Boundary Lubrication

Boundary lubrication in marine diesel engine bearings occurs during start

up and stopping, relatively slow speeds, high contact pressures, and with
less than perfectly smooth surfaces. As running conditions become more
severe such as with rough surfaces, and high contact pressures, wear
becomes a severe problem to the system.

With mineral oil, it is possible to create a lubricant that forms a surface film
over the surfaces, strongly adhering to the surface. These films are often
only one or two molecules thick but they can provide enough of a protection
to prevent metal to metal contact.

Boundary lubricating conditions occur when the lubricant film is

insufficient to prevent surface contact. This results in bearing wear and a
relatively high friction value.

Hydrodynamic Lubrication

Fluid film or hydrodynamic lubrication is the term given when a shaft

rotating in a bearing is supported by a layer or wedge of oil so that the shaft
is not in contact with the bearing material.

The principle which allows large loads to be supported by

similar to that which causes a car to aquaplane on a w
Aquaplaning occurs when water on the road accumulates
vehicle's tyres faster that the weight of your vehicle and the
of the tyre tread can push it out of the way. The water pressu
car to rise up and slide on top of a thin layer of water betwe
the road. Just like a car has to be travelling at a certa
aquaplaning will occur (this varies according to tyre con
surface but is generally about 55mph), a shaft must be rot
speed before hydrodynamic lubrication takes place.

Hydrodynamic lubrication was first researched by Osborne Reynolds (1842-

1912).When a lubricant was applied to a shaft and bearing, Reynolds found
that the rotating shaft pulled a converging wedge of lubricant between the
shaft and the bearing. He also noted that as the shaft gained velocity, the
liquid flowed between the two surfaces at a greater rate. This, because the
lubricant is viscous, produces a liquid pressure in the lubricant wedge that is
sufficient to keep the two surfaces separated. Under ideal conditions,
Reynolds showed that this liquid pressure was great enough to keep the two
bodies from having any contact and that the only friction is the system was
the viscous resistance of the lubricant.

The operation of hydrodynamic lubrication in journal bearings is illustrated

below. Before the rotation commences the shaft rests on the bearing
surface. When the rotation commences the shaft moves up the bore until an
equilibrium condition is reached when the shaft is supported on a wedge of
lubricant. The moving surfaces are then held apart by the pressure
generated within the fluid film. Journal bearings are designed such that at
normal operating conditions the continuously generated fluid pressure
supports the load with no contact between the bearing surfaces. This
operating condition is known as thick film lubrication and results in a very
low operating friction and extremely low bearing load

The rotating shaft drag

beneath it that develops
enough to support the sh
contact friction betwee
bearing

Viscosity of the lubricant is an important feature. The higher the viscosity,

the higher the friction between oil and shaft, but the thicker the
hydrodynamic film. However friction generates heat, which will reduce the
viscosity, the thickness of the film and may result in metal to metal contact.
Using an oil with a low initial viscosity will also result in a reduced oil film
thickness. We have to be very careful that the distance between the two
surfaces is greater than the largest surface defect. The distance between the
two surfaces decreases with higher loads on the bearing, less viscous fluids,
and lower speeds. Hydrodynamic lubrication is an excellent method of
lubrication since it is possible to achieve coefficients of friction as low as
0.001 (=0.001), and there is no wear between the moving parts. However
because the lubricant is heated by the frictional force and since viscosity is
temperature dependent, additives to decrease the viscosity's temperature
dependence are used. The oil of course is cooled before it is pumped back
through the engine.