Dynamics-Based Thermal Analysis of High-Speed Angular Contact Ball Bearings with Under-Race Lubrication

Abstract

The paper mainly studied the temperature rise characteristics of under-race lubricated high-speed angular contact ball bearings under operational conditions from the perspective of dynamics. The steady-state calculation model of the bearing was established using a thermal network method in consideration of the influence factor of friction power consumption in bearing components based on a dynamic model. Following this, the steady-state change characteristics of the bearing were obtained by solving a thermal balance equation. Through this process, the influence laws of bearing rotation speed, oil supply, and environmental temperature on the friction temperature rise of the bearing were analyzed. Finally, the finite element analysis software ANSYS was employed to provide comparative verification. The results showed that the bearing temperature nonlinearly increased with the increase in inner ring rotation speed, and when it approached a certain critical value, the outer ring temperature exceeded the inner ring temperature. It had an obvious effect on controlling the temperature rise of the bearing inner ring by way of increasing the quantity and reducing the temperature of the lubricating oil supply. Comparative verification showed that the speed–temperature variation tendency from the dynamics-based thermal analysis well agrees with that of the finite element analysis.