Micro-textures in concentrated conformal-contact lubrication: Effects of texture bottom shape and surface relative motion

The geometry of micro-scale textures and the relative motion of surfaces in contact may affect the performance of an elastohydrodynamic lubrication interface. Reported in this paper are the investigations of the effects of texture bottom shape and surface relative motion on lubrication enhancement using numerically generated textures by means of model-based virtual texturing and numerical simulation. These textures are on one of the interacting surfaces in a triangular distribution and have the same density. The results suggest that the bottom shapes involving a micro-wedge and/or a micro-step bearing tend to yield thicker films. The lubrication of selected textured surfaces was also studied under three different relative motions: texture surface moving, un-textured surface moving, and both moving. The results indicate that textures on the faster moving surface offer stronger film thickness enhancement.