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How To Prevent Spherical Roller Bearings From Overheating
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Spherical roller bearings are important components used in a wide variety of industrial applications, but in some cases the problem of bearing heat may occur during use. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the causes of heat generation in spherical roller bearings to help engineers and maintenance personnel better understand and solve this common issue
Underlying Causes Of Fever
1. Inadequate lubrication
Unsuitable Lubricant Selection
The use of an unsuitable lubricant may not provide adequate lubricating properties, resulting in increased friction.Solution:
Select a high quality lubricant suitable for the specific operating conditions.
Ensure that the correct type and grade of lubricant is used according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Premature Lubricant Failure
Premature lubricant failure due to high temperatures, high speeds, or extreme conditions that prevent long-lasting lubrication.Solution:
Select a specialized lubricant with high temperature and high speed properties.
Establish a program for periodic lubricant inspection and replacement to ensure timely renewal.
Insufficient amount of lubricant
Insufficient amount of lubricant leads to increased friction and ineffective dissipation of frictional heat during bearing operation.Solution:
Ensure that sufficient lubricant is added according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Use an automatic lubrication system to ensure that the bearings are always properly lubricated.
2.Bearing damage or wear
Improper mounting and adjustment
Improper bearing mounting and adjustment can lead to bearing damage or wear.Overly tight or loose bearing mounts, or improperly sized and toleranced housings, can cause uneven load distribution and result in damage.
Insufficient lubrication or contamination
Inadequate lubrication or contaminants in the lubricant can lead to increased friction, which can cause bearing damage.Irregular lubrication maintenance, the use of substandard lubricants or contaminants in the working environment can cause this problem.
Overloaded operation
Subjecting bearings to operating conditions that exceed their rated loads can lead to excessive bearing wear.Factors such as improper equipment design, operating loads that exceed the bearing’s capacity, and uneven loads can lead to overloaded operation.
Exhaustion of service life
Prolonged operation or excessive workloads may cause the bearings to wear out to the point where they can no longer function properly.Long operating cycles, high loads, or irregular maintenance can lead to premature exhaustion of the bearing’s service life.
3. Bearing too tight or too loose
- Methods of determining over-tightening of bearings:
1. hand feeling method: feel the rotation resistance of the bearing with your hand, if you feel abnormal tension or obvious resistance, it may be installed too tight.
2. listen to the sound method: tap the outer ring of the bearing, if you hear a crisp sound, may indicate that the bearing is too tight. Under normal circumstances, you should hear a thick sound.
3. Measurement of temperature: After running for a period of time, measure the bearing temperature with an infrared thermometer. Excessive temperature may be an indication of over tightness.
- Methods of determining if a bearing is too loose:
1. Whether there is clearance in the bearing: push and pull by hand on the axial side of the bearing, if you feel obvious clearance, it may indicate that the bearing is too loose.
2. Whether there is noise when rotating: rotate the bearing, if you hear obvious noise, it may be a sign that the bearing is too loose.
3. Use the bearing tightening torque table : Using a professional bearing tightening torque gauge, perform a tightening torque test according to the specifications provided by the manufacturer. If it is below specification, it may indicate that the bearing is too loose.
4. Excessive operating speed
Bearing adjustment for excessive running speed:
- Selecting the appropriate bearing type and size
According to the actual operating requirements of the equipment, select the appropriate bearing type and specification to ensure that its rated operating speed meets the actual application. - Lubrication optimization
Use high-performance lubricants and select appropriate lubrication methods, such as oil-air lubrication systems, to ensure that adequate lubrication is provided under high-speed operation. - Temperature control
Install temperature sensors to monitor the bearing temperature in real time.
According to the monitoring results, take measures, such as increasing the radiator, improving ventilation, etc., to control the temperature of the bearings within a reasonable range. - Dynamic balancing
Perform dynamic balancing on rotating parts to minimize vibration and reduce the extra load on bearings, which helps to improve the stability of high-speed operation.
5. High ambient temperatures
Over-temperature bearing adjustment:
- Lubricant selection and management
Use high-temperature lubricants to ensure that the lubricant remains stable in high-temperature environments.
Replace the lubricant regularly to prevent aging and contamination. - Bearing external heat dissipation
Add heat sinks to dissipate heat from the bearing exterior more effectively.
Optimize the ventilation system of the equipment to improve air circulation. - Bearing inner and outer ring material selection
Select bearing inner and outer ring materials suitable for high temperature environment, such as using high temperature alloy steel or ceramic materials. - Regular inspection of bearing condition
Regularly use vibration and temperature monitoring equipment to check the status of bearings, find abnormalities in time and take corresponding maintenance measures. - Reduce the load
Consider reducing the load on the equipment to reduce the load on the shaft and slow down the temperature rise.
6.Inappropriate load distribution
Improperly regulated load distribution
- Equipment design optimization
Redesign the equipment to ensure that the load is evenly distributed across the bearings.
Adopt proper bearing housing design to avoid uneven load transfer due to structural problems. - Bearing selection and mounting
Select bearings of appropriate specifications and types to ensure that they can withstand actual load requirements.
Use professional tools to install the bearings correctly to avoid uneven loads caused by improper installation. - Use of compensation devices
Add compensating devices, such as axial or radial adjusting devices, to the system to adjust the load distribution.
For variable load conditions, use an adaptive compensation system to dynamically adjust according to actual working conditions. - Monitoring and adjusting equipment operating parameters
Use vibration and temperature monitoring equipment to monitor the operating condition of the equipment on a regular basis.
According to the monitoring results, adjust the operating parameters of the equipment to ensure that the load is evenly distributed on the bearings.
- Periodic maintenance and calibration
Establish a regular maintenance program that includes inspection and adjustment of the load transfer system.
Use specialized tools and equipment to calibrate equipment to ensure balanced load distribution. - Training of operators
Train equipment operators on the effects of load distribution on bearings.
Emphasize proper operation and maintenance procedures to reduce uneven loads caused by improper operation. - Improve communication and cooperation
Enhance communication between equipment manufacturers, maintenance personnel and operators to address load distribution issues.
Establish a teamwork mechanism to respond and deal with load distribution anomalies in a timely manner.
Conclusion
Among the key elements to ensure smooth Spherical roller bearing operation, maintaining proper load distribution is essential. Improper load distribution can be effectively regulated through optimization of equipment design, careful selection and mounting of bearings, use of compensating devices, monitoring and adjustment of equipment operating parameters, regular maintenance and calibration, training of operators, and enhanced communication and cooperation. Together, these integrated approaches work to ensure that bearings receive uniform load distribution at high speeds, in high-temperature environments, and under varying operating conditions, thereby improving bearing stability, life, and safeguarding equipment reliability and performance. Through these integrated measures, the challenges associated with bearings in industrial applications can be better addressed to achieve efficient and reliable equipment operation.
