Theoretical Investigation of Couple Stress Squeeze Films in a Curved Circular Geometry

A theoretical investigation of the laminar squeeze flow of a couple-stress fluid between a flat circular static disk and an axisymmetric curved circular moving disk has been carried out using modified lubrication theory and microcontinuum theory. The combined effects of fluid inertia forces, curvature of the disk and non-Newtonian couple stresses on the squeeze film behavior are investigated analytically. Each of these effects and their combinations show a significant enhancement in the squeeze film behavior, and these are studied through their effects on the squeeze film pressure and the load carrying capacity of the fluid film as a function of time. Two different forms of the gapwidth between the disks have been considered, and the results have been shown to be in good agreement with the existing literature.