CFD Methodology Development to Predict Lubrication Effectiveness in Electromechanical Actuators

2024-26-0466

06/01/2024

Features
Event
AeroCON 2024
Authors Abstract
Content
Electromechanical actuators (EMAs) play a crucial role in aircraft electrification, offering advantages in terms of aircraft-level weight, rigging and reliability compared to hydraulic actuators. For various functions within the actuator such as prevention of backdriving, torque limiting, damping, braking, etc., skewed roller devices are typically employed to provide braking torque. These technology components are continuing to be improved with analysis driven design innovations e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,393,568. The device has the rollers skewed around their own transverse axis that allow for a combination of rolling and sliding against the stator surfaces. This friction provides the necessary braking torque. By controlling the friction radius and analyzing the Hertzian contact stresses, the device can be sized for the desired duty cycle. While operating, the rollers require sufficient lubrication to ensure local temperatures do not exceed limits of the components or the lubricant itself. This was analyzed by multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to predict fluid characteristics around the skewed rollers and conjugate heat transfer modeling to identify component overheating. Elasto-Hydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) theory was used to estimate the lubrication thickness around the rollers. The analysis revealed the formation of vapor due to the high rotational speed of the rollers with respect to the stator discs, resulting in direct metal-to-metal contact. Consequent testing of the device in a Tribological Testing Machine confirmed the findings with wear patterns on the stator consistent with loss of lubrication. In addition, the temperature data aligned within 2°C of predicted CFD results at key locations on the device. Given the high fidelity of the analysis methodology, future steps include assessing new design iterations against intended performance parameters.
Meta TagsDetails
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4271/2024-26-0466
Pages
9
Citation
Bhardwaj, D., Kumar, A., and George, J., "CFD Methodology Development to Predict Lubrication Effectiveness in Electromechanical Actuators," SAE Technical Paper 2024-26-0466, 2024, https://doi.org/10.4271/2024-26-0466.
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
Jun 01
Product Code
2024-26-0466
Content Type
Technical Paper
Language
English