Analysis of the thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication of a finite line contact

A complete numerical solution for the thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) problem of a finite line contact between an infinite plane and an axially profiled cylindrical roller is obtained. The pressure profile and the film shape in the middle part of the roller are very different from those at the ends. However, the finite line contact results in the middle part of the roller are nearly the same as those of the corresponding infinite line contact. It is revealed that, in a finite line contact, the maximum pressure, the highest film temperature and the minimum film thickness all occur at the end regions of the roller. A comparison is made between isothermal and thermal solutions of a finite line contact. In addition, variations in the minimum film thickness, the maximum pressure and the highest temperature with the dimensionless velocity parameter, the slide/roll ratio and the radius of the end profiles of the roller are discussed.