Experimental evaluation of 150-millimeter bore ball bearings to 3-million DN using either solid or drilled balls
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Scibbe, H. W.↗
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Superelastic Ball Bearings: Materials and Design to Avoid Mounting and Dismounting Brinell Damage in an Inaccessible Press-fit Application-: Detailed Analysis - II
Rolling element bearings utilized in precision rotating machines require proper alignment, preload, and interference fits to ensure overall optimum performance. Hence, careful attention must be given to bearing installation and disassembly procedures to ensure the above conditions are met. Usually, machines are designed in such a way that bearings can be pressed into housings or onto shafts through the races without loading the rolling elements. However, in some instances, either due to limited size or access, a bearing must be installed or removed in such a way that the load path travels through the rolling elements. This can cause high contact stresses between the rolling elements and the races and introduces the potential for Brinell denting of the races. This paper is a companion to the Part I paper by the authors that discusses material selection and the general design philosophy for the bearing. Here, a more in-depth treatment is given to the design of a dent-resistant bearing utilizing a superelastic alloy, 60NiTi, for the races. A common bearing analysis tool based on rigid body dynamics is used in combination with finite element simulations to design the superelastic bearing. The primary design constraints are prevention of denting and avoiding the balls riding over the edge of the race groove during a blind disassembly process where the load passes through the rolling elements. Through an iterative process, the resulting bearing geometry is tailored to improve axial static load capability compared to a deep-groove ball bearing of the same size. The results suggest that careful selection of materials and bearing geometry can enable blind disassembly without damage to the raceways, which is necessary in the current application (a compressor in the International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System), and results in potential design flexibility for other applications, especially small machines with miniature bearings.
metals↗
Analysis of an arched outer-race ball bearing considering centrifugal forces
A Newton-Raphson method of iteration was used in evaluating the radial and axial projection of the distance between the ball center and the outer raceway groove curvature center (V and W). Fatigue life evaluations were made. The similar analysis of a conventional bearing can be directly obtained from the arched bearing analysis by simply letting the amount of arching be zero (g = 0) and not considering equations related to the unloaded half of the outer race. The analysis was applied to a 150-mm angular contact ball bearing. Results for life, contact loads, and angles are shown for a conventional bearing (g = 0) and two arched bearings (g = 0.127 mm (0.005 in.), and 0.254 mm (0.010 in.)). The results indicate that an arched bearing is highly desirable for high speed applications. In particular, for a DN value of 3 million (20,000 rpm) and an applied axial load of 4448 N (1000 lb), an arched bearing shows an improvement in life of 306 percent over that of a conventional bearing. At 4.2 million DN (28,000 rpm), the corresponding improvement is 340 percent. It was also found for low speeds, the arched bearing does not offer the advantages that it does for high speed applications.
Hamrock, B. J.↗
Microstructural and Material Quality Effects on Rolling Contact Fatigue of Highly Elastic Intermetallic Ball Bearings
Rolling element bearings made from highly-elastic intermetallic materials (HIM)s, such as 60NiTi, are under development for applications that require superior corrosion and shock resistance. Compared to steel, intermetallics have been shown to have much lower rolling contact fatigue (RCF) stress capability in simplified 3-ball on rod (ASTM STP 771) fatigue tests. In the 3-ball tests, poor material quality and microstructural flaws negatively affect fatigue life but such relationships have not been established for full-scale 60NiTi bearings. In this paper, 3-ball-on-rod fatigue behavior of two quality grades of 60NiTi are compared to the fatigue life of full-scale 50mm bore ball bearings made from the same materials. 60NiTi RCF rods with material or microstructural flaws suffered from infant mortality failures at all tested stress levels while high quality 60NiTi rods exhibited no failures at lower stress levels. Similarly, tests of full-scale bearings made from flawed materials exhibited early surface fatigue and through crack type failures while bearings made from high quality material did not fail even in long-term tests. Though the full-scale bearing test data is yet preliminary, the results suggest that the simplified RCF test is a good qualitative predictor of bearing performance. These results provide guidance for materials development and to establish minimum quality levels required for successful bearing operation and life.
tribology↗
Microstructural and Material Quality Effects on Rolling Contact Fatigue of Highly Elastic Intermetallic NiTi Ball Bearings
Rolling element bearings made from highly-elastic intermetallic materials (HIM)s, such as 60NiTi, are under development for applications that require superior corrosion and shock resistance. Compared to steel, intermetallics have been shown to have much lower rolling contact fatigue (RCF) stress capability in simplified 3-ball on rod (ASTM STP 771) fatigue tests. In the 3-ball tests, poor material quality and microstructural flaws negatively affect fatigue life but such relationships have not been established for full-scale 60NiTi bearings. In this paper, 3-ball-on-rod fatigue behavior of two quality grades of 60NiTi are compared to the fatigue life of full-scale 50mm bore ball bearings made from the same materials. 60NiTi RCF rods with material or microstructural flaws suffered from infant mortality failures at all tested stress levels while high quality 60NiTi rods exhibited no failures at lower stress levels. Similarly, tests of full-scale bearings made from flawed materials exhibited early surface fatigue and through crack type failures while bearings made from high quality material did not fail even in long-term tests. Though the full-scale bearing test data is yet preliminary, the results suggest that the simplified RCF test is a good qualitative predictor of bearing performance. These results provide guidance for materials development and to establish minimum quality levels required for successful bearing operation and life.
metals↗
Corrosion-Resistant Ball Bearings
Self-lubricating bearing system withstands highly corrosive environment of wastewater-recycling unit. New bearings contain cobalt-based-alloy balls and races, graphite/polyimide polymer ball cages, and single integral polytetrafluoroethylene seals on wet sides. Materials and design prevent corrosion by acids and provide lubrication.
Zdankiewicz, E. M.↗
Measurement of separator contact forces in ball bearings using a derotation prism
A derotation prism was used to produce a stationary image of balls deflecting a portion of the separator. Ball to cage contact forces in a 110 mm bearing at speeds to 12,000 rpm were found to be 25 N (five lb) maximum. Inner race land contact force was found to vary up to 20 N (four lb).
Nypan, L. J.↗
A parametric heat transfer study for cryogenic ball bearings in SSME HPOTP
A numerical modeling is to examine the effects of coolant convective heat transfer coefficient and frictional heating on the local temperature characteristics of a ball element in Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump (HPOTP) bearing. The present modeling uses a control-volume based, finite-difference method to solve the non-dimensionalized heat conduction equation in spherical coordinate system. The dimensionless temperature is found as a function of Biot number, heat flux ratio between the two race contacts, and location in the ball. The current results show that, for a given cooling capability, the ball temperature generally increases almost linearly with the heat input from the race-contacts. This increase is always very high at one of the two contacts. An increase in heat transfer coefficient generally reduces the ball temperature and alleviates the temperature gradient, except for the regions very close to the race contacts. For a 10-fold increase of heat transfer coefficient, temperature decrease is 35 percent for the average over entire ball, and 10 percent at the inner-race contact. The corresponding change of temperature gradient displays opposing trends between the regions immediately adjacent to the contacts and the remaining portion of the ball. The average temperature gradient in the vicinity of both contacts increases approximately 70 to 100 percent. A higher temperature gradient produces excessive thermal stress locally which may be detrimental to the material integrity. This, however, is the only unfavorable issue for an increase of heat transfer coefficient.
Chyu, Mingking K.↗
History of ball bearings
The familiar precision rolling-element bearings of the twentieth century are products of exacting technology and sophisticated science. Their very effectiveness and basic simplicity of form may discourage further interest in their history and development. Yet the full story covers a large portion of recorded history and surprising evidence of an early recognition of the advantages of rolling motion over sliding action and progress toward the development of rolling-element bearings. The development of rolling-element bearings is followed from the earliest civilizations to the end of the eighteenth century. The influence of general technological developments, particularly those concerned with the movement of large building blocks, road transportation, instruments, water-raising equipment, and windmills are discussed, together with the emergence of studies of the nature of rolling friction and the impact of economic factors. By 1800 the essential features of ball and rolling-element bearings had emerged and it only remained for precision manufacture and mass production to confirm the value of these fascinating machine elements.
Dowson, D.↗
Suomi-NPP Mission On-Orbit Experience with Toroid Ball Bearing Retainers Under Unidirectional and Reversing Motion
The Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) instrument scan system on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) spacecraft has experienced several randomly occurring increased torque 'events' since its on-orbit activation in November 2011. Based on a review of on-orbit telemetry data and data gathered from scan mechanism bearing life testing on the ground, the conclusion was drawn that some degradation of Teflon toroid ball retainers was occurring in the instrument Scan Drive Mechanism. A life extension program was developed and executed on-orbit with very good results to date. The life extension program consisted of reversing the mechanism for a limited number of consecutive scans every day.
Bruegman, Otto↗
Determination of Lubricants on Ball Bearings by FT-IR using an Integrating Sphere
The lifetime determination of space lubricants is done at our facility by accelerated testing. Several micrograms of lubricant are deposited on the surface of a ball by syringing tens of micro liters of dilute lubricant solution. The solvent evaporates and the mass of lubricant is determined by twenty weighings near the balance reliability limit. This process is timely but does not produce a good correlation between the mass of lubricant and the volume of solution applied, as would be expected. The amount of lubricant deposited on a ball can be determined directly by Fourier Transform - Infrared Spectroscopy using an integrating sphere. In this paper, we discuss reasons for choosing this methodology, optimization of quantification conditions and potential applications for the technique. The volume of lubricant solution applied to the ball gives better correlation to the IR intensity than does the weight.
Street, K. W.↗
Friction and oxidative wear of 440C ball bearing steels under high load and extreme bulk temperatures
Unlubricated sliding friction and wear of 440C steels in an oxygen environment have been studied under a variety of load, speed, and temperature ranging from approximately -185 to 675 deg C. A specially designed test apparatus with a ball-on-flat geometry has been used for this purpose. The observed dependencies of the initial coefficient of friction, the average dynamic coefficient of friction, and the wear rate on load, speed, and test temperatures have been examined from the standpoint of existing theories of friction and wear. High contact temperatures are generated during the sliding friction, causing rapid oxidation and localized surface melting. A combination of fatigue, delamination, and loss of hardness due to tempering of the martensitic structure is responsible for the high wear rate observed and the coefficient of friction.
Chaudhuri, Dilip K.↗
Ball bearing used in design of rugged flowmeter
A volumetric flowmeter which has a small magnet imbedded in the outer perimeter of the turbine wheel or in the bearing permits measurement of liquid flow rates in the presence of wide ranges and violent surges.
Minkin, H. L.↗
Development of liquid oxygen cooled 110MM ROLLER and tandem ball bearings at up to .5 x 106 DN values for the oxidizer turbopump of the M-1 engine Technology report
Bearing package design suitability for M-1 liquid oxygen turbopump
M-1 ROCKET ENGINE↗
Design and testing of liquid hydrogen-cooled, ultrahigh-speed ball bearings
Large-bore, liquid hydrogen-cooled, ultrahigh-speed, rolling contact bearings of an optimum design allow optimization of large rocket engine turbopumps in which bearing speed is a limiting factor. Optimum design for the bearings resulted from an application of liquid hydrogen used as a coolant.
Butner, M. F.↗
Fabrication of hollow ball bearings by diffusion welding
Two steel hemispheres are diffusion welded in an atmosphere of 0.00002 torr at a temperature of 2130 degrees F for 4 hours with a pressure of 4 psi holding the hemispheres together. Weld is accomplished with only microdeformation.
Moore, T. J.↗
Semi-linear ball bearing Patent
Semilinear bearing comprising two rows of roller bearings separated by spherical bearings and permitting rotational and translational movement
Anderson, W. W., Jr.↗
Accelerated vacuum testing of long life ball bearings and sliprings
Extensive analytical studies and testing have been conducted on bearings and sliprings in vacuum at temperatures from 30 to 130 F. Thirty-six bearings lubricated with two types of oil were tested in vacuum of less than 10 to the minus 8th power torr at speeds from 55 to 180 rpm. Temperatures, load, speed, and oil viscosity were varied to evaluate the effects on life and wear. All bearings performed successfully during a 7-month test, and the potential merits of the two oils were compared. Over 25 different, dry-lubricated brush/slipring material combinations have been tested, with variations of brush and ring design and surface speed. Test results indicate the probability of 10 years or more of slipring and brush lifetime with properly designed brushes for 1-in.-diameter ring rotating at 60 rpm.
C. R. Meeks↗