On the scuffing failure of hydrodynamic bearings in the presence of an abrasive contaminant

The presence of rigid particulate contamination in hydrodynamic bearings is known to lead to considerable damage resulting in failure. This paper pres ents a model for evaluating the flash temperature between a fixed, rigid pa rticle embedded into the bearing over-layer while in contact with the slide r. Scuffing is assumed to occur if the flash temperarure exceeds a certain critical value. The model provides a convenient procedure for estimating an appropriate filter size. Examples are provided to illustrate the utility o f the model.