The Effect of Surface Roughness on the Average Film Thickness Between Lubricated Rollers

The Christensen theory of stochastic models [7] for hydrodynamic lubrication of rough surfaces is extended to elastohydrodynamic lubrication between two rollers. The Grubin-type equation including asperity effects in the inlet region is derived. Solutions for the reduced pressure at the entrance as a function of the ratio of the average nominal film thickness to the r.m.s. surface roughness (in terms of standard deviation σ), have been obtained numerically. Results were obtained for purely transverse as well as purely longitudinal surface roughness for cases with or without slip. The reduced pressure is shown to decrease slightly by considering longitudinal surface roughness. The transverse surface roughness, on the other hand, has a slight beneficial effect on the average film thickess at the inlet. The same approach was used to study the effect of surface roughness on lubrication between rigid rollers and lubrication of an infinitely-wide slider bearing. Results of these two cases show that the effects of surface roughness are similar to those found in elastohydrodynamic contacts.