Non-Newtonian Effects on the Squeeze Film Characteristics between a Sphere and a Flat Plate: Rabinowitsch Model

The use of additives (polyisobutylene, ethylene-propylene, lithium hydroxy stearate, hydrophobic silica, etc.) changes lubricants’ rheology due to which they show pseudoplastic and dilatant nature, which can be modelled as cubic stress fluid model (Rabinowitsch fluid model). The present theoretical analysis investigates the effects of non-Newtonian pseudoplastic and dilatant lubricants on the squeezing characteristics of a sphere and a flat plate. The modified Reynolds equation has been derived and an asymptotic solution for film pressure is obtained. The results for the film pressure distribution, load carrying capacity, and squeezing time characteristics have been calculated for various values of pseudoplastic parameter and compared with the Newtonian results. These characteristics show a significant variation with the non-Newtonian pseudoplastic and dilatant behavior of the fluids.