Parched Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication

Abstract

A parched subregime of elastohydrodynamic lubrication is proposed, lying between starved and mixed. Parched EHL is necessary to describe instrument ball bearing behavior, for example: long term transients in film thickness. A parched bearing has the least driving torque demand and best spin axis definition possible from any lubrication regime. Some measurements made in a 40 mm bore bearing show that parched operation is not limited to small bearings.