Oil films

When two metallic surfaces are lubricated in a hydrodynamic regime, the oil film is stable and problems of wear are not very important. In severe service, the film can be destroyed from then on the metallic parts rubbing on each other can cause first metal loss and then even the seizing of the parts by welding. 

Now days the devices operating in the radiowave range are designed and they used for oil film thickness measurements and for the oil spills volume evaluation. The device operating on the frequencies from 37,5 to 10,7 begHz provides the measurements of the film thickness in the range from 100 to 6 — 7 pm. It means that all accident happening on the seas surface may be estimated. 

TWo limiting conditions exist where lubrication is used. In the first case, the oil film is thick enough so that the surface regions are essentially independent of each other, and the coefficient of friction depends on the hydrodynamic properties, especially the viscosity, of the oil. Amontons law is not involved in this situation, nor is the specific nature of the solid surfaces. 

Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication (EHL). Lubrication needs in many machines ate minimized by carrying the load on concentrated contacts in ball and toUet beatings, gear teeth, cams, and some friction drives. With the load concentrated on a small elastically deformed area, these EHL contacts ate commonly characterized by a very thin separating hydrodynamic oil film which supports local stresses that tax the fatigue strength of the strongest steels. 

Dispersion is the process of wetting the surface of the metal, thereby penetrating the oil film. Surfactants can reduce the surface tension and interfacial tension of the cleaning solution at the metal—Hquid interface. As the cleaner undercuts and penetrates the oil, the cleaner breaks the oil into small droplets which then float to the surface. 

The molecular dipstick microscope is related to the AFM. It measures lubricant film thickness. The probe is lowered into the oil film on a surface (like the automobile engine crankcase dipstick). The tip is attracted to the surface by the surface tension of the film but repelled by van der Waal s forces from the hard substrate. By noting the height of the probe from the two surfaces as it makes contact, the film thickness can be measured with a precision of about 0.5 nm. 

Some other bearing materials find extensive use for which production volume is less well defined. EiHed plastics such as nylon, acetal resin, PTEE, and phenoHcs are formed and molded into bearings in a wide variety of mechanical stmctures. Tin, lead, and bronze alloys are used for oil-film bearings in heavy industrial and power generating equipment, frequently in custom bearings manufactured directly as machine components. 

Other Metals. Materials employed for hydrodynamic oil film bearings are primarily those covered above, but silver, 2inc, and cadmium find some use. 

Thermal conductive backing material to dissipate heat developed in oil film. 

In addition to films that originate at least in part in the corroding metal, there are others that originate in the corrosive solution. These include various salts, such as carbonates and sulfates, which may be precipitated from heated solutions, and insoluble compounds, such as beer stone, which form on metal surfaces in contac t with certain specific products. In addition, there are films of oil and grease that may protect a material from direct contact with corrosive substances. Such oil films may be apphed intentionally or may occur naturally, as in the case of metals submerged in sewage or equipment used for the processing of oily substances. 

Three types of bearings will be discussed oil-film bearings, rolling-element bearings (also known as antifriction bearings), and magnetic bearings. 

FIG. 29-66 Oil-film hearing with oil pressure created preload (pressure dam desi nj. 

FIG. 29-67 Radial oil-film li( arin watL tilting pads. 

FIG. 29-68 Axial (thriistj oil-film hearing watL tilting pads and emhedded temperature sensors. 

The rotordynamic study of a machine with magnetic bearings is quite different from the one of either oil-film or rolling-element bearings. The stiffness and damping properties of magnetic bearings can... 

Today for this kind of object, the aluminum anodes are usually insulated and connected via cables outside the tank. By this means it is possible to purify and activate the anodes by applying anodic current pulses from an external voltage source. This is necessary during the course of operation since the anode surfaces can be easily passivated by oil films [7]. 

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