A System-Approach to the Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication Point-Contact Problem

Abstract

The classical EHL point contact problem is solved using a new “system-approach,” similar to that introduced by Houpert and Ham-rock for the line-contact problem. Introducing a body-fitted coordinate system, the troublesome free-boundary is transformed to the fixed domain. The Newton-Raphson method can then be used to determine the pressure distribution and the cavitation boundary subject to the Reynolds boundary condition. This method provides an efficient and rigorous way of solving the EHL point contact problem with the aid of a supercomputer and a promising method to deal with the transient EHL point contact problem. A typical pressure distribution and film thickness profile are presented and the minimum film thicknesses are compared with the solution of Hamrock and Dowson. The details of the cavitation boundaries for various operating parameters are discussed.

Presented at the 46th Annual Meeting in Montreal, Quebec, Canada April 29–May 2, 1991

Notes

Presented at the 46th Annual Meeting in Montreal, Quebec, Canada April 29–May 2, 1991