Experimental and numerical study of O/W emulsion lubricated strip rolling in mixed film regime

An experimental and numerical study of cold rolling lubricated by O/W emulsion has been carried out. The strip rolling experiment was carried out on a Hille experimental rolling mill with a view to study the performance of emulsion lubrication in terms of practical rolling parameters. Accordingly, rolling parameters such as rolling force and torque were measured. The experimental measurements compare favourably with the computed results from a numerical scheme developed by the authors. The scheme, based on a two-phase lubricant model, is capable of calculating the oil concentration at any point within the inlet zone and work zone, rolling pressure, film thickness, and fractional contact area ratio associated with strip rolling under mixed film lubrication at different rolling speeds. Using this scheme, the intertwined effects of an emulsion’s parameters such as: oil concentration, mean oil droplet size, and rolling speed on strip rolling were investigated. The numerical study encompassed the mixed film regime for speed, S ranges from 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻², supply oil concentration level λ_ds from 1 to 10%, and oil droplet size D _S from 5 to 10. Experimentally, the differences between water, oil and emulsion-lubricated rolling are not discernible except for film thickness. At a low speed of 10 RPM, force and torque of water-lubricated rolling are marginally higher than oil- or emulsion-lubricated ones. However, the difference between emulsion and neat oil is not apparent. The numerical results show the occurrence of a moderate oil concentration increase in the inlet zone followed by a sharp one at the beginning of the work zone. The effect of the concentration process is predominantly seen in the film thickness and the lubricant pressure whilst its effect on the total pressure is less pronounced. The analysis of the results suggests that it is possible to lower the emulsion oil concentration without any adverse effect on the rolling process. This principle can be used to control the outlet lubricant film thickness and hence the surface quality of the rolled strip.     

Thermal effect in hydrodynamic lubrication of line contacts-Piezoviscous effect neglected

Thermal effect in high-speed rolling element bearings has been investigated numerically following a computationally efficient method developed by Elrod and Brewe [11. Viscous shear heating effects on both film thickness and rolling friction are investigated for a line-contact geometry assuming fully flooded lubrication. Thermal load-carrying capacity and rolling friction of the line contact have been numerically calculated for varying rolling speeds from 5 to 40 m/s and dimensionless film thickness between 10⁻⁴ and 10⁻³. Results indicate marked influence of viscous shear heating on the load-carrying capacity, film thickness and rolling traction at high rolling speeds. Neglecting thermal effect at high rolling speeds would lead to gross overestimation of load capacity, film thickness and traction. Results are presented for pressure and temperature distribution within the contact for various rolling speeds and film thicknesses.     

二次冷轧过程变形区油膜厚度模型

为了定量预报二次冷轧过程轧制变形区油膜厚度,结合二次冷轧机组乳化液直喷系统的设备与工艺特点,分析了带钢表面析出油膜、工作辊表面附着油膜的形成机理,建立了一套二次冷轧过程轧制变形区带钢上下表面油膜厚度模型,定量分析了乳化液流量密度、乳化液浓度、乳化液析出距离、轧机入口轧制速度、轧制咬入角、带钢入口变形抗力、后张力、轧制油初始动力黏度、轧制油压力黏度系数对轧制变形区带钢上下表面油膜厚度的影响,并将该模型应用到某1220二次冷轧机组的生产实践,编制出了相应的模型计算软件,实现了二次冷轧过程变形区油膜厚度的预报,为二次冷轧过程润滑性能的控制奠定了理论基础。     

冷连轧机相对油膜厚度的测试与建模

为了分析冷连轧机支撑辊动压油膜轴承的油膜厚度变化对带钢厚度的影响,提高轧机AGC精度,进行了油膜厚度测试实验。对某1450mm五机架冷连轧机进行空压靠,在不同转速和轧制力条件下,记录液压缸缸位移变化值。根据实测数据,建立油膜厚度增量模型,运用Levenberg-Marquardt法拟合出该套轧机的油膜厚度模型参数。实测数据分析表明,油膜厚度随转速增加而增加,并随转速的进一步增加而变化趋势减缓。该研究为轧机厚度方程中油膜厚度补偿量的选取提供了可靠的依据。     

Lubrication of Strip Rolling in the Low-Speed Mixed Regime

An analytical model for strip rolling in the low-speed mixed lubrication regime is developed. An average Reynolds equation for longitudinal saw-tooth surfaces under conditions of high fractional contact area, is combined with an analysis for asperity flattening under conditions of bulk plastic flow, to treat lubrication in the mixed regime. Analyses for the inlet zone and work zone and the influence of pressure on viscosity are included in the model. The model indicates that hydrodynamic lubrication effects are important at much lower speeds than previously considered possible. The film thickness predicted by the model is somewhat smaller than that measured using the oil drop method in rolling aluminum alloy with a mineral oil.     

Mixture Lubrication with Emulsions in Cold Rolling

A mixture model of lubrication in cold rolling with two adsorbed layers on the solid surfaces and an emulsion layer between them has been developed. The elastic deformation of the strip and the rolls is considered. A series of simulations using this model is carried out, and this model predicted that the value of the inlet film thickness is in good qualitative agreement with the experimental results. There exists a range of roll speeds that provides sufficient friction to perform the rolling process without front tension under the merged conditions and lower roll speeds. At high roll speed, the two adsorbed layers are separated by the emulsion layer, and the pressure hill disappears due to the smaller surface shear stress acting on the strip, so that rolling is no longer possible unless accompanied by a front tension.     

Pressure-viscosity effect on the solutions of a lubricated thick elastic bonded strip

Utilizing the numerical method developed by the author for isoviscous, fully flooded, elastohydrodynamic lubrication of a rigid cylinder rolling or sliding on an elastic strip (layer) which is attached to a rigid substrate (bonded strip), the influence on the pressure-viscosity coefficient, α, upon solutions is investigated. The present solutions are obtained for contacts operating in the transition region betweeen isoviscous-elastic and piezoviscous-elastic regimes where a pressure spike can be expected in some sense.New sets of results are presented for central and minimum film thicknesses in dimensionless form when the bonded strip is thick (0γ1, where γ = a/t is the ratio of the half contact width to strip thickness). It is shown that the film thickness depends not only on the values of α but also is influenced by Poisson's ratio, v.     

Elastohydrodynamic Film Thickness and Tractions for Oil-in-Water Emulsions

Emulsions, consisting of a small volume of oil dispersed in water in the form of small particles, are popular lubricants for metal rolling and some machine design applications. A number of mechanisms have been suggested for the lubricating behavior of emulsions, among which plate-out, starvation, and dynamic concentration are of particular interest here. At low speeds, the emulsion provides essentially the same lubricating ability as neat oil for a point contact, consistent with plate-out. At some critical speed, the emulsion behavior departs from the neat oil, associated with starvation of the inlet zone. At a second critical speed, dynamic concentration becomes the important mechanism. This article measures the film thickness and traction coefficients of oil-in-water emulsions in the different regimes of behavior and compares the results to existing theoretical understanding. The effect of droplet size is isolated as a causative element in fluid film formation.     

Experimental Support for the Dynamic Concentration Theory of Forming an Oil Reservoir at the Inlet of the Roll Bite by Measuring the Onset Speed of Starvation as a Function of Oil Concentration and Droplet Size

The dynamic concentration theory describes a mechanism of how an oil reservoir forms at the inlet of the roll bite when an emulsion is used as the lubricant. This theory assumes that oil droplets larger than the thickness of the lubricant film in the deformation zone become trapped when they come into contact by both the surface of the sheet and the surface of the work roll. As the droplets move toward the deformation zone, water is left behind or squeezed out by the flattening of the oil droplets. At some point, the surfaces of the trapped oil droplets come into contact with each other, resulting in an inversion where oil becomes the continuous phase. The dynamic concentration theory predicts that the height of the meniscus where this inversion occurs is a function of the percent oil concentration and the diameter of the oil droplets. To test the dynamic concentration theory, the onset speed of starvation on a laboratory rolling mill was determined by measuring the speed in which load increases relative to the load measured for the same process but where the lubricant film is fully flooded. Both the concentration of oil and the size of the monodisperse oil droplets were varied to change the height of the meniscus and consequently the onset speed of starvation. Solid support for the dynamic concentration theory was obtained when starvation occurred at the same speed for emulsions with different oil droplet sizes in which their concentrations were specifically adjusted so that their meniscus heights theoretically were the same. Finally, an unexpected consequence of the dynamic concentration theory was that the thickness of a starved lubricant film is independent of rolling speed, but this is only true at high speeds.     

Experimental Investigation of Elastohydrodynamic (EHD) Film Thickness Behavior at High Speeds

At very high speeds, elastohydrodynamic (EHD) films may be considerably thinner than is predicted by classical isothermal regression equations such as that due to Dowson and Hamrock. This may arise because of viscous dissipation, shear thinning, frictional heating or starvation.

In this article, the contact between a steel ball and a glass disc over an entrainment speed ranging from 0.05 m s^?1 to 20 m s^?1 was studied. Two sets of tests were performed. In the preliminary testing, the disc was driven at speeds of up to 20 m s^?1 and the ball was driven by tractive rolling against the disc, its speed being determined using a magnetic method. After all possible explanations for the reduction in film thickness at high speeds were considered, it was shown that the results, which fall well below classical predictions, are consistent with inlet shear heating at the observed sliding speeds.

Another set of tests was then performed, with both disc and ball driven separately, so that the accuracy of the shear heating theory for different types of oils and at different sliding conditions could be assessed. It was found that the thermal correction factor predicts the trend of film thickness behavior well for the oils tested and is particularly accurate at certain slide–roll ratios (depending on the type of oil). Experimental data were also used to obtain improved coefficients for the correction factor for different types of oil to achieve better prediction of film thickness at high speed throughout the whole range of slide–roll ratios.     

A thermal analysis of strip-rolling in mixed-film lubrication with O/W emulsions

Increase of both roll and strip surface temperatures can significantly affect a rolling process, roll conditions and strip mechanical properties. A comprehensive thermal analysis in cold rolling, especially in a mixed film regime, is needed to understand how thermal fields develop in roll and strip during rolling. It requires a simultaneous solution of the mixed film model for friction in the roll bite and the thermal model for roll and strip thermal fields. This paper presents a numerical procedure to analyse strip rolling process using lubrication with oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. The thermal model includes the effect of heat generation due to the strip deformation and frictional shear stress at the asperity contacts. The numerical analysis employs a coupled thermal model and a mixed film lubrication model for calculating the friction and the asperity deformation in the bite. The thermal model considers the initial temperatures of the roll and strip, temperature rise due to the strip plastic deformation and friction. While the O/W mixed-film lubrication model takes into account the effect of surface roughness and oil concentration (%vol) of the emulsion. The thermal effect is analysed in terms of strip surface temperature and roll temperature, which are influenced by rolling parameters such as reduction, rolling speed, oil concentration in the emulsion. The results of the parametric study indicate that the effect of oil concentration on the thermal field is relatively small compared to that of reduction ratio and rolling speed. The reduction ratio increases the maximum interface temperature in the roll bite. In the mixed film regime, rolling speed also increases the maximum interface temperature and alters the temperature field of the strip. The numerical procedure was validated against known experimental data and can readily be extended to hot rolling or used to analyse roll strip temperature subjected to different cooling system.     

Starvation Behavior in Cold Rolling of Aluminum with Oil-in-Water Emulsion

Reich, et al. ( 1 Reich, R., Panseri, N. and Bohaychich, J. 2001. “The Effects of Lubricant Starvation in Cold Rolling of Aluminum Metal When Using on Oil-in-Water Emulsion,”. Lubrication Engineering, 57: 15–18.  [Google Scholar] ) reported that the rolling force for the cold rolling of aluminum increased when starvation occurred in the oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion used as the rolling fluid. They reported that the starvation occurrence was dependent on the emulsion concentration and the size of the oil droplets, but the thickness of a starved lubricant film was independent of the rolling speed. However, from their experimental results, the cause of the increase of the rolling force and the quantitative inlet oil film thickness at the entrance between the roll and the workpiece for the O/W emulsions cannot be understood. In this study, the aluminum rolling experiments using O/W emulsions with different concentrations were carried out in order to reproduce the increase of the rolling force. Experiments were carried out using a laboratory mill with two high rolls. The workpiece material was an aluminum A1050-H. Commercial rolling oil was used as base oil for the aluminum emulsion. The rolling force was measured during the rolling and the appearance of the workpiece after rolling was taken. Moreover, the effect of the surface roughness of the rolls on the increase of the rolling force was investigated. The increase of the rolling force was reproduced in the aluminum rolling with the O/W emulsion using the laboratory rolling mill. It was observed that the increase of the rolling force occurred after the oil starvation, and it depended on the oil starvation, the oil film thickness, the surface roughness of the roll, the rolling speed, and the reduction in thickness.     

Evaluation of Occurrence of Surface Brightness Irregularity in Cold Rolling of Stainless Steel with Emulsion

The manufacturing of stainless steel with higher brightness is improved using emulsion oil. However, in cold rolling of stainless steel with emulsion oil, it is well known that the surface brightness irregularity on the sheet surface after rolling occurs when the rolling speed is higher. It is estimated from the experimental results that the cause of the surface brightness irregularity is due to the degree of starvation in the emulsion rolling. The rolling experiments of the stainless steel with oil-in-water emulsion were carried out at various rolling speeds. The inlet oil film thickness was estimated using the evaluating system. In cold sheet rolling of stainless steel with emulsion oil, the surface brightness irregularity occurred at a rolling speed of 0.6 m/s with emulsion concentrations of 3, 5, and 10%. The experimental results showed that the surface brightness irregularity at cold coil rolling with emulsion of stainless steel occurred under a degree of starvation value of 0.16.     

Study on the oxidation of stainless steels 304 and 304L in humid air and the friction during hot rolling

In rolling process, the contact friction is of crucial importance for accurate modeling, optimum design and control of industrial rolling processes. It is important to characterize the features of the oxide scale of stainless steel in hot strip rolling because the scale on the strip surface affects friction coefficient and thermal conductivity coefficient. To some extent, the rolling force and friction condition depend on the thickness and the microstructure of the oxide scale. Oxidation tests of stainless steels 304 and 304L were carried out in a high temperature electric resistance furnace. The humid air in which the water vapour content can be controlled was generated and remained to flow into the chamber of the furnace in 2.5 × 10⁻⁴ m³/s to study the effect of humidity on the oxidation of stainless steels. The microstructure and thickness of oxide scale layer of stainless steels were obtained and two or three oxide layers can be found. The humid air has a significant effect on the growth of oxide scale. Hot rolling tests were carried out on Hille 100 rolling mill. The friction condition at the roll–strip interface during hot rolling of stainless steel was determined and the transfer of surface roughness was discussed.     

Effective viscosity of oils containing VI improver and its relation to wear

The effective viscosity of oils containing polymethacrylate and olefin copolymer additives has been determined using the electrical resistance technique in a rolling, four-ball machine. The effective viscosity is affected mainly by type, concentration and molecular weight of the polymer additive. The experimental results indicate that the thickening effect, following addition of a polymer, is decreased significantly in terms of film thickness, after frictional contact. The results of sliding wear tests correlate well with calculations of effective viscosity indicating that only the viscosity at high shear rates (> 10⁶s⁻¹) is responsible for the wear preventing property of these additives. No antiwear properties, in terms of boundary lubrication, are observed     

Inverse approach for estimating rheological characteristics of adsorption layer in thin film EHL contacts

A modified Reynolds equation is derived for thin film elastohydrodynamic lubrication (TFEHL) by means of the viscous adsorption theory. This TFEHL theory can be used to explain the deviation between the measured film thickness and that predicted from the convenient elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) theory under very thin film conditions. Results show that the thinner the film, the greater the ratio of the adsorption layer to the total film thickness becomes, and the greater the value of the pressure–viscosity index (z′). An inverse approach is proposed to estimate the pressure distribution based upon the film thickness measurement and to determine the pressure–viscosity index of oil film, and the thickness (δ) and the viscosity ratio (η^*) of the adsorption layer in TFEHL circular contacts. Based on TFEHL theory, the inverse approach can reduce z′ error, and provides a reasonably smooth curve of pressure profile by implementing the measurement error in the film thickness. This algorithm not only estimates the pressure, but also calibrates the film shape. Consequently, it predicts z′, η^*, and δ with very good accuracy. It can also be used to evaluate the lubrication performance from a film thickness map obtained from an optical EHL tester. Results show that the estimated value of z′ is in very good agreement with the experimental data.     

Multilevel solution for thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication of rolling/sliding circular contacts

A fast multigrid approach is presented for the analysis of thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) under rolling/sliding circular contacts at high loads and high slip ratios with low computing time on a personal computer. This fast solver combines directiteration, multigrid, Newton-Raphson, Gauss-Seidel iteration, and multilevel multi-integration methods into one working environment that can reduce the computational complexity from O(n³ to O(nlnn) for the thermal EHL problem under rolling/sliding circular contacts. Since the couped Reynolds and energy equations are simultaneously solved by the Newton-Raphson scheme, the iteration for the convergence solution is less than those of the classical approach. Results show that thermal effects on the pressure profile and film thickness are significant for a wide range of loads, speeds and slip ratios. The maximum midfilm and surface temperature rise in the Hertzian contact region increases with increasing slip ratio, dimensionless speed, and load. The minimum film thickness decreases with increasing load and slip ratio, and decreasing dimensionless speed.     

Non-newtonian thermal analysis of an EHD contact lubricated with MIL-L-23699 oil

A thermal and non-Newtonian fluid model under elastohydrodynamic lubrication conditions is proposed, integrating some particularities, such as the separation between hydrodynamic and dissipative phenomena inside the contact. The concept of apparent viscosity is used to introduce the non-Newtonian behaviour of the lubricant and the thermal behaviour of the contact into the Reynolds equation, acting as a link element between the hydrodynamic and dissipative components of the EHD film, independently of the rheological and thermal models considered. The apparent viscosity enables the application of the rheological model better adapted to each lubricant, without appealing to special formulations of the EHD problem.The Newton–Raphson technique is used to obtain the lubricant film geometry and the pressure distribution inside the EHD contact. The shear stresses developed in the fluid film are evaluated assuming the non-linear Maxwell rheological model. The surfaces and lubricant temperature distributions are determined using the simplified Houpert's method, applied to the inlet contact zone, and the thermal method proposed by Tevaarwerk is applied in the high pressure contact zone.The non-Newtonian thermal EHD model is applied to the analysis of a contact lubricated with MIL-L-23699 oil. Significant results are obtained for the centre and minimum film thickness, for the inlet shear heating and film thickness reduction factor (φ_T), for the temperature rise of the lubricant and of the surfaces and for the friction coefficient inside the contact, considering wide ranges of the operating conditions (maximum Hertzian pressure, inlet oil temperature, rolling speed and slide-to-roll ratio).Finally, the numerical traction curves determined are compared with the corresponding experimental results, showing very good correlation.     

High-Speed Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication by a Dilute Oil-in-Water Emulsion

When a concentrated contact is lubricated at low speed by an oil-in-water emulsion, a film of pure oil typically separates the surfaces (stage 1). At higher speeds, starvation occurs (stage 2) and the film is thinner than would be expected if lubricated by neat oil. However, at the very highest speeds, film thickness increases again (stage 3), though little is known for certain about either the film composition or the mechanism of lubrication, despite some theoretical speculation.

In this article, we report the film thickness in a ball-on-flat contact, lubricated by an oil-in-water emulsion, at speeds of up to 20 m/s, measured using a new high-speed test rig. We also investigated the sliding traction and the phase composition of the film, using fluorescent and infrared microscopy techniques.

Results show that, as the speed is increased, starvation is followed by a progressive change in film composition, from pure oil to mostly water. At the highest speeds, a film builds up that has a phase composition similar to the bulk emulsion. This tends to support the “microemulsion” view rather than the “dynamic concentration” theory.     

Simulating angular ball bearing lubricated elliptical contacts Film thickness and traction measurements

A high performance barrel and plate apparatus was built to study film formation and traction by simulating the real situation of a lubricated elliptical contact in an angular ball bearing under general kinematic conditions. Simultaneous measurements of load, speed of each surface, traction, and film thickness by optical interferometry can be performed. The sapphire disc plate and the steel barrel are driven independently at constant controlled speeds. Small relative sliding, lateral sliding and spinning near pure rolling conditions can be imposed by controlling barrel shaft angle contact location. Tests were performed at ambient temperature for a small barrel whose principal radii are 1.34 mm and 9.7 mm, for applied loads which generate Hertzian pressures up to 2 × 10⁹ N/m², and for a low viscosity mineral oil. Typical experimental results show that under elasto-hydrodynamic conditions, the centre film thickness is slightly below the values calculated from classical elastohydrodynamic theories and that oil starvation occurs at high speeds. Traction curves versus slide/roll ratio are presented for different loads and under spinning and lateral sliding conditions.