The Relation Between the Rubbing Interface Temperature Distribution and Dynamic Thermocouple Temperature

Abstract

The dynamic thermocouple formed by the moving junction of two dissimilar metals is known as the Herbert-Gottwien thermocouple. It is analyzed for the case of two semi-infinite bodies having a continuous rectangular rubbing contact area. Methods for determining the interface temperature after Chao and Trigger are presented; and the dynamic thermocouple, or Herbert-Gottwien temperature, is related to the temperature distribution. It is found that the dynamic thermocouple temperature is a weighted average of the latter and the weighting function is independent of temperature distribution and depends only on the geometry of the contact area. The weighting function assumes a higher value toward the periphery than it does in the interior of the contact area. The above ambient dynamic thermocouple temperature is found to be directly proportional to a geometry factor of the contact area and to the total heat flux across the contact area.