The Mechanism of Cavitation in Hydrodynamic Lubrication

The paper offers a conceptual visualization of the mechanism of cavitation in the light of available experimental evidence. The experiments span steady, starved, and dynamic or transient lubrication and the resulting cavitation is postulated in terms of several basic parameters. Chief among these are: temperature of the surfaces, availability of the gaseous and vapor components and the occurrence of negative liquid stresses under transient conditions. Mode, shape, and stability of the resulting liquid-gaseous phase are seen to be a function of the prevailing operational conditions. Presented at the 35th STLE/ASME Tribology Conference In Fort Lauderdale, Florida October 16–19, 1989