Lubrication analysis for rolling bearing considering lubricant layers distribution on raceway surface

The inlet supply layer thickness has a great effect on elastohydrodynamic lubrication performance. The lubricant on raceway surface is distributed unevenly due to the effects of centrifugal force and continuously rolling by rolling elements. The contact inlet cannot be completely filled as most of lubricant is extruded to the sides of raceway, which leads to the starved lubrication. In that case, the contact pressure between the raceway and rolling elements is very close to the Hertzian distribution, and the film thickness is significantly thinner than the fully flooded lubrication. Based on the flow continuity of the lubricant, the layer thickness distribution model on raceway surface was proposed. With considering the side flow due to the hydrodynamic pressure and over rolling of rolling elements, the variations of the supply layer shape and thickness on the raceway were predicted. It is used as the inlet oil supply condition between rolling elements and raceway to numerically predict the lubrication parameters, e.g. the film thickness and pressure distribution based on the unified Reynolds equation.