Electrical field strength in rough infinite line contact elastohydrodynamic conjunctions

Rolling element bearings are required to operate in a variety of use cases that determine voltage potentials will form between the rolling elements and races. When the electrical field strength causes the dielectric breakdown of the intermediary lubricant film electrical discharge can damage the bearing surfaces. To reduce the prevalence and severity of electrical discharge machining an improved understanding of the coupled electrical and mechanical behavior is necessary. This paper aims to improve understanding of the problem through a combined elastohydrodynamic and electrostatic numerical study of charged elastohydrodynamic conjunctions. The results show the effect of amplitude reduction means that for typical surface topographies found in EHL conjunctions the maximum field strength is adequately predicted by the elastohydrodynamic minimum film thickness and potential difference. The paper also indicates the width of the elevated electrical field strength region is dependent on EHL parameters which could have important implications on the magnitude of current density during dielectric breakdown.