Variable viscosity condition in the modeling of a slider bearing

TL;DR

This paper investigates how variable viscosity affects the load capacity and temperature limits of slider bearings with parallel and nonparallel plates, providing explicit formulas for critical temperature thresholds.

Contribution

It introduces a model for slider bearings considering temperature-dependent viscosity and derives formulas for critical temperature, advancing understanding of lubrication under variable viscosity conditions.

Findings

Parallel plate bearings cannot support load.

Critical temperature depends on viscosity properties.

Explicit formulas for critical temperature are derived.

Abstract

To reduce tear and wear of machinery lubrication is essential. Lubricants form a layer between two surfaces preventing direct contact and reduce friction between moving parts and hence reduce wear. In this short letter the lubrication of two slider bearings with parallel and nonparallel is studied. First, we show that bearings with parallel plates cannot support any load. For bearings with nonparallel plates we are interested on how constant and temperature dependent viscosity affects the properties of the bearings. Also, a critical temperature for which the bearings would fail due to excess in temperature is found for both latter cases. If the viscosity is constant, the critical temperature is given by an explicit formula, while for the non-constant viscosity the critical temperature can be always found from a closed form formula involving Weber functions