricated bearings are usually the state of turbulent cavitating flow under high-speed conditions. And the distribution of cavitation bubbles and the interface effect between the two phases have not been included in previous studies on high-speed water-lubricated bearings. In order to study the influence of interface effect and cavitation bubble distribution on the dynamic characteristics of high-speed water-lubricated spiral groove thrust bearings(SGTB).A turbulent cavitating flow lubrication model based on two-phase fluid and population balance equation of bubbles was established in this paper. Stiffness and the damping coefficients of the SGTB were calculated using the perturbation pressure equations. An experimental apparatus was developed to verify the theoretical model. Simulating and experimental results show that the small-sized bubbles tend to generate in the turbulent cavitating flow when at a high rotary speed, and the bubbles mainly locate at the edges of the spiral groove. The simulating results also show that the direct stiffness coefficients are increased due to cavitation effect, and cross stiffness coefficients and damping coefficients are hardly affected by the cavitation effect. Turbulent effect on the dynamic characteristics of SGTB is much stronger than the cavitating effect.

Characteristics of unsteady lubrication film in metal-forming process with dynamic roll gap

Based on the theory of unsteady hydrodynamic lubrication and relevant mathematic and physical methods, a basic model was developed to analyze the unsteady lubrication film thickness, pressure stress and friction stress in the work zone in strip rolling. The distribution of pressure stress and friction stress in the work zone was obtained. A numerical simulation was made on a 1850 cold rolling mill. The influence of back tension stress and reduction on the distribution of pressure stress and friction stress between the roll gaps was qualitatively analyzed by numerical simulation. The calculated results indicate that the higher the back tension, the lower the pressure stress and the friction stress in the work zone, and the largest friction stresses are obtained at the inlet and outlet edges. The pressure and friction gradients are rather small at high back tension. The pressure-sensitive lubricant viscosity increases exponentially with the increase of pressure. The unsteady lubrication phenomenon in the roll bite is successfully demonstrated.

Effects of surface nanostructure on boundary lubrication using molecular dynamics

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the boundary lubrication behaviors of squalane lubricant between two iron wall structures during shearing at different pressures and temperatures.Boundary lubrication models with a smooth iron wall and a nanostructured iron wall,respectively,are constructed,and the density distribution of the lubricating film and the velocity distribution in the shearing process are analyzed.The mechanical response of the solid wall is output,and the friction coefficient is calculated.A tribological test is performed with a UMT-2 tribometer under sliding conditions to evaluate the reliability of the simulation method.The results show that the surface nanostructure has a significant effect on the film thickness and delamination of the lubricating film but little effect on the velocity distribution of the lubricating film.The nano strip groove helps to reduce the friction coefficient of the boundary lubrication system.

Dynamic Characteristics of Ultra Thin Liquid Lubricated Head-Disk Assembly in Magnetic Hard Disk Files

The dynamic characteristics of a liquid thin film lubricated head disk system are analyzed. The shear thinning effect is taken into account by introducing modification coefficients into the lubricant rheological model. The perturbation theory is employed to set up the dynamic pressure equation. The Reynolds equation and dynamic pressure equations are solved by finite difference method. The results obtained by the difference methods agree well with that calculated by the close solutions. IBM3370 slider is employed as a physical model. The slider of the system can keep flying at 20 nm height, which promises a potential application on high density recording device.

Achieving oxidation protection effect for strips hot rolling via Al_(2)O_(3) nanofluid lubrication

It was discovered the application of Al_(2)O_(3) nanofluid as lubricant for steel hot rolling could synchronously achieve oxidation protection of strips surface.The underlying mechanism was investigated through hot rolling tests and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.The employment of Al_(2)O_(3) nanoparticles contributed to significant enhancement in the lubrication performance of lubricant.The rolled strip exhibited the best surface topography that the roughness reached lowest with the sparsest surface defects.Besides,the oxide scale generated on steel surface was also thinner,and the ratio of Fe_(2)O_(3) among various iron oxides became lower.It was revealed the above oxidation protection effect of Al_(2)O_(3) nanofluid was attributed to the deposition of nanoparticles on metal surface during hot rolling.A protective layer in the thickness of about 193 nm was formed to prevent the direct contact between steel matrix and atmosphere,which was mainly composed of Al_(2)O_(3) and sintered organic molecules.MD simulations confirmed the diffusion of O_(2) and H_(2)O could be blocked by the Al_(2)O_(3) layer through physical absorption and penetration barrier effect.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation on Mobility and Aggregation of Macromolecular Lubricant Oxidation Products and Their Influences on Base Stock

The mobility and aggregation behavior of macromolecular lubricant oxidation products and their influences on the performance of base stock were probed by molecular dynamics(MD)simulation.The mean square displacement(MSD)of molecules was calculated to explore the mobility of molecules.The distribution appearance of lubricant oxidation products in models was acquired to explore the aggregation of molecules.The results show that the mobility of macromolecular oxidation products is lower than that of base stock.The MSD of macromolecular oxidation products reduces with an increasing macromolecular weight.Macromolecular oxidation products can also decrease the mobility of base stock.The interaction energy between the macromolecules and the base stock soars with the increase of macromolecular weight.Macromolecules with a larger molecular weight can affect more base stock molecules with stronger restriction,which leads to lower mobility of base stock molecules.There are aggregates formed among macromolecular oxidation products,and the molecules in aggregates are connected by hydrogen bonds.The quantity of hydrogen bonds in aggregates is related to temperature.

Molecular dynamic simulation of lubricant spreading： effect from the substrate and endbead

Molecular dynamic simulations based on a coarse-gralned, bead-spring model are adopted to investigate the spreading of both nonfunctional and functional perfluoropolyether （PFPE） on solid substrates. For nonfunctional PFPE, the spreading generally exhibits a smooth profile with a precursor film. The spreading profiles on different substrates are compared, which indicate that the bead-substrate interaction has a significant effect on the spreading behaviour, especially on the formation of the precursor film. For functional PFPE, the spreading generally exhibits a complicated terraced profile. The spreading profiles with different endbeads are compared, which indicate that the endbead-substrate interaction and the endbead-endbead interaction, especially the latter, have a significant effect on the spreading behaviour.

Molecular Dynamics of Ultra-thin Lubricating Films under Confined Shear

The molecular dynamics simulation of ultra-thin films under confined shear was performed to investigate the relation between dynamic properties of ultra-thin films and their microstructure. The solid walls were modelled using an Au crystal and the fluid molecules were modeled using decane. The simulation results indicate that the microstructure of ultra-thin films is a kind of solid-like layering structure. The density and velocity profiles of the fluid molecules are symmetric. The slip and shear thinning behavior was founded and interpreted.A mathematic model was set up according to the results of the simulation and experiments.

Dynamic Response of IBM3370 Slider in High Density Recording Systems

A liquid lubricated head disk system is introduced. Subjected to high shear rate the rheology of the ultra thin film is different from that of the bulk continuum theory. The shear thinning effect is considered in setting up the mathematical model of the ultra thin film rheology. The Reynolds equation and the perturbation theory are employed to set up the static pressure distribution model and to deduce the dynamic pressure equation. The static and dynamic equations are solved by finite difference method. Based on the dynamic analysis the dynamic response of the slider is simulated and some valuable results are obtained about the static and dynamic characteristics of the liquid lubricated head disk systems.

Static and Dynamic Numerical Simulation of High Density Recording Disk Drivers Based on Short Bearing Theory

Static and dynamic numerical simulations of high recording density disk drivers are presented in this paper. The shear thinning effect on the viscosity is taken into account in the lubricant rheological model. The perturbation theory and short bearing theory are employed to set up the static and dynamic lubrication model on the head disk interface. Close solutions are given for the pressure distribution, load capacity and the dynamic characteristics such as stiffness and damping coefficients, which provide a simple method to analyze the dynamic response of the slider supported by the ultra thin fluid film lubricated bearing. Based on the close solutions the static and dynamic responses of the IBM 3380 slider are simulated. Some interesting results are obtained for the analysis of the slider’s flying stability.

Carbon dots-enhanced pH-responsive lubricating hydrogel based on reversible dynamic covalent bondings

Due to the various pH liquid environment in nature,the pH-responsive lubricating hydrogel is widely investigated and developed for tissue interface substitute.However,the applied liquid environment will lead to poor mechanical property and weaken the pH-responsive capability.In this work,a carbon dotsenhanced pH-responsive lubricating hydrogel is developed by combining a pH-responsive section of dynamic PVA-borax network into a PAAm covalent polymer network.The formed hydrogel presents a partial gel-sol transition under controlled pH environments.At low pH environments(<6.0),the formed lubricating layer originated from dynamic disassembly of PVA-borax hydrogel,and brings the lubricating properties on the hydrogel surface.Moreover,the mechanical strength and lubrication properties are well promoted by introducing the carbon dots into the hydrogel,the blue sol layer can be observed more visually under the fluorescence microscope.The pH-response also exhibits well reversibility.The prepared hydrogel broadens the idea for designing pH-responsive soft materials for soft lubricating actuator or robot.

Flow Dynamics of a Spiral-groove Dry-gas Seal

The dry-gas seal has been widely used in different industries. With increased spin speed of the rotator shaft, turbulence occurs in the gas film between the stator and rotor seal faces. For the micro-scale flow in the gas film and grooves, turbulence can change the pressure distribution of the gas film. Hence, the seal performance is influenced. However, turbulence effects and methods for their evaluation are not considered in the existing industrial designs of dry-gas seal. The present paper numerically obtains the turbulent flow fields of a spiral-groove dry-gas seal to analyze turbulence effects on seal performance. The direct numerical simulation （DNS） and Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes （RANS） methods are utilized to predict the velocity field properties in the grooves and gas film. The key performance parameter, open force, is obtained by integrating the pressure distribution, and the obtained result is in good agreement with the experimental data of other researchers. Very large velocity gradients are found in the sealing gas film because of the geometrical effects of the grooves. Considering turbulence effects, the calculation results show that both the gas film pressure and open force decrease. The RANS method underestimates the performance, compared with the DNS. The solution of the conventional Reynolds lubrication equation without turbulence effects suffers from significant calculation errors and a small application scope. The present study helps elucidate the physical mechanism of the hydrodynamic effects of grooves for improving and optimizing the industrial design or seal face pattern of a dry-gas seal.

Effect of Pressure on Boundary Slip of Thin Film Lubrication Using Atomistic Simulation

Mechanical systems on all length scales may be subjected to nanoscale thin film lubrication(TFL). Molecular dynamics(MD) simulations were conducted to investigate the lubrication mechanism and boundary slip of squalane confined in nanogap at 293 K with two different film thicknesses and a wide range of pressures. The molecular distribution, density and velocity profiles of squalane were analyzed. The results show that the lubricant atoms tend to form layers parallel to the wall, but the lubricant molecules orient randomly throughout the film in the directions both parallel and perpendicular to the wall. Most squalane molecules appear twisted and folded, and extend to several atomic layers so that there are no slips between lubricant layers. The distances between the lubricant layers are irregular rather than broadening far away from the walls. The boundary slip at the interface of bcc Fe(001) and squalane only occurs at high pressure because of the strong nonbond interactions between lubricant atoms and wall atoms. The tendency of boundary slip is more obvious for films with thinner film thickness. According to the simulations, the relationship between the slip length and the pressure is given.

Analysis of lubrication performance for internal meshing gear pair considering vibration

The thermal elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication characteristics of the internal meshing gears in a planetary gear train under vibrations were examined considering the influence of the modification coefficient and time-varying meshing stiffness.Based on dynamic theory of the gear system,a dynamic model of the planetary gear train was established.The lubrication performances of modified gear systems under vibrations and static loads were analyzed.Compared with other transmission types,the best lubrication effect could be produced by the positive transmission.A thicker lubricating oil film could be formed,and the friction coefficient and oil film flash temperature are the smallest.Increasing modification coefficient improves the lubrication performance continuously but intensifies the engage-in and tooth-change impact.For the planetary and inner gears,the increase in the modification coefficient also leads a decrease in the oil film stiffness.

Simulations on Various Lubrication Boundaries between Diamond-like Carbon Films

Molecular dynamics （MD） simulations were used to study a sliding friction process between DLC films on various boundary conditions. The experimental results revealed that, in the absence of a lubricant, a transfer film between the DLC films was formed. In contrast, when the oil or water lubricants were added to lubricate between the DLC films, a boundary lubrication layer was found. The friction forces on the water and oil lubrication were almost the same, but the friction force in the absence of a lubricant was larger than those on the water and oil lubrication. The conclusions were in good agreement with the experiments.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation on Pressure and Thickness Dependent Density of Squalane Film

Molecular dynamics（MD） simulations using the polymer consistent force field（PCFF） were adopted to investigate the pressure and thickness dependent density of squalane film in a nanogap at 373 K, with three different initial film thicknesses, and for a wide range of pressures. The equivalent densities predicted by MD simulations were compared with the empirical data. Results show that the squalane atoms tend to form layers parallel to the confining substrates but the orientations of squalane molecules are irregular throughout the film. In addition, distinct excluded volumes are not found at the interfaces of the film and substrates. Furthermore, with the same initial film thickness h_0, the film thickness h and compressibility decrease with increasing pressure, but the compressibility is similar for films with different initial film thicknesses. The equivalent densities predicted by MD simulations with the maximum initial film thickness（9.44 nm） are accurate to the values of Tait equation. The MD simulation with adequate initial film thickness can accurately and conveniently predict the bulk densities of lubricants.

An Improved Dynamic Modelling for Exploring Ball Bearing Vibrations from Time-Varying Oil Film

Bearings are key components in rotating machinery,which is widely used in many fields,such as CNC machines,wind turbines and induction machines.The increasingly harsh operation environment can lead to wear and tear on raceways and reduce the precision and reliability of bearing or even machinery.Lubrication could relieve the wear to some degree,which is benefit to prolong the bearing’s life.Thus,investigation on the vibration responses under the influence of oil film is of great significance.However,for mechanism analysis,how to include the oil film into the bearing dynamic model affects the result and efficiency of solution.To address this problem,this study proposed a fast algorithm through load distribution and interpolation when calculating oil film stiffness and thickness during the solution of bearing vibration model.Analysis of oil film on vibration is carried out and a bearing test rig is designed to verify the proposed model.Numerical simulation result shows that rotational speed and load have vital effect on oil film and vibration.The experimental result is consistent with the simulation,which shows that the proposed model has a better performance on modeling bearing vibration and the method of considering oil film is reasonable.

Effect of surface roughness on the surface lubrication performance of galvanized steel sheets with a self-lubricated coating

Four kinds of galvanized steel sheets having different surface roughness values were used to prepare the steel sheets with a self-lubricated coating. The effects of surface roughness on the surface lubrication performance of the steel sheets were examined using a friction coefficient tester. Results revealed large dynamic friction coefficients for the galvanized steel sheets, which increased remarkably with surface roughness. Once the self-lubricated coating was applied, significant drops in the dynamic friction coefficients were measured. After the first stage of the friction test,the coefficients were almost unchanged, which reflected a weak dependence on the surface roughness of the self-lubricated steel sheets. However, the dynamic friction coefficients gradually increased as the test progressed, where these increase clearly correlated with the surface roughness of the self-lubricated steel sheets.