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THE first part of Professor Duncan Dowson's paper (March/April issue) dwelt on late 19th century development of machinery outstripping the performance of available lubricants. Contemporary lubricant research, and personalities involved, where described, leading to the concept of fluid‐film lubrication, documented by Professor Osborne Reynolds' paper read to the Royal Society in 1886.

The breakdown of laminar flow in the clearance space of a journal is considered, and the point of transition is considered in relation to experiments carried out with ‘bearings’ of large clearance. Experiments involving flow visualization with very large clearance ratios of 0.05 to 0.3 show that the laminar regime gives way to cellular or ring vertices at the critical Reynolds number predicted by G. I. Taylor for concentric cylinders even in the presence of an axial flow and at a rather higher Reynolds number in the case of eccentric cylinders. The effect of the transition on the axial flow between the cylinders is small. The critical speed for transition as deduced by Taylor, is little affected by moderate axial flows and is increased by eccentricity. The effect of critical condition on the axial‐flow characteristics of the bearing system appears to be negligible, again for moderate axial flows. Assuming that the results can be extrapolated to clearances applicable to bearing operation, the main conclusion of this paper is that the breakdown of laminar flow, which is a practical possibility in very high‐speed bearings, is delayed by eccentric operation.

Compression rings are the main sources of frictional losses in internal combustion engines. The present paper aims to present a thermo-mixed hydrodynamic analysis for coated top compression rings. To understand the coating effects, the main tribological parameters are investigated into a ring-cylinder conjunction in a motorbike engine. Furthermore, flow simulations have been carried out on how different worn profiles on the cylinder inner liner affects friction, lubricant film and localized contact deformation of the coated compression rings.

In this paper, the basic geometrical dimensions of the top compression ring-cylinder system are obtained from a real motorbike engine. A 2D axisymmetric CFD/FLOTRAN model is created for coated compression rings. Flow simulations are performed by solving the Navier-Stokes and the energy equations. The load capacity of the asperities is also taken into account by Greenwood and Tripp contact model. Realistic boundary conditions are imposed to simulate the in-plane ring motion. The simulation model is validated with analytical and experimental data from the literature. Under thermal considerations, the contribution of worn cylinder profiles in conjunction with different coated compression rings is presented.

This research shows that because of thermal effects, the boundary friction is higher at reversals and the viscous friction is lower because of reduced oil viscosity. As regards to the isothermal case, the viscous friction is greater because of a higher lubricant viscosity. In the case of chromium-plated ring, boundary friction was 16 per cent lower than a grey cast iron ring taking into account thermal effects. Regarding the localized contact deformation, the coated compression rings showed lower values under different worn cylinder shapes. In particular, hard wear-resistant (Ni-Cr-Mo) coating showed the slighter local deformation. Therefore, the worn cylinder profiles promote boundary/mixed lubrication regime, whereas the lobed profile of cylinder inner liner becomes more wavy.

The solution of the thermo-mixed lubrication model, concerning the piston ring and worn cylinder tribo pair by taking into account the coating of the top compression ring.

JUST three years after tribology was first defined in a Department of Education and Science Report (1966), Professor Duncan Dowson set about writing a textbook on the subject. A member of Leeds University, he had been teaching lubrication and aspects of mechanics of machines since 1955, and tribology in its broadest sense since 1966 to MSc course students. The University itself is, of course, well‐known for its tradition, dating back to the last century, of research and teaching in friction, wear, lubrication and bearing design.

To develop a more realistic model for molecularly thin film hydrodynamic lubrication by incorporating the fluid inhomogeneity and discontinuity effects across the fluid film thickness in this lubrication.

The total mass flow of the fluid through the contact in a basic one‐dimensional molecularly thin film hydrodynamic lubrication is studied by incorporating the fluid inhomogeneity and discontinuity effects across the fluid film thickness, based on a simplified momentum transfer model between neighboring fluid molecules across the fluid film thickness. This flow is calculated according to the present approach and the theory of viscous flow between two contact surfaces. The total mass flow of the fluid through the contact in this lubrication is also calculated from conventional hydrodynamic lubrication theory, which was based on continuum fluid assumption in the whole lubricated contact. The ratio of this flow calculated from the present approach to that calculated from conventional hydrodynamic lubrication theory is here defined as the flow factor for a one‐dimensional molecularly thin film hydrodynamic lubrication due to the fluid inhomogeneity and discontinuity effects. Results of this flow factor are presented for wide operational parameters.

In the molecularly thin film hydrodynamic lubrication, when the fluid inhomogeneity and discontinuity across the fluid film thickness both are incorporated, the total fluid mass flow through the contact and thus the global fluid film thickness are increased. The combined effect of the fluid inhomogeneity and discontinuity across the fluid film thickness on the total fluid mass flow through the contact in this lubrication is determined by the operational parameter K=((∂p/∂xh²)/[6η_bulk(1−ξ)(u_a+u_b)]); when the operational parameter K is high, this effect is significant; when the operational parameter K is low, this effect is negligible. On the other hand, in this lubrication, when the combined effect of the fluid inhomogeneity and discontinuity across the fluid film thickness is incorporated, the shear stresses at the contact‐fluid interfaces are reduced and this reduction can be significant. This reduction may strongly depend on the value of the dimensionless discontinuity parameter Δ/D of the fluid across the fluid film thickness but weakly depend on the number n of the fluid molecules across the fluid film thickness.

An important and very useful research for the academic researcher and the engineer who are, respectively, engaged in the study and design of hydrodynamic lubrication on mechanical components especially of very low hydrodynamic lubrication film thickness. It is also important to the subsequent research of molecularly thin film hydrodynamic lubrication.

A new model of molecularly thin film hydrodynamic lubrication in one‐dimensional contacts is originally proposed and described by incorporating the fluid inhomogeneity and discontinuity effects across the fluid film thickness in this lubrication. This new model of molecularly thin film hydrodynamic lubrication is of importance to the theoretical study of molecularly thin film hydrodynamic lubrication.

Bearing performance characteristics, such as stiffness and load capacity, are related to the viscosity of the fluid circulating through the gap. Nanoparticle additives in lubricant are one way to enhance of the viscosity. This study aims to investigate the effect of nanoparticle additives on the thermohydrodynamic performance of journal bearing with different bearing parameters.

The temperature distribution is modeled using a three-dimensional energy equation. The velocity components are calculated on the pressure distribution governed by Dowson’s equation. Moreover, the heat transfer between the journal and lubricant is modeled with Fourier heat conduction equation. On the other hand, the viscosity equation is derived for Al₂O₃ nanoparticles as a function of the volume ratio and the temperature. An algorithm based on the finite difference method is developed, and a serial simulation is performed for different parameters and different volume ratio of nanoparticle.

With the increase in the nanoparticle volume ratio, the maximum temperature decreases for the lower clearance values, but the addition of the nanoparticle influence on the maximum temperature reverses when the clearance grows up. The nanoparticle additives increase further the maximum temperature for higher values of L/D ratios. Moreover, the effects of the nanoparticle additives on the pressure are stronger at high eccentricity ratios for all bearing parameters.

This paper provides valuable design parameters for journal bearing with lubricant containing the nanoparticle additives.

The oil film thickness provides a key performance indicator of a ball bearing lubrication condition. This paper aims to propose an approach to calculate and measure the oil film thickness of the bearing.

On a specially designed test rig, measurement of the capacitance is used to monitor the oil film thickness of ball bearing. A corrected film thickness formula taking account of the influences of non-Newtonian shear thinning and thermal is introduced to predict the oil film thickness of ball bearing. And then the film thickness distribution and the corresponding capacitances are calculated.

Measurement and calculation of oil film thickness in a ball bearing are carried out under various rotating speeds and external loads. By comparing the calculated capacitances with measured results, it can be concluded that the calculated results obtained by the amended film thickness formula are much closer to the test findings than the classical computed values according to Hamrock–Dowson.

A new corrected film thickness formula is introduced in predicting oil film thickness of ball bearing and verified by the series of experiments according to capacitance method.

The purpose of this paper is to study the elastohydrodynamic lubrication point contact problem with bio-based oil as lubricants for an isothermal case. The simulation of the problem is analyzed on smooth and rough asperity.

The modified Reynolds equation is discretized using finite difference and multigrid method with full approximation scheme (FAS), applied for its solution with varying load and speed.

This paper traces out the comparison of minimum and central film thickness with the standard formulation of Hamrock and Dowson. The effect of longitudinal roughness on surfaces is investigated by means of numerical simulations.

The results obtained are comparable with the standard results, and are shown by graphs and tables. Bio-based products bring out an alternative source of lubricant to reduce energy crises.

This paper aims to investigate the lubrication regime in spherical pump, especially under different structural parameters and operational conditions.

A ball-on-plane configuration is adopted to represent the contact model between spherical piston and cylinder cover. The governing equations, which include the Reynolds and elasticity equations, are solved and validated by Jin–Dowson model. Both minimum film thickness and lambda ratio (ratio of minimum fluid film thickness to combined surface roughness of the piston and cylinder cover) of the equivalent model are obtained using an established model.

The results indicate that piston diameter and radial clearance are the two main factors affecting the pump lubrication regime. Other related parameters such as rotation speed of the piston, load, viscosity of working medium, material matching and surface roughness of piston and cylinder cover also have different impacts on the lubrication regime of the spherical pump.

These results emphasize the importance of the design and manufacturing parameters on the tribological performance of spherical pumps and these are also helpful in improving the spherical pump lubrication regime and enlarging its life cycle. This is to certify that to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the content of this manuscript is their own work. This manuscript has only been submitted to this journal and never been published elsewhere. The authors certify that the intellectual content of this manuscript is the product of their own work and that all the assistance received in preparing this manuscript and sources has been acknowledged.

To make a derivation of the load‐carrying capacity of elastohydrodynamic lubrication for special operating conditions, i.e. extremely heavy loads or extremely low rolling speeds based on the Newtonian fluid model by taking the Grubin‐type EHL inlet zone analysis, justify the load‐carrying capacity of elastohydrodynamic lubrication film in these operating conditions, and propose future trends of the research in EHL and mixed EHL based on the obtained results in the present paper.

A Grubin‐type EHL inlet zone analysis is carried out for the isothermal EHL of line contacts in special operating conditions, i.e. extremely heavy loads or extremely low rolling speeds based on the Newtonian fluid model. Comparison is made between the central EHL film thickness in line contacts, respectively, predicted by conventional EHL theories and accurately predicted from the present analysis for these operating conditions. An interpretation is made for the EHL film thickness in these operating conditions by taking the approach of the transportation and flow of the fluid through elastohydrodynamic contact when the EHL film is, respectively, thick and molecularly thin in the Hertzian zone. Conclusions are drawn on the load‐carrying capacity of EHL, EHL contact regimes and mixed EHL regimes in these operating conditions.

The present EHL inlet zone analysis shows that the EHL film thickness in the Hertzian zone is on the nanometer scale and the lubricant is non‐continuum across the film thickness in the Hertzian zone at relatively heavy loads in line contact EHL when the dimensionless rolling speed is lower than the dimensionless characteristic rolling speed U_ch=0.0372W^1.50/G. In this case, the central EHL film thickness in line contact EHL predicted by the conventional EHL theory may be several orders of magnitudes higher than that accurately predicted. This difference may be greater for heavier loads.The present results for line contact EHL based on the Newtonian fluid model show that in line contact EHL, for relatively heavy loads and the dimensionless rolling speed lower than the dimensionless characteristic rolling speed U_ch=0.0372W^1.50/G, the EHL analysis needs to further incorporate the lubricant non‐continuum effect across the film thickness in part of the lubricated area to investigate the EHL film thickness and the EHL film pressure in the contact in this very low film thickness condition; only the results based on such an analysis are believable for the EHL stage where the lubricant film thickness in the Hertzian zone approaches to zero and then vanishes; the results for EHL based on the Newtonian fluid model is unable to conclude that the EHL film thickness in the Hertzian zone is zero and dry contact occurs between the contact surfaces in EHL in any operating condition for ignoring the lubricant non‐continuum regime governing the EHL stage preceding the occurrence of the zero lubricant film thickness in EHL.

A very useful source of information for academic scientists, engineers and tribologists who are engaged in the study and application of the theory of elastohydrodynamic lubrication.

A derivation is first carried out for the isothermal EHL of line contacts in extremely heavy loads or extremely low rolling speeds by taking the Grubin‐type EHL inlet zone analysis by the present paper. Results and conclusions on the load‐carrying capacity of EHL in these operating conditions are first strict and thus convincing. These results are also original in clarifying the future trends of the researches in EHL and mixed EHL.