Effect of surface micro-groove texture on lubrication performance of tripod universal coupling
Industrial Lubrication and Tribology
ISSN: 0036-8792
Article publication date: 13 October 2021
Issue publication date: 7 December 2021
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to study the effect of micro-groove texture geometric parameters on the lubrication characteristics of the tripod universal coupling.
Design/methodology/approach
The Navier–Stokes equation was used to analyse the influence of micro-groove geometric parameters on the coupling’s lubrication performance. Further, Kriging approximate model and neighborhood cultivation genetic algorithm (NCGA) were used to optimise the micro-groove geometric parameters and improve the coupling’s lubrication performance.
Findings
The results show that as the micro-groove depth and width increase, respectively, the oil film-bearing capacity first increases and then decreases; on the contrary, the friction coefficient first decreases and then increases. With the increase of the micro-groove inclination angle, the bearing capacity of the oil film first increases and then remains unchanged. At the same time, the friction coefficient first decreases and then increases slightly. The lubricating performance of the optimised coupling is significantly improved: the optimised oil film-bearing capacity increases by 12.5%, the friction coefficient reduces by 14% and the maximum oil film pressure increases by 4.3%.
Originality/value
At present, the grease lubrication performance of the micro-groove textured tripod universal coupling has not been studied. The micro-groove parameters are optimised, and the coupling’s lubrication performance is improved greatly by the Kriging model and NCGA algorithm. It is of great significance to extend the coupling’s fatigue life.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The work was supported by Key Technology Research and Development Program of Shandong (No. 2018GGX103015).
Citation
Yang, F., Xiao, Q.H. and Geng, C. (2021), "Effect of surface micro-groove texture on lubrication performance of tripod universal coupling", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 73 No. 10, pp. 1237-1247. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-06-2021-0198
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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