Oil Exchange Between Ball Bearings and Cotton-Phenolic Ball-Bearing Retainers

摘要

Experiments have been performed that determine for the first time the transfer ofoil between cotton-phenolic ball-bearing retainers and operating ball bearings. A full retainer exchanges oil with the metal parts of the bearing, probably by diffusional mixing. There is no net delivery of oil from the retainer to the metal parts of the bearing. A partially filled retainer (such as one that has been incompletely impregnated) absorbs oil from the bearing even during operation, thus drying the bearing. A fully-impregnated retainer does not deliver any significant amount of additional oil to the metal parts of a poorly lubricated bearing. The retainer will not prevent lubricant degradation and premature bearing failure under the conditions of these experiments. (MM).