Numerical and experimental investigations on the wear behavior of water-lubricated bearings with different materials

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to verify the effectiveness of the proposed transient mixed lubrication and wear coupling model [mixed lubrication and wear (MLW) coupling model] under water lubricated conditions by comparing with the experimental results. Design/methodology/approach Water lubricated bearings are the key parts of the transmission system of an underwater vehicle and some surface ships. In this study, the friction and wear behaviors of rubber, nylon and polyether ether ketone (PEEK) samples with stainless steel underwater lubrication were compared by using ring-block contact structure on multifunctional friction and wear test bench-5000 friction and wear tester. Findings The results show that the transient wear depth and wear amount of PEEK, nylon and rubber samples under water lubrication are in good agreement with the calculated results of the theoretical model, which verifies the rationality and scientific nature of the MLW coupling model. Thus, the numerical model is applicable for the wear prediction of the journal bearing under water-lubricated conditions. Furthermore, numerical and experimental results reveal that the anti-wear performance among three water-lubricated materials can be ranked by: PEEK > nylon > rubber. Originality/value It is expected that this study can provide more information for experimental and numerical research of water-lubricated bearings under water-lubricated conditions.