Thermal Contact Resistance Between Two Flat Surfaces That Squeeze a Film of Lubricant

The fundamental features of time-dependent heat transfer between two bodies making contact across a thin film of a lubricating fluid are described. The fluid is gradually squeezed out of the contact region as the two bodies are pressed against each other. Equations are obtained which contain a dimensionless time group and a dimensionless number governing the complete fluid mechanics of the thin film. A general solution is presented for the film thickness history. 9 refs.