Potential for Controlling Sliding Friction of Rotating Systems Based on Periodic Surface Micro-Texturing Geometry Parameterization

This article explores the use of periodic surface micro-texturing as a passive method for controlling sliding friction.

Using a plain journal bearing of a multistage centrifugal pump as an example, computational fluid dynamics modeling and computer-aided design are used to examine the parametric optimization of surface micro-texturing geometry in the form of discrete elliptical dimples to reduce the friction coefficient in a rotorbearing system.

The friction coefficient of the smooth surface corresponded to the hydrodynamic lubrication regime. Under single-factor variation of the parameters, the change in the objective function did not exceed 2 %. The identified relationships were nonlinear: with increasing ellipse axis lengths L and H (the area occupied by the texture), the friction coefficient decreased and tended exponentially toward a threshold value, whereas with increasing depth D it passed through a minimum. The minimum with respect to depth arose from the competition between the decreasing adhesion and increasing deformation components of friction, vortex formation at the dimple inlet, and the hydrodynamic-wedge effect; the parameter H (the minor axis of the ellipse) had the largest influence. The optimal configuration (D = 63 µm, L = 250 µm, H = 150 µm) reduced the friction coefficient by 6.18 % relative to the smooth surface.

Thus, using periodic surface micro-texturing technology, it is possible to both reduce and increase the friction coefficient, which can be applied in a variety of technical applications.

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