Abstract: With the consideration of the elastic deformation of the two surfaces under contact and the piezo-viscous effect of lubricants, the lubrication model for tapered roller bearings is established, and the elastohydrodynamic(EHD) lubrication processes are fully numerically analyzed and obtain the film shape and the pressure distribution, and Mises stress field in subsurface layer. The EHD features of logarithmic tapered roller are studied. The results seem that high hydrodynamic pressure exists at the two end zones of the roller and the hydrodynamic pressure at the large end is higher than that of the small end, and stress concentration occurs inside the subsurface at the roller ends; however, the rollers with logarithmic profile do not have high pressure and stress concentration phenomenon at the ends. The zones of minimum film thickness appear at the two ends, and a thinner film at the small end. For logarithmic tapered roller compared with straight profile tapered roller, the minimum film thickness is thicker, and the central film thickness is thinner, the EHD lubrication of such tapered rollers is generally better than that of straight profile.

Key words: Elastic piezo-viscous regime, Film thickness, Mises stress field, Pressure distribution, Tapered roller