Investigation on Friction Heat Generation Rate of Ball Bearing at Ultra-high Rotation Speed

Abstract

Abstract Position and velocity vectors between ball-rings, ball-cage and cage-ring in space were considered to promote the friction heat generation rate model of ball bearing. The position vector relation of each part of the bearing in space was analyzed to judge the bearing in contact or not. Hertz contact theory and Coulomb friction law was used to solve the normal and friction forces at the contact points, respectively. The velocity vector relation of each part in space was analyzed, and the relative sliding velocity between two contact parts was obtained. Friction heat generation rate of bearings was calculated using the product of friction force and relative velocity. The influence of the parameters on bearing heat generation rate, such as bearing speed, axial load, radial load, and the groove curvature radius coefficient of bearing inner and outer rings, were all investigated. The theoretical calculation and experimental results indicate that bearing friction heat generation rate is associated with the bearing rotation speed and bearing thrust load at ultra-high rotation speed, whereas radial load has small impact on the bearing friction heat generation rate, meanwhile, suitable inner-outer groove curvature radius coefficient can significantly reduce the bearing friction heat generation rate.