Effects of Oil Supply Condition on Spinning–Sliding EHL

Abstract

An optical interference test rig with spinning elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) was established to investigate the spinning lubrication performance under different oil-supply conditions. Variations in the shape and thickness of the film versus the velocity, the load, and the spinning factor under fully flooded lubrication were discussed, and the effects of the inlet-starvation position and oil-supply quantity were analyzed. The results show that the symmetry for the classical horseshoe shape does not exist under both spinning–rolling and spinning–sliding EHL conditions. Different from spinning–rolling, a dimple is generated more easily under the spinning–sliding condition. The dimple is related to the load and the speed. The effects of the inlet-starvation position on spinning EHL are different. When the inlet starvation is on the low-speed side of the contact, that is, proximal to the center of rotation, the inlet-starvation position extends from the proximal side to the center of rotation to the distal side to the center of rotation, i.e., the high-speed side of the contact, which is starved easily. When the starvation happens on the high-speed side, i.e., distal to the center of rotation, the starvation at this position becomes much more severe, and lubrication failure and a risk of wear will occur. In addition, the effects of oil-supply quantity on spinning EHL are important.