Effect of Surrounding Gas on Cavitation in EHL

Abstract

Relationship between cavitation in elastohydrodynamic lubrication and surrounding gas was investigated in order to understand lubrication in various gas environments. Lubricated point contact sliding test was conducted in a sealed chamber. Gases used were air, carbon dioxide, argon and helium. It was found the cavity length increased with time. It was also found that the cavity length in gas with higher gas solubility, such as carbon dioxide, was larger than that in gas with lower gas solubility. These results suggested that dissolved gas in lubricant was gradually released into the cavity with time, and the cavity length depended on the amount of dissolved gas in the lubricant.

Keywords

• elastohydrodynamic lubrication
• cavitation
• gas
• dissolution
• carbon dioxide