Development of photoelastic experimental device for elastohydrodynamic lubrication analysis

作者：He, Jun^*; Yang, Qian-Qian; Huang, Ping

来源：Journal of South China University of Technology(Natural Science Edition), 2012, 40(12): 7-11.

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1000-565X.2012.12.002

• Contact regions
• Elastohydrodynamic lubrications (EHL)
• Experimental devices
• Friction surfaces
• GCr15 bearing steel
• Inner stress
• LED light source
• Lubricant films
• Measurement methods
• Photoelastic images
• Photoelastic theory
• Rolling speed
• Synchronous Belts

By taking into consideration the advantages and disadvantages of the existing measurement methods of elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) pressure, a novel measurement method based on the photoelastic theory is proposed, and the corresponding mechanism is discussed. Then, an experimental device consisting of a stereomicroscope, a polarizer, a LED light source and a loading mechanism is developed. The linear-contact fiction pairs of the device consist of an upper polycarbonate disk and a lower cylinder made of GCr15 bearing steel and driven by a DC motor through a synchronous belt. By using a camera mounted on the stereomicroscope, the photoelastic images of the EHL contact region and the polycarbonate disk, which are enlarged 40 times, can be captured, with their fringe grades well reflecting the variations of the lubricant film pressure in the contact region and the inner stress beneath the friction surface. Finally, some experiments are carried out under the load varying from 2 to 50 N and at the friction-pair rolling speed of 24, 44 and 63 mm/s. The results show that the proposed method is feasible and effective in measuring the lubricant film pressure and the inner stress.

• 出版日期2012-12
• 单位华南理工大学