Visualization of Debris Entrapment in EHL Contacts using µ-PIV Technique

Vincent Strubel (1) , Nicolas Fillot (1) , Fabrice Ville (2) , Philippe Vergne (1) , Alexandre Mondelin (3) , Yves Maheo (3)

1 TMI - Tribologie et Mécanique des Interfaces
2 SMC - Systèmes Mécaniques et Contacts
3 SKF - Aerospace [Saint-Vallier]

Generally lubricants used in mechanisms, such as turbofan engines, are contaminated. Indeed a lubricating fluid can carry all sort of debris (in terms of size, nature and quantities) within lubricated contacts of rolling bearings for example. As avoiding such phenomena seems impossible, particle entrapment must be fully understood and widely investigated. A novel approach with a device combining a tribometer and a µ-Particle Image Velocimetry (µ-PIV) visualization system was developed. It allows the direct observation of the lubricant in the vicinity of the contact. Considering a glass-steel contact, it gives the possibility to get in-situ measurements on the dynamics of suspended fluorescent particles, which act as debris. In this study, particle trajectories are analyzed in order to observe how particles might bypass or be entrapped inside the contact.

Domaines: Autre

Vincent Strubel, Nicolas Fillot, Fabrice Ville, Philippe Vergne, Alexandre Mondelin, et al.. Visualization of Debris Entrapment in EHL Contacts using µ-PIV Technique. 71st STLE Annual Meeting, May 2016, Las Vegas, United States. ⟨hal-01329317⟩