Vol.

35, No. 2 (2013) 141147

Tribology in Industry

RESEARCH

www.tribology.fink.rs

Analyzing the Surface Roughness Effects on Piston
Skirt EHL in Initial Engine StartUp Using Different
Viscosity Grade Oils


M. Gulzar a, S.A. Qasim a, R.A. Mufti a

a College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Pakistan.

Keywords: A B S T R A C T
EHL
The absence of fully developed fluid film lubrication between Piston
Piston skirt
and Liner surfaces is responsible for high friction and wear at initial
Flow factor
engine startup. In this paper flow factor method is used in two
Asperity
dimensional Reynolds equation to model the effects of surface
Hydrodynamic
roughness characteristics on Piston Skirt elastohydrodynamic
Vogelpohl parameter
lubrication. The contact of surface asperities between the two

surfaces and its after effects on EHL of piston skirt is investigated. For
Corresponding author: this purpose, two different grade oils are used to show the changing
M. Gulzar effects of viscosity combined with surface roughness on different
College of Electrical and Mechanical parameters including film thickness, eccentricities and hydrodynamic
Engineering, National University of pressures. The results of the presented model shows considerable
Sciences and Technology (NUST), effects on film thickness of rough piston skirt, hydrodynamic pressures
Pakistan and eccentricities profiles for 720 degrees crank angle.
Email: mubashir_nustian@hotmail.com 2013 Published by Faculty of Engineering

1. INTRODUCTION there is an increased probability of direct
contacts among asperities which can results in
In initial engine startup the piston and liner adhesive wear [1].
surfaces are not separated by an oil film which
causes maximum wear and friction between the Hamilton, Wallowit and Allen [2] were the
two sliding surfaces. The effects of physical pioneer for taken into account the roughness
contacts between the asperities of surfaces effects on lubrication phenomenon and their
which are in relative motion must be included in work dates back to 1966. They developed a
lubrication model to get a better understanding theory of hydrodynamic lubrication between
of rheology. In lubricated interacting surfaces, two parallel surfaces with surface roughness on
the surface topography characteristics become one or both of the surfaces. The classical theory
more significant because they have a major of lubrication does not predict the existence of
effect on generation of a continuous lubricant any pressure in case of sliding flat parallel
film and in case of high amplitude of asperities surfaces. Surface roughness helps in the
in comparison to lubrication film thickness, pressure buildup between the two interacting

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surfaces, so provide a load support and avoid interesting finding, that the considered low
collapse of two bodies. Early research integrated viscosity oil (Oil A) is more suitable to avoid the
the roughness amplitude with the film thickness contact and wear between interacting rough
and developed the modified one dimensional surfaces of piston and liner at initial engine
Reynoldss equation but the presented models startup.
did not cover different regimes and asperity
contacts and limited to one dimensional For developing the numerical model following
changes. In this prospective an exception is assumptions are taken:
given in 1978 and 1979 by Patir and Cheng [3 1. Lubricant is incompressible and thermal
4]. Since the contacting surfaces have an effects are neglected.
inherent roughness, so Lambda Ratio or Tallian
Parameter will be used as the defining 2. NonNewtonian lubricant behaviour is
parameter between different lubrication neglected.
regimes [5]. In recent research the film thickness 3. Pressure at the inlet is zero and surfaces
parameter () range has been investigated and are oilflooded.
redefined for different lubrication regimes [6]. 4. Lubricant flow is laminar and turbulence
The P.C. model was suitable for values of film effects are neglected.
thickness ratio > 3 1.e; full film lubrication
5. Leakage at the sides and edges is
regime where asperity contacts were neglected
neglected.
[78]. To minimize the wear and friction losses

the elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL)

model is presented where is much lesser than
2. NOMENCLATURE
a value of 3 [6]. Thus the flow factor model
provided by J.H. Tripp [9] is numerically C = Radial clearance between piston and liner =
modelled for hydrodynamic lubrication at initial 10microns,
engine startup. GreenwoodTripp asperity
contact model is used to incorporate the asperity Cf = Specific heat of lubricant,
contact forces and asperity contact friction force Cg = Distance from piston center of mass to
in EHL between the sliding surfaces [10]. To piston pin = 0.2cm,
incorporate the isotropic behaviour the Peklenik Cp = Distance of pistonpin from axis of piston =
number [11] is defined for the rough surfaces 1 cm,
which are generated by normal distribution
using Fast Fourier Transform [1213]. In F = Normal force acting on piston skirts,
rheology a number of parameters affect the Ff = Friction force acting on skirts surface,
lubrication film between interacting surfaces. Ffh = Friction force due to hydrodynamic
These parameters include piston to bore radial lubricant film,
clearance, lubricant viscosities and chemical
FG = Combustion Gas force acting on the top of piston,
properties, surface roughness, shear heating,
cavitation effects, squeeze film effects, material Fh =Normal force due to hydrodynamic pressure
properties and other operating conditions. in film,
FIC = Transverse Inertia force due to piston mass,
The viscosities of lubricating oils along with ~
FIC =
Reciprocating Inertia force due to piston
characteristics of additives have a significant
effect on friction and wear performance of mass,
interacting materials [14]. Thus in this research, FIP = Transverse Inertia force due to piston pin mass,
isotropic rough piston and skirt surfaces are ~
FIP = Reciprocating Inertia force due to piston
selected and modelled with high and low
pin mass,
viscosity oils. The results are plotted, showing
the hydrodynamic and EHL film thickness Fc = Asperity Contact Force,
profiles, dimensionless eccentricities profiles Ffc = Friction force due to asperity contact,
and hydrodynamic pressures at 500 rpm with
G = Shear modulus of elastic lubricant,
radial clearance of 10 micron. A comparison of
the results for Oil A (0.016 Pa.s) and Oil B Ipis = Piston inertia about its centre of mass,
(0.1891 Pa.s) is provided. The results show an M = Moment acting on piston skirts,

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Mf = Friction moment acting on skirt surface, 3. MATHEMATICAL MODEL

Mfh = Moment about piston pin due to
hydrodynamic friction, 3.1 Equations of Piston Motion

Mh = Moment about piston pin due to The forces and moments are in the form of the
hydrodynamic pressure, force and moment balance equations similar to
Mc = Asperity Contact Moment, that defined by Zhu et al [15]:
Mfc = Moment due o friction force of asperity
contact, a 11 a 22 et F h F c F s ( F fh F fc ) tan
(1)
a
21 a 22 eb M h M c M s M f
R = Radius of piston,
U = Piston Velocity, a b
a 11 m pin 1 m pin 1 (2a)
a = Vertical distance from skirt top to pistonpin L L

= 0.0125m,
a b
b = Vertical distance from skirt top to piston a 12 m pin m pin (2b)
L
L
center of gravity = 0.0015m,
et = Piston eccentricities at skirts top surface, I pin b
a 21 m pin a b (1 ) (2c)
eb = Piston eccentricities at skirts bottom surface, L L

b = Acceleration of piston skirts bottom
eccentricities, b I pin
a 22 m pin a b ( )
(2d)
L L
t = Acceleration of piston skirts top
eccentricities,
h = Film Thickness,
~
~
Fs tan FG F IP F IC (3)

l = Connecting rod length, ~

M s F G C p F IC C g (4)
mpis = Mass of piston = 0.295 kg,

mpin = Mass of pistonpin = 0.09 kg,
Using the GreenwoodTripps Asperity Contact
p = Hydrodynamic pressure, Model, the values of Fc, Ffc, Mc and Mfc can be
r = Crank radius = 0.0418 m, found for EHL regime [10].
= Constant crankshaft speed (engine speed),
3.2 Film Thickness Equation
= Shear stress,
A = Oil A viscosity = 0.016 Pa.s., The film thickness between the skirts and the
B = Oil B viscosity = 0.1891 Pa.s., liner given by Zhu [15]:
= Connecting rod angle, y
h C e t ( t ) cos x e b ( t ) e t ( t )] cos x (6)
L
= Crank angle,

X , y = Pressure flow factor along x and yaxis 3.3 Reynolds Equation Modelling
respectively,
s = Shear flow factor, Modified 2D Reynolds equation is given as [3]:

= combined root mean square (rms) 2

3 p R 3 p h
h x h y 6U ( T S ) (7)
roughness, x x L y y x x

1 = rms roughness of piston skirt= 1.4m,

where x and y are Poiseulle or pressure flow
2 = rms roughness of cylinder liner = 1.5m,
factors and s is Cuotte or shear flow factor [3,9].

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The boundary conditions are defined as [5]: R

2

C .1 M v ,i 1, j M v ,i l , j C .2 M v ,i , j l M v ,i , j i
M v ,i , j L
p p 2.C1 2.C2 Fi , j
0 (8)
x 0 x . *
C .3 (1 / *) M v ,i 1, j M v ,i l , j
. x *
p =0 when x1 x x2 2.C1 2.C2 Fi , j
p ( , 0 ) p ( , L ) 0 . *
C .4 (1 / *) M v ,i 1, j M v ,i l , j Gi . j
. y *

In dimensionless form the 2D Reynolds 2.C1 2.C2 Fi , j
equation is given by [5,9]:

2
3 p * R 3 p * hT *
h * x
x *
h * y
x * L y *

y * x *
* S
x *
(9) 3.4. Film Thickness in EHL Regime

Where by J. H Tripp [9]: In EHL regime the film thickness includes film
thickness in the rigid hydrodynamic regime and
X 1 3( 2 ) /( 1)][ / h ] 2 the elastic surface displacements etc. By
considering the bulk elastic deformation, the
y = X (1 / )
lubricant film thickness equation takes the
1 2
2 following form [16]
s s ( h , 1 ) 22 s ( h , 2 )
2
h eh ; h f ( , y ) v

3 where f( ,y ) is neglected. The differential
s ( , 2 )
h ( / h)
( 1) surface displacement is [16]:

1 p ( x , y ) dydy
and is the Peklenik number [11]. dv
E r

In order to read the pressure profiles
r (x x0 ) 2 ( y y0 ) 2
conveniently, the Vogelpohl parameter Mv is
1 (1 v1 ) (1 v 2 )
2 2
1
introduced [5]:
E 2 E 1 E 2

M v p *h *1.5 At a specific point (xo, yo) the elastic deformation

is [5]:
The Reynolds equation in terms of the Vogelpohl 1 p ( x , y ) dxdy
parameter is given as: v ( x0 , y 0 )
E a r


2
2 M v R 2 M v . x M v
(1 / ) ( ) 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
. x *2 L . y *2 . x * . x *
(10)
. y
2
R . M v The hydrodynamic lubrication and EHL models of
(1 / ) ( ) FM v G
. y * L . y * the piston skirts at 500 rpm are developed after
incorporating the pressure flow and the shear flow
where: factors. Two different oils having viscosity 0.016
h * 2 R 2 h * 2 2h * R 2 2h *
Pa.s and 0.1891 Pa.s are used for a comparison and
0.75 1.5 2 investigating the viscosity effects on different
x * L y * x * L y *
2

F parameters which include film thickness

h *2 h* ,eccentricities and hydrodynamic pressure profiles
h * R 2 h * at 720 degree crank rotation cycle.
1.5
x * x * L y * y *

h * 4.1 Piston Eccentricities
h *
* S
G
x * x* The dimensionless eccentricities of the top and
( h *1 .5 ) the bottom surface of the piston skirts (Et and

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Eb) are plotted against the 720 degree crank The positive pressures are developed over the
rotation cycle. Figure 1(a) and 1(b) show piston skirt and vary as shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 2
eccentricity profiles for Oil A at 500 rpm. The (a), for Oil A, at 90 degrees crank angle the
results are plotted between a range of 1 and 1 pressures are biased towards bottom of piston
where the physical contact between the sliding skirt and extended to the middle of piston skirt.
surfaces can occur. At central value 0 the The peak pressure occurs at the bottom of
motion is concentric. Figure 1(a) shows the piston skirt. In Fig. 2 (b), for Oil A, at 450
dimensionless eccentricity profiles in the degrees crank angle, the pressure field shows
hydrodynamic lubrication regime whereas Fig. 1 that the hydrodynamic pressures are developed
(b) shows the similar profiles in the EHL regime. at top of piston skirt though a small ridge can be
seen at bottom of piston Skirt. The peak
pressures are larger than the 90 degrees angle.
In Fig. 2 (c), at 630 degrees crank angle, the
pressures are shifted towards top of piston skirt.
In Fig. 2(d), at 720 degrees the pressure profile
is more steep and developed at bottom of piston
skirt showing the end of cycle. For Oil B, in Fig.
5(a), 5(b), 5(c), 5(d) show 3 D hydrodynamic
pressure profiles at 900, 4500, 6300 and 7200
crank angles at 500 rpm speed.
(a) (b)

Fig. 1. For Oil A, Dimensionless Eccentricities at 500
rpm in (a) Hydrodynamic regime (b) EHL Regime.

The behaviour is shown for all the four strokes
where it can be seen that at the start of cycle the
piston and liner axis are concentric then due to
the secondary motion the profiles are highly
displaced from the centre towards thrust side

and nonthrust side, but for Oil A the physical (a) (b)
contact is avoided as shown in Fig. 1. For Oil B,
the dimensionless eccentricities profiles for
hydrodynamic and EHL regime are shown in Fig.
4. Figure 4 (a) shows that the contact is
established at lower surface as line is meeting
with 1 in rigid hydrodynamic regime. However
in Fig. 4 (b) the EHL regime shows the physical
contact is clearly avoided. This shows that the
elastic deformation of asperities help in avoiding
the contact between interacting surfaces, thus (c) (d)
help in avoiding friction related wear. Fig. 2. For Oil A, 3D Hydrodynamic pressure fields
at 500 rpm at crank angle (a) 90 degree (b) 450
Comparison of eccentricities for both oils degree (c) 630 degree (d) 720 degree.
provides an interesting finding that the low
viscosity oil can be more helpful at initial engine For the pressure fields it can be clearly
startup speed of 500 rpm for rigid investigated that the hydrodynamic pressures
hydrodynamic regime as well as equally good for are totally shifted towards top of piston skirt at
EHL regime. 450 degrees crank angle while the case was not
same in case of Oil A for similar conditions. The
4.2 Hydrodynamic Pressures major change in shape of pressure filed can be
observed for 630 degrees crank angle where the
Three dimensional pressure fields and related dimensionless pressure is biased towards
pressure distribution are plotted for 720 degree bottom of piston skirt instead of top as discussed
crank angle. Figures 2 (a), 2(b), 2(c), 2(d) show for Oil A. Thus changing the viscosity of oil is
3D hydrodynamic pressure profiles at 900, affecting the distribution of hydrodynamic
4500, 6300 and 7200 crank angles at 500 rpm. pressures over piston skirt.

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4.3 Hydrodynamic and EHL Film Thickness

Figure 3(a) shows the maximum and the
minimum hydrodynamic film thickness for Oil A
at 500 rpm and 10 micron radial clearance. The
maximum film thickness is calculated before the
application of load and on the other side the
minimum film thickness is found after the
application of load. The magnitude of minimum

film thickness shows whether the film thickness (a) (b)
is capable of avoiding the contact between
sliding surfaces or not. In Fig. 3(a), the minimum
hydrodynamic film start getting established
from start of cycle and reaches at a peak at
power stroke and decrease to minimum at end
of exhaust stroke and cycle continues. Similar
case can be seen for Oil B in Fig. 6(a), but the
difference is evident at end of exhaust stroke
where a second peak of film thickness can be
seen. In Fig. 3(b) and 6(b) EHL film thickness
profiles are shown. By comparing both profiles,
it can be seen that in case of Oil A the EHL film (c) (d)

thickness is greater in magnitude for different Fig. 5. For Oil B, 3D Hydrodynamic pressure fields at
crank angles as compare to Oil B. Thus Oil A, 500 rpm at crank angle (a) 90 degree (b) 450 degree
which is low viscosity oil, will be more helpful in (c) 630 degree (d) 720 degree.
avoiding the contact and wear between rough
piston and liner surfaces.

(a) (b)

Fig. 6. For Oil B, At 500 rpm (a) Film thickness

(a) (b) profiles (b) EHL film.
Fig. 3. For Oil A, At 500 rpm (a) Film thickness
profiles (b) EHL film.
5. CONCLUSION


Two dimensional numerical models for
hydrodynamic and EHL regimes were developed
at initial engine startup speed for isotropic
rough piston skirt and cylinder. Two different
grade oils were used to investigate the different
parameters affecting the rough piston skirt wear
phenomenon. The different rough surfaces of the
interacting skirts and the liner were considered
by introducing the pressure and the shear flow
(a) (b) factors in the lubrication model. For Oil B

Fig. 4. For Oil B, Dimensionless Eccentricities at 500 having a viscosity of 0.1891 Pa.s, the simulation
rpm in (a) Hydrodynamic regime (b) EHL Regime. results verify that a physical contact between

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rough surfaces. Nominally Flat Rough Surface, Proc. Institution of
Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), UK, (185), pp
625633, 1971.
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