Numerical Thermal Analysis of Greased Rolling Bearing Considering Surface Topography and Plastic Deformation

ABSTRACT In numerical studies of grease lubrication, thermal effect is often neglected and surface plastic deformation is almost not considered. This paper has developed a deterministic thermal plasto‐elastohydrodynamic lubrication (PEHL) model for grease‐lubricated rolling bearing. The influence of tangent modulus, rheological index and texture orientation on lubrication characteristics and temperature rise is analysed. The results show that increasing the rheological index of grease and decreasing the wavelength factor are obviously positive for improving lubrication behaviour. Since surface plastic deformation in the EHL state is at nanoscale, film thickness, friction coefficient and temperature rise of solid surfaces decline slightly with the decrease of tangent modulus.