BMMM 2343; Basic Tribology

Coordinated by : Dr. Muhammad Ilman Hakimi Chua

Fluid film lubrication is indispensable for long life of high speed
bearing, very useful in common machinery.

Greases are adequate in low speed mechanisms where liquid

circulation is not warranted economically
The primary objective in lubrication is to reduce severity
of both the normal and shear stresses in solid surface
contact.
Two sliding surface can be separated by pumping fluid into
the contact region at a sufficient pressure to separate the
surface.

A large volume of fluid will separate the sliding surface a

great distance, producing a low resistant to sliding motion
▪ its disadvantage is requiring high pressure pumps and equipment
for fluid cleaning which will increase the cost

▪ Since the lubricant is supplied under pressure, this type of bearing

is called externally pressurized bearing.

▪ Hydrostatic bearings are used on vertical turbo-generators,

centrifuges and ball mills.

Hydrodynamic lubrication is defined as a system of lubrication
in which the supporting fluid film is created by the shape and
relative motion of the sliding surfaces
▪ The principal of hydrodynamic bearing is shown in fig.1.

▪ Initially the shaft is at rest (a) and it sinks to the bottom of the clearance space under the action of load W.

▪ As the journal starts to rotate, it will climb the bearing surface (b)

▪ and as the speed is further increased, it will force the fluid into the wedge-shaped region (c).

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 1 Formation of Continuous Film in a Journal Bearing

Figure 2. Hydrodynamic Lubrication (Oil Wedge Region)
▪ Since more and more fluid is forced into the wedge-shaped

clearance space, pressure is generated within the system. Fig.3

shows the pressure distribution around the periphery of a journal.

Figure 3 Pressure Distribution in Hydrodynamic Bearing

▪ Since, the pressure is created within the system due to rotation of the

shaft, this type of bearing is known as self acting bearing. The

pressure generated supports the external load W.

▪ This mode of lubrication is seen in bearings mounted on engines

and centrifugal pumps.

▪ Thin fluid lubrication, also known as boundary lubrication, is

defined as a condition of lubrication, where the lubricant film is

relatively thin and there is partial metal to metal contact. This mode

of lubrication is seen in door hinges and machine tool slides.

▪ The conditions of boundary lubrication are excessive load,

insufficient surface area or oil supply, low speed and misalignment.

 Figure 4 Boundary Lubrication

▪ The hydrodynamic bearing also operates under the boundary

lubrication condition when the speed is very low or when the load is
excessive.
▪ Under the extreme conditions of load and temperature, the

fluid film gets completely ruptured, direct contact between the

two metallic surfaces takes place and thus, extreme boundary
lubrication exists.

Figure 5 Contacts at High Points (Extreme Boundary Lubrication)

▪ The phenomenon of extreme boundary lubrication is based on the

theory of hot spots. These hot spots, also known as high spots are the
spots on the metallic surfaces where the welding of the two surfaces
takes place, owing to extreme temperature conditions, which is a
consequence of the shearing action of the high points.

▪ However, due to the relative motion between the two surfaces, the

welding too gets ruptured. As a consequence of the phenomenon of

the high spots, occurring at extreme conditions of load and
temperature, the physical properties get severely damaged.
❑ Hydrodynamic lubrication (HD) – two
surfaces are separated by a fluid film
(conformal contact).

❑ Elastohydrodynamic lubrication
(EHD) – (subset of HD. Two surfaces are
separated by a very thin fluid film
(nonconformal contact).

❑ Mixed lubrication – two surfaces are

partly separated, partly in contact.

❑ Boundary lubrication – two surfaces

mostly are in contact with each other
even though a fluid is present.
Elastohydrodynamic
Lubrication regimes for engine components and their
relationships to friction.
❑ HD lubrication is often referred to as the ideal lubricated contact
condition because the lubricating films are normally thicker
(typically 5-500µm) than the height of the irregularities of surface, an
solid contacts do not occur.

❑ COF can be as small as 0.001

❑ COF increase slightly because of the viscous drag.

❑ The behavior of contact is determined from the solution of the

Reynolds equation.

❑ Adhesive wear occurs during start-stop operations and corrosive wear

of the surfaces can also occur as a result of interaction with the lubricant.
❑ EHD subset of HD, which the elastic deformation of the contacting
solids play a significant role in the HD lubrication process.

❑ The film thickness is thinner (typically 0.5-5µm).

❑ In heavily loaded contacts, high pressures can lead to both changes

in the viscosity of the lubricant and elastic deformation of the bodies in
contact.

❑ Adhesive wear occurs during start-stop operations and corrosive wear

of the surfaces can also occur as a result of interaction with the lubricant.

❑ In well-designed heavily loaded bearings, fatigue wear is most

common.
❑ Transition between HD/EHD and boundary lubrication regimes, in
which two lubrication mechanisms may be functioning.

❑ The film thickness typically 0.025-2.5µm.

❑ They may be more frequent solid contacts, but at least a portion of the
bearing surface remains supported by a partial HD film.

❑ The solid contacts, between unprotected virgin metal surfaces, could

lead to a cycle of adhesion, metal transfer, wear particle formation,
and eventual seizure.

❑ However, in liquid lubricated, chemically reacted film prevent

adhesion during most asperity encounters.
❑ Load , velocity , or the fluid viscosity  = COF  sharply and approach high level as
shown in Stribeck curve.

❑ This condition can also occur in a starved contact.

❑ Solid surfaces are so close together and the solid asperities dominates the contact.

❑ In the absence of boundary lubricants and gases (no oxide films), friction may become very
high (>1).

❑ All self-acting bearing surfaces during contact start-stops (CSS), before a fluid film as a
result of HD or EHL is developed, operate in the boundary lubrication regime.

❑ Failure of boundary lubrication occurs by adhesive and corrosive wear.

❑ Boundary lubricants form easily sheared film on the bearing surfaces, thereby minimizing
adhesive wear and corrosive wear.
Sometimes referred to as “lube” is a substance (often a liquid)
introduced between two moving surfaces to reduce friction
between them, improving efficiency and reducing wear.

Lubricants are specifically designed to reduce the friction and

wear of contacting surfaces in machine components
▪ It is known since ages that oils and greases reduce the friction

between sliding surfaces, by filling the surface cavities and making

the surfaces smoother.

▪ lubrication is a process by which the friction and wear rates in a

moving contact are reduced

▪ Reducing instant failures.

▪ Reducing fatigue failure (Lubricant reduces the force required in

tangential direction so reduces the Fatigue Failure)

▪ Reducing surface failures.

▪ Reducing stress concentration.

▪ Reducing instant failures.

▪ Reducing fatigue failure (Lubricant reduces the force required in

tangential direction so reduces the Fatigue Failure)

▪ Reducing surface failures.

▪ Reducing stress concentration.

1. Transmission parts.

2. Bearings.

3. Cams and followers.

4. Journals.

5. Seal faces.

6. Any situation involving metal to metal contact.

Lubricants are often classified as "Newtonian and "Non-Newtonian"
fluids. This classification is on basis of relation between shear stress
and shear strain rate(Fig. 4.4). .
Let see video on Newtonian and Non-Newtonian Fluid: please open your
phone and go to youtube : search for Newtonian vs Non-Newtonian Fluid.
Upload your video link inside the Ulearn for this chapter.
 LUBRICANT

Solid Semisolid Liquid Gaseous

• Powder • Grease • Mineral oil • Air

• Thin/solid film • Base oil • Inert gaseous
❑It protects the internal combustion engine in motor vehicles

and powered equipment

❑Lubricant contain 90% base oil (most often petroleum fractions,

called mineral oils) and less than 10% additives.

❑Vegetable oils or synthetic liquids such as hydrogenated

polyolefins, esters, silicone, fluorocarbons and many others are

sometimes used as base oils
❑Keep moving parts apart

❑Reduce friction

❑To dissipate heat

❑Carry away contaminants & debris

❑Protect against wear

❑Prevent corrosion

❑Seal for gasses

❑Lubricant are typically used to separate moving parts in system.

❑This has the benefit of reducing friction and surface fatigue

together with reduced heat generation, operating noise and

❑Typically the lubricant-to-surface friction is much less than

surface-to-surface friction.

❑Reduced friction has the benefit of reducing heat generation

and reduced formation of wear particles as well as improved

efficiency.

❑Lubricants may contain additives known as friction modifiers

that chemically bind to metal surfaces to reduce surface

friction even when there is insufficient bulk lubricant present
for hydrodynamic lubrication, e.g. protecting the valve train in
a car engine at startup.
❑Both gas and liquid can transfer heat. However liquid

lubricants are much more effective on account of their high

specific heat capacity.

❑The circulating flow also determines the amount of heat that is

carried away in any given unit of time.

❑High flow systems can carry away a lot of heat and have the

additional benefit of reducing the thermal stress on the

lubricant.
❑The primary drawback is that high flows typically require larger

sumps and bigger cooling units.

❑A secondary drawback is that a high flow system that relies on

the flow rate to protect the lubricant from thermal stress is

having a tendency to catastrophic failure during sudden system
shut downs.
❑Lubricant circulation systems have the benefit of carrying away

internally generated debris and external contaminants that get

introduced into the system to a filter where they can be removed.

❑Lubricants for machines that regularly generate debris or

contaminants such as automotive engines typically contain

detergent and dispersant additives to assist in debris and
contaminant transport to the filter and removal.
❑Over time the filter will get clogged and require cleaning or

replacement, hence the recommendation to change a car’s oil filter

at the same time as changing the oil.

❑ In closed system such as gear boxed the filter may be

supplemented by a magnet to attract any iron fines that get created.

Poor filtration significantly reduces the life of the machine (engine)
as well as making the system inefficient.
❑Lubricants prevent wear by keeping the moving parts apart..

❑Lubricants may also contain anti-wear or extreme pressure

additives to boost their performance against wear and fatigue.

❑Good quality lubricants are typically formulated with

additives that form chemical bonds with surfaces to prevent

corrosion and rust.
❑Lubricants will occupy the clearance between moving

parts through the capillary force, thus sealing the

clearance. This effect can be used to seal pistons and
shafts.