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Friction and Wear of Rolling-Element Bearings

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A special issue of Lubricants (ISSN 2075-4442).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 15303

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jing Wang

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Guest Editor

College of Mechanical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
Interests: lubrication fundamentals; numerical algorithm; grease lubrication; thermal EHL; transient EHL; impact wear; fretting; surface texture

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the rapid development of modern industry, as the key components, rolling elements bearings play a more and more important role in high-end rotating machinery. Extreme working conditions, such as high speed, heavy load, high temperature, low temperature, vibration, etc., cause more and more severe lubrication, friction, and wear problems. Frictional heat reduces the film thickness and under severe cases, direction surface contact takes place and in the worst cases, surface damage is generated. Aiming at a sustainable development and carbon neutral target, it is essential to develop lubrication technology of high efficiency, to reduce friction and wear, in order to prolong the life of the rolling element bearings and improve the precision of the rotating machine. The tribological process in rolling element bearings is extremely complex due to its interdisciplinary nature and multiscale character. The aim of the present Special Issue is to focus on strategies to regulate the tribological characteristics of interactive surfaces applicable to contacts in bearings. This Special Issue also plans to focus on the wide spectrum of rolling element bearing problems, such as lubricants and lubrication, surface engineering, optical EHL experiments, thermal EHL, dynamics, tribo-corrosion and tribo-chemistry, wear of all forms, fatigue, reliability, superfinish, material science, etc. We would like to invite contributions from various fields as follows:

Basic friction and wear;
Lubricants and lubrication;
Contact mechanics and adhesion;
Surface engineering and coating;
Material analysis and examination;
Tribo-chemistry and tribo-corrosion;
Green tribology and sustainability;
Micro and nano tribology;
Manufacturing technology;
Dynamic and vibration engineering;
Wind power bearings;
Cageless bearings;
Ball screws;
Aerodynamic bearing;
Superfinish of rolling element bearings.

Prof. Dr. Jing Wang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

EHL
friction heat
grease lubrication
contact mechanics
impact wear
abrasive wear
fatigue
superfinish
surfache texture
surface coating
tribo-chemistry and tribo-corrosion
optical EHL experiments
vibration and acoustic problems

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 4984 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Enhancement of Oil Delivery and Bearing Performance via a Guiding-Structured Nozzle under Oil–Air Lubrication

by Xintian Zi, Kai Chen, Qinghua Bai, Xinming Li, Xuyang Jin, Xu Wang and Feng Guo

Lubricants 2024, 12(2), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants12020060 - 16 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1133

Abstract

The oil–air lubrication method is specifically employed for high or ultra-high-speed spindle rolling bearings. Under high-speed conditions, the air curtain formed inside the bearing cavity obstructs oil delivery, thereby limiting further increases in spindle rotation speed. To enhance oil delivery capability, a guiding-structured nozzle has been developed to concentrate the jet flow and improve penetration through the air curtain. Tests were conducted on an oil–air lubricated bearing test bench to investigate the impact of nozzle structures and oil types on torque and temperature rise. The results demonstrate that compared to conventional nozzles, the guiding-structured nozzle requires smaller optimal amounts of oil supply, indicating its superior ability to deliver oil. Further examination of oil jet patterns and droplet distributions confirms that the guiding-structured nozzle provides a more concentrated jet flow with uniform distribution and smaller droplet sizes in diameter. These characteristics contribute to highly efficient oil delivery. Additionally, synthetic oils reduce droplet size, torque, and temperature rise in mixed lubrication regimes due to their formation of an anti-friction absorption layer on rubbing surfaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Friction and Wear of Rolling-Element Bearings)

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17 pages, 5770 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Grease Viscosity on Channeling Properties of Ball Bearings

by Tomohiko Obata, Hiroki Fujiwara, Fumihiro Itoigawa and Satoru Maegawa

Lubricants 2024, 12(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants12010013 - 4 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1759

Abstract

Grease-lubricated rolling bearings transition from the churning phase to the channeling phase. This transition property affects grease life and torque properties. Therefore, the relationship between grease yield stress and grease degradation during operation, which affects this transition, has been investigated. However, there have been few studies on grease flow that affects the transition. In this study, the mechanism of grease reduction on the races was investigated for small bearings operated at low speeds, where thermal degradation and softening of the grease are less likely to occur. It was inferred that the grease transfer to the cage affects the channeling transition and that the amount of transfer varies depending on the initial grease viscosity. These findings can be applied to grease composition and cage design and are useful in providing bearings with excellent low-torque characteristics, such as in industrial motor applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Friction and Wear of Rolling-Element Bearings)

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20 pages, 10917 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Erucamide and N-phenyl-α-naphthylamine on the Friction and Torque Behaviors of Grease on Roller Bearings

by Qingchun Liu, Yimin Mo, Juncheng Lv and Hong Zhang

Lubricants 2023, 11(12), 531; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants11120531 - 14 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1475

Abstract

To evaluate the impact of various proportions of erucamide and N-phenyl-α-naphthylamine on grease’s tribological performance for roller bearings, lithium complex grease (LCG) and polyurea grease (PG) were prepared with erucamide and N-phenyl-α-naphthylamine proportions of (0,0), (0,3), (1,2), (2,1), and (3,0). An investigation was conducted into the microscopic structures of the ten greases and their effects on the friction coefficients and wear scars of GCr15 steel. These findings were validated through bearing friction torque tests. The results indicate that the addition of 2 wt. % erucamide and 1 wt. % N-phenyl-α-naphthylamine to PG/LCG significantly enhances their tribological properties and reduces friction torque, with PG exhibiting superior performance. This enhancement was attributed to the synergistic interaction of erucamide and N-phenyl-α-naphthylamine with the lamellar thickener within PG. Erucamide contributed to friction reduction, while N acted as an antioxidant. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Friction and Wear of Rolling-Element Bearings)

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14 pages, 5339 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Oil Dispersion on Lubricating Film Thickness Generation under Oil Droplet Supply Conditions

by Chenglong Liu, Wei Li, Feng Guo, Patrick Wong and Xinming Li

Lubricants 2023, 11(12), 512; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants11120512 - 3 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1488

Abstract

Oil–air lubrication has proven to be very effective for high-speed bearings because the oil supply in the form of droplets can be precisely controlled. This work uses optical interferometry to study the mechanism of lubricating film formation in rolling point contact with oil droplet lubrication. The effect of a double oil drop pair, where two oil droplets are positioned in mirror images about the central axis of the lubricated track, is examined. The process by which pairs of oil droplets approach and lubricate a bearing contact is analysed. This study also covers the effect of multiple oil droplets supplied in a tailored or a random dispersion pattern. Additionally, the effects of oil viscosity, entrainment velocity, and droplet distribution on starvation are also investigated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Friction and Wear of Rolling-Element Bearings)

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15 pages, 6758 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Oil Supply Condition on Spinning–Sliding EHL

by Wei Li, Xiaoling Liu, Qingen Meng, Mingming Ma, Tao Long and Feng Guo

Lubricants 2023, 11(10), 451; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants11100451 - 19 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1298

Abstract

An optical interference test rig with spinning elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) was established to investigate the spinning lubrication performance under different oil-supply conditions. Variations in the shape and thickness of the film versus the velocity, the load, and the spinning factor under fully flooded lubrication were discussed, and the effects of the inlet-starvation position and oil-supply quantity were analyzed. The results show that the symmetry for the classical horseshoe shape does not exist under both spinning–rolling and spinning–sliding EHL conditions. Different from spinning–rolling, a dimple is generated more easily under the spinning–sliding condition. The dimple is related to the load and the speed. The effects of the inlet-starvation position on spinning EHL are different. When the inlet starvation is on the low-speed side of the contact, that is, proximal to the center of rotation, the inlet-starvation position extends from the proximal side to the center of rotation to the distal side to the center of rotation, i.e., the high-speed side of the contact, which is starved easily. When the starvation happens on the high-speed side, i.e., distal to the center of rotation, the starvation at this position becomes much more severe, and lubrication failure and a risk of wear will occur. In addition, the effects of oil-supply quantity on spinning EHL are important. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Friction and Wear of Rolling-Element Bearings)

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14 pages, 4044 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on the Influence of Stearic Acid Additive on the Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication of Mineral Oil 2137

by Wei Li, Feng Guo, Chenglong Liu and Zhaoqun Ma

Lubricants 2023, 11(10), 446; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants11100446 - 16 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1419

Abstract

Using an optical elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) test rig, oil film thickness and the coefficient of friction (COF) were measured, and the influence of stearic acid additive on the EHL performance of mineral oil 2137 was investigated. The results showed that 2137 with 0.3 wt% stearic acid (denoted to as 2137s) achieved the same film thickness as 2137, while the COF of 2137s was significantly lower than that of 2137 when the contact was under conditions of a fully lubricant supply. Under conditions of limited lubricant supply, 2137 base oil was prone to oil starvation with the increase of entrainment velocity. On the other hand, 2137s significantly mitigated the oil starvation. This was attributed to the fact that lower surface energy by the adsorption of stearic acid results in discontinuous oil-droplet distribution on the lubrication track and, therefore, early pressure generation. Moreover, it is interesting to find that less 2137s supply quantity can produce higher film thickness when the contact is at high speeds, which is attributed to the fact that a smaller quantity of 2137s gives smaller droplets on the lubrication track, and the resultant small surface area–volume ratio presents oil more resistance to the centrifugal force and results in less oil escaping from the lubrication track. The addition of stearic acid reduced the average COF of 2137 mineral oil by about 13.3% Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Friction and Wear of Rolling-Element Bearings)

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14 pages, 44005 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Investigation on the Effect of Velocity Anisotropy on Oil Film State under Different Surface Wettability Interface

by Zuomin Wang, Jianjun Zhang, Shijin Wang, Weihui Wang and Qinglun Che

Lubricants 2023, 11(9), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants11090381 - 7 Sep 2023

Viewed by 740

Abstract

This study focuses on the utilization of surface modification technology to create glass disks with varying surface wettability. A measurement test bench for point contact lubrication film is employed to investigate the impact of changes in the angle between the velocities of the glass disk and steel ball on the state of the lubricating oil film at the interface. The results show that altering the surface wettability reduces the adhesive strength between the interface and the adjacent lubricant, leading to a decrease in the ultimate shear stress, and inducing interface slippage. When the rotational velocity of the disk matches the translational velocity of the ball and their trajectories are inclined at specific angles, the sliding velocity increases proportionally to the inclination angle, which contributes significantly to the thermal effect. Furthermore, when the velocity varies across the interface with differences in wettability, the contact zone forms a wedge-shaped gap and causes modifications in the oil film’s shape, including the formation of an inlet dimple and an inclined straight stripe. The dominant factor influencing the interface is the slip when the angle is acute, whereas the thermal effect plays a significant role when the angle is obtuse. This work is expected to provide a new strategy for elastohydrodynamic lubrication under surface wettability interfaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Friction and Wear of Rolling-Element Bearings)

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22 pages, 3316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predicting Friction of Tapered Roller Bearings with Detailed Multi-Body Simulation Models

by Patrick Wingertszahn, Oliver Koch, Lorenzo Maccioni, Franco Concli and Bernd Sauer

Lubricants 2023, 11(9), 369; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants11090369 - 1 Sep 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1678

Abstract

In the presented work, a parametric multibody simulation model is presented that is capable of predicting the friction torque and kinematics of tapered roller bearings. For a highly accurate prediction of bearing friction, consideration of solid and lubricant friction is mandatory. For tapered roller bearings in particular, the friction in the contact between the rolling element and raceway is of importance. Friction forces in the contact between the rolling element end face and inner ring rib as well as roller cage pocket contacts are also considered in the model. A large number of tests were carried out to validate the model in terms of the simulated frictional torque. Influencing variables such as speed, axial load, radial load, and temperature were investigated. The simulation results show good agreement with the measured friction torque, which confirms that the model is well suited to predict frictional torques and therefore the kinematics of tapered roller bearings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Friction and Wear of Rolling-Element Bearings)

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13 pages, 5898 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Rolling Contact Fatigue Failure of the Bearing Used in High-Speed Electric Multiple Units’ Axle Box Based on a Damage-Coupled Elastic–Plastic Constitutive Model

by Ling Ma, Junyi Liu, Feng Guo, Xinming Li and Xiaohan Zhang

Lubricants 2023, 11(8), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants11080330 - 4 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1047

Abstract

The axle box bearing is a crucial component of high-speed electric multiple units (EMU) and is exposed to harsh working conditions, making it susceptible to subsurface-induced rolling contact fatigue (RCF) under long-term alternating stress. The objective of this paper is to develop a damage-coupled elastic–plastic constitutive model that can accurately predict the RCF life of EMU axle box bearings made from AISI 52100 bearing steel. The total damage is divided into elastic damage related to the shear stress range and plastic damage associated with plastic deformation. Material parameters are determined based on experimental data from the literature, and validation is conducted to ensure the validity of the model. Finally, the RCF behavior of the EMU axle box bearing, including crack initiation, crack propagation, and spalling, is simulated, and reasonable results are obtained. This study provides valuable insights into the RCF behavior of EMU axle box bearings and contributes to the accurate prediction of the fatigue life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Friction and Wear of Rolling-Element Bearings)

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16 pages, 18254 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Advanced Lubrication Simulations of an Entire Test Rig: Optimization of the Nozzle Orientation to Maximize the Lubrication Capability

by Franco Concli and Marco N. Mastrone

Lubricants 2023, 11(7), 300; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants11070300 - 19 Jul 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1176

Abstract

In the framework of the H2020 project IDERPLANE, aimed at providing innovative, effective, and validated criteria for the design and assessment of more reliable planet bearings for aerospace application analyzing the problem from a damage tolerance perspective, the present paper presents the numerical study and optimization of a test rig specifically designed for the experiments on the full-test article. Specifically, for the first time ever, an entire system including shafts, gears and bearings with all the rolling elements have been studied with a Finite Volume Computational Fluid Dynamics approach. This ambitious challenge was addressed with the implementation of a new mesh handling technique, namely the Global Remeshing Approach with Mesh Clustering (GRAMC). The aim was to optimize the lubrication of the test article to avoid unexpected failures during the experimental campaign. Three different oil jet directions have been studied and the most effective one, namely the axial one, was selected for the final test rig design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Friction and Wear of Rolling-Element Bearings)

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18 pages, 4536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of the Distribution of Pits on the Friction and Wear Performance of Textured Rolling Bearings under Starved Lubrication

by Yazhe Chen, Risheng Long, Zhihao Jin, Chen Zhao and Ming Wang

Lubricants 2023, 11(5), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants11050197 - 28 Apr 2023

Viewed by 996

Abstract

Most of the published documents on the friction and wear properties of textured contact surfaces with partially distributed units (e.g., dots, grooves) are focused on sliding tribo-pairs or journal bearings. To study the friction and wear performance of rolling bearings with different distributions of pits, several patterns were introduced: OS-1/4 (Outside, 1/4 of raceway), OS-1/2 (Outside, 1/2 of raceway), OS-3/4 (Outside, 3/4 of raceway), IS-1/4 (Inside, 1/4 of raceway), IS-1/2 (Inside, 1/2 of raceway), IS-3/4 (Inside, 3/4 of raceway), TS (Two sides, 2/3 of raceway), FT (fully textured) and SR (Smooth reference), with two circumferential interval angles (CFIAs, 1.5° and 2.0°). The dimensions of the pits are the same in all patterns (diameter of 300 μm and depth of 15 μm), which were only prepared on the raceways of the shaft washers of 81107 bearings (nylon cages) using the laser marking method. All bearings were tested under 4000 N, 250 RPM and starved lubrication using a vertical universal wear test rig. Their mass losses and worn raceways were measured and observed. Their surface equivalent stresses were also analyzed and compared. The obtained results show that the influence of different distributions of pits on the tribological properties of rolling bearings is significant. The friction-reducing and anti-wear performance of TS is acceptable, whether the CFIA is 1.5° or 2.0°. A fully textured pattern cannot provide the best tribological properties and its behavior even becomes worse when the CFIA is 2.0°. In this work, when the CFIA is 1.5°, the friction-reducing and anti-wear performance of OS-1/4 is the best among all patterns. Using a smooth reference as a benchmark for comparison, its friction-reducing and anti-wear performance can be enhanced by 60.46% and 16.05%, respectively. The results of this work will be an important reference for the optimal design of the “washers-cage-rollers” contact system for rolling bearings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Friction and Wear of Rolling-Element Bearings)

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