FILM THICKNESS IN A GREASE LUBRICATED BALL BEARING CATEGORY: GREASE

摘要

This work presents an experimental study of the grease film thickness inside an axially loaded rolling bearing. The film thickness shows a dynamic behavior: a thick film after starting up, followed by a rapid decreasing film thickness due to starvation and an increasing temperature. For shear-sensitive greases (polyurea, lithium, lithium complex thickened greases), a predominant film thickness recovery takes place, indicating that grease shear degradation may be positive from a starvation point of view. Mechanical stable greases (calcium sulphonate complex thickened greases) provide a relatively constant film thickness dominated by starvation throughout the running time.