Modelling of fluid continuum considering 3D surface parameters in hydraulic assemblies

Friction in servo hydraulic assemblies reduces the response characteristics of the system. The friction is influenced by various factors including the geometry (form and surface errors) of the sliding surfaces. In this work, functionally significant 3D surface parameters from the Birmingham parameters are investigated for reduced friction. A 3D surface modelling approach is presented using random process modelling as the basis. An exponential decay areal autocorrelation function is used to model the grinding and honing processes which are commonly employed for the manufacture of the hydraulic assemblies. Honed surface is modelled with the crosshatches of appropriate angle. Method of surface modelling is validated using the data obtained through measurements on a practical surface. Different surface maps with varying surface parameters of the ground and honed surfaces are generated. The fluid continuum gap geometries of the hydraulic assemblies are modelled using these surface maps as envelopes. Pressure distribution, velocity and viscous friction force are used as measurands of the frictional characteristics. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach, these measurands are evaluated for different functionally significant Birmingham parameters. Based on further analysis, negative skewness, lower kurtosis values, higher valley fluid retention index were found to have lower frictional characteristics. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.