Formulas Used in Thermal Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication

A numerical solution to the problem of thermal compressible elastohydrodynamic lubrication of rolling/sliding contacts has been tested over a wide range of operating parameters consisting of dimensionless load, speed, slip, and material parameters. A least squares exponential curve fit was used to develop simple formulas for the amplitude and location of the pressure spike, the minimum film thickness, and the maximum lubricant temperature as a function of the operating parameters. These equations can be used to evaluate parameters affecting the performance of rolling/sliding heavily loaded lubricated contacts. Presented at the 45th Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado May 7–10, 1990