A Lattice - Based Cellular Automata Modeling Approach for Granular Flow Lubrication

Liquid lubricants break down at extreme temperatures and promote stiction in micro-/ nanoscale environments. Consequently, using flows of solid granular particles as a “dry” lubrication mechanism in sliding contacts was proposed because of their ability to carry loads and accommodate surface velocities. Granular flows are highly complex flows that in many ways act similar to fluids, yet are difficult to predict because they are not well understood. Granular flows are composed of discrete particles that display liquid and solid lubricant behavior with time. This work describes the usefulness of employing lattice-based cellular automata (CA), a deterministic rule-based mathematics approach, as a tool for modeling granular flows in tribological contacts. In the past work, granular flows have been modeled using the granular kinetic lubrication (GKL) continuum modeling approach. While the CA modeling approach is constructed entirely from rules, results are in good agreement with results from the GKL model benchmark results. Velocity results of the CA model capture the well-known slip behavior of granular flows near boundaries. Solid fraction results capture the well-known granular flow characteristic of a highly concentrated center region. CA results for slip versus roughness also agree with GKL theory. DOI: 10.1115/1.2164466