THE IMPACT OF

CONTAMINATION ON ROLLING
ELEMENT BEARING LIFE

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 What Causes Machines to Fail?

70% of loss of machine

life is due
to loss of surface
material

Ref: MIT, E. Rabinowicz Loss of Usefulness

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 What Causes Surface Degradation?
Surface Degradation

Ref: MIT, E. Rabinowicz

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Slide 0035
 What Causes Machines to Wear?

*
82% of mechanical
wear is caused by
particle contamination

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* Most common lubrication related failure modes for rolling
element bearings

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Ref: NRCC, STLE

Slide 0040
Contact Fatigue

Where it occurs: Particle-induced fatigue pitting can occur anytime clearance sized
particle exist between surfaces in rolling contact (EHD films).

How to stop it: Particle-induced fatigue wear can be reduced or eliminated by

removing clearance-sized particles from the oil or increasing the oil’s film thickness
beyond the size of the particles.

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Three-body Abrasion
Plastic Flow Cutting

Where it occurs: Three-body abrasion occurs any time clearance-sized particles are
present in the oil between two surfaces in sliding contact.

How to stop it: Three body abrasion can be reduced or eliminated by removing
clearance-sized particles from the oil or increasing the oil’s film thickness beyond the
size of the particles.

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 What Causes Bearings to Fail?

• Specific to rolling element

bearings, it has be estimated
that over 50% of bearing
failure are induced by
contamination

• According to SKF “bearings

can theoretically have an
infinite life, provided particles
the same size as the lubricant
film are removed”

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 How Big is a Micron? How Big is the Oil Film?

In most rolling
element bearings the
dynamic clearance
between the rollers
and raceways under
load/speed is the
same size as pollen,
soot or red blood cells

Dynamic clearance = 0.1-10 microns

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 Oil and Water do Mix

States of Coexistence Factors that affect demulsibility

Dissolved Water ➢Viscosity ➢Oil type
➢Contaminants ➢Oxidation
Can effect oil life by increasing oxidation rates ➢Loss of additives ➢Temperature
and degrading additives.

Emulsified Water

Causes machine wear via corrosion, cavitation

and loss of film strength. Shortens oil life by
increasing oxidation, additive degradation and
water washing.

Free Water

Serves to indicate that the oil has reached

saturation for dissolved and emulsified water
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 Effects of Contamination on Bearing Life

Damage Caused by Direct Machine Damage to Indirect Damage

Contaminant Type Wear Lubricant
• Abrasion • Oxidation • Varnish / Deposits
• Fatigue • Particle Scrubbing • Corrosive attack
Particle • Viscosity Increase • Increased aeration
Contamination

• Corrosion (rust, • Oxidation • Varnish / Deposits

fretting corrosion • Hydrolysis • Corrosive attack
Moisture etc.) • Water Washing • Increase Aeration
Contamination • Cavitation erosion • Viscosity Increase • Exacerbates all wear
(journal bearings) mechanisms due to
loss of film strength

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 Effects of Particle Contamination on Bearing Life

3x Life
Extension!

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 Effects of Water Contamination on Bearing Life

Oil appears
“hazy”

Oil appears clear

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 Beware of Cycling Temperatures

Typical saturation curve for ISO VG 68 AW

Fluid • When a machine shuts down
and the oil cools, the relative
450 humidity within the oil rapidly
100% saturation
400 increase until the oil hits the
Water content/ppm

350 dew point, resulting in free

300
and emulsified water
65% saturation
250
50% saturation
200
150
30% saturation
100
50
0
0 50 100 150
Oil Temperature/ F
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Sources of Moisture & Particle Ingression

breather/vent during
normal aspiration
Through the dipstick
port or other open vent

Through the shaft seal

due to wash down or
normal ambient
humidity

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Headspace Management – the Key to Contamination Control

"At a constant temperature, the amount of a

given gas that dissolves in a given type and
volume of liquid is directly proportional to the
partial pressure of that gas in equilibrium with
that liquid.“

Henry’s Law 1803

Strategies for headspace management

➢Desiccant breathers
➢Hybrid breather
➢Nitrogen purge
➢Conditioned air purge
➢Expansion chambers

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OEM Vent Port vs Desiccant Breathers

Upgrading basic vents or OEM fill ports to desiccant breathers helps

control contamination
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Controlling Headspace Cleanliness and Humidity

inhale exhale

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Desiccant Breathers Help to Maintain a Low Headspace Humidity

rH % DC-3 Test 1

100
90
80
70
Relative Humidity

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000

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 Additional Strategies for Controlling Contaminants

• Top off oil • Check oil level • Take oil sample

• Drain/fill oil • Kidney loop oil

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 Summary

• Over than 50% of bearing failures are due to water

or particle ingression

• Particles the same size as a red blood cell (3 microns)

can reduce bearing life by as much as 66%

• The best way to control oil cleanliness and dryness is

to control the headspace cleanliness and humidity

• All lubrication tasks including oil changes and top-

offs, sampling, levels etc. should be done without
exposing the oil to the ambient environment

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 THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PARTICIPATION

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