TRIBOLOGY FALL 2023

LECTURE 5
LUBRICATION PART

Lubrication of
Rolling Element
Bearings
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OUTLINE

• Revision on Rolling Element Bearing Basics

• Causes of friction loses in bearings
• Effective Means of Lubrication
✓ Greases
✓ Oil lubrication
✓ Solid Lubrication

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Basics of Rolling Element Bearings (Revision)

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Basics of Rolling Element Bearings (Revision)

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Basics of Rolling Element Bearings (Revision)

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Basics of Rolling Element Bearings (Revision)

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Causes Of Friction Losses In Rolling Element Bearings

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Causes Of Friction Losses In Rolling Element Bearings

• Sliding friction in the contacts between rolling elements

and races (differential slip or slip due to ball spinning)
• Sliding friction between cages and rolling elements.
• Shearing of oil films between bearing parts.
• Oil churning losses caused by excess lubricant within the
bearing.
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Function Of Lubricant In Rolling Bearings
• Provides separating films between bearing parts. (elasto-
hydrodynamic lubrication between races & rolling elements)

• Serves as a coolant (by circulating to an external heat

exchanger or by contact with housing)
• Flush out wear particles and carry it to a filter.
• Provides corrosion protection.

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 Kinds of Lubricants
for Rolling Contact Bearings

90% by greases

9,5% by oils 0,5% by solid lubricants only

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HOW TO SELECT BETWEEN GREASE OR OIL V.I

The main reasons to select GREASE :

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Process for selecting
a suitable lubricant
(grease or oil) for
bearings

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 Effective Means Of Lubrication
Greases
• Grease lubricated bearings must reject heat by conduction and convection.
• Max (d*N=0.25 0.4 million) d in mm N in rpm

Most common greases in bearings:

NLGI #2 & NLGI #3
Recommendations:
• Start with #2, if high bleeding exists or contaminants flow to bearing
interiors replace with a higher grease number.
• For better sealing #3 or #4
• For centralized systems use #1 to reduce pumping efforts.
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 Grease Quantity for
Rolling Contact Bearings

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 Effective Means Of Lubrication

Greases
Relubrication
Intervals

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Effective Means Of Lubrication
V.I
Greases Relubrication Intervals

t’=t*a
t’: grease interval time corrected for temperature
t: grease interval time for size & speed only
a: temperature correction factor.

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Effective Means Of Lubrication
Oil lubrication

Non-circulating Circulating Liquid

Liquid lubrication lubrication systems
systems
The choice of oil lubrication method depends mainly on :
1- The bearing Speed & Size
2- The need to remove heat
3- The need to remove contaminants (solid particles or liquid)
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Effective Means Of Lubrication
Oil lubrication

Non-circulating Liquid lubrication systems

Splash & bath Oil-ring Oil-air mist

Oil-collar
d*N=1 million
d*N=0.5 million

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Oil lubrication Splash – oil bath system

Important notes:

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Oil lubrication Splash – oil bath system

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Oil-Air Lubrication

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Circulating Oil by
External Pump
• This type of lubrication systems is
mainly used when it is needed to
remove heat generated by the
bearing and other sources.

• A good lubrication method for

evacuating solid or liquid
contaminants.

• The design of the drainage must

ensure that there is no build-up of
oil level.

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Oil lubrication
Jet Lubrication
Extension of circulating oil systems

Applications
high speeds
high heat rejection requirements.

Centrifugal forces aid in moving the oil

through the bearing to cool and
lubricate bearing elements.

d*N < 2.4 million Oil jet speed > 15 m/s 23

Jet Lubrication

Oil jet is directed at the radial gap between the cage and
the races to achieve maximum oil penetration into the
bearing interiors. 24
Jet Lubrication Based on speed & size only

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Required oil supply in forced OIL CIRCULATION and OIL JET Lubrication

V.I

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Oil lubrication
underrace Lubrication
Applications
• Too high speeds
• centrifugal forces result in
throwing oil off the bearing

d*N=3 million

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 Effective Means Of Lubrication
polymers
SOLID Lubrication Carbon graphite
Molybdenum sulfide
Usually Where other oil or greases are not suitable
in applications such as :
Extreme temperatures or limited space
Ex:
using of films of PTFE in Cryogenic applications where
the bearing is lubricated by the cryogenic liquid itself
Note: for long life this type of lubrication is limited for low speed
applications 28
SOLID Lubrication

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THANKS FOR ATTENTION

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