A boundary lubrication model including surface-film failure for gear contact analysis under loss-of-lubrication condition

摘要

Helicopter transmission design requires 30-minute operation under loss-of-lubrication condition. Current design method is empirical and experimental based. Our project aims to develop a physics-based simulation tool incorporating tribology and CFD to accelerate the design process for the loss-of-lubrication performance. To develop such tool, the tribology between gear teeth under the loss-of-lubrication must be understood. The lubrication mechanism between teeth may migrate from EHL to mixed lubrication and finally to the boundary lubrication after the oil supply is cut. The EHL and light mixed lubrication regimes where small fraction of load is carried by solid have been studied by many. Few studies and experiments have been conducted in deep-mixed lubrication and boundary lubrication due to the complexity at the contact surfaces.