High speed rolling bearing cage rotation speed monitoring using optical fiber sensor

摘要

For high speed rolling bearing applications, skidding between the rolling elements and raceways is abnormal operation condition, which can cause early failure of the bearings. The cage rotation speed is an indication of the bearing operation, especially the bearing skidding. Therefore, through monitoring the cage rotation speed, the effect of bearing skidding can be investigated. In this study, an optical fiber sensor monitoring approach is presented to measure the rotation speed of the cage. To measure the cage rotation speed, the transmitter of the sensor is placed on one side of the bearing, and the sensor receiver is placed on the other side. When the rolling elements run cross the light beam, the impulses are detected by the sensor. The cage rotation speed can be analyzed by counting the passing frequency of the rolling elements. A test rig was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of the sensor system in different oil lubrication environments. Experiments on the measurement system effectiveness in oil lubrication conditions were performed. The experimental results show that the approach is effective to evaluate the cage rotation speed and monitor rolling bearing skidding.