Oil Film Lubrication Characteristics Analysis Of Inner Ring Rib In The Tapered Roller Bearings

Tribological characteristics of inner-ring rib is one of vital factors affecting thequalities of tapered roller bearings. The improved oil film lubrication characteristics ofthe inner rib can enhance the radial and axial carrying capacity, limit speed and fatiguelife of bearings while reducing its surface temperature rise and wear rate.The oil film lubrication characteristics of inner ring rib in the tapered rollerbearings is regarded as the object in the paper. Firstly, the mathematical model of EHLin the inner ring rib was established to research effects of the curvature radius oftapered roller end on the EHL in the inner ring rib. So the regularities of distribution ofoptimized curvature radius of roller end were found under different working conditions.Secondly, the mathematical model of the oil film carrying and frictional characteristicsof the textured inner ring rib were simulated by Matlab to analyze the relationshipbetween computational accuracy and time and some factors including the numbers ofelement in the lubrication region, relaxing factors and convergence precision, andobtain the influence rules of texture types, geometric parameters, distribution patternsand the numbers of pits on the oil film carrying and frictional characteristics on theinner ring rib; and Oil film lubrication characteristics in the textured inner rib andordinary inner ring rib was compared and analyzed under the particular workingconditions. The results show that oil film pressure distribution was more uniformcompared with the ordinary inner ring rib; the area having carrying capacity is morelarger; the minimum oil film thickness increases by60.5%,which can effectivelyavoids direct contact with the inner ring rib and roller end. Finally, the experimentalresult proceeded in area ratio of the pits and maximum depth of the pits withNF205EM bearing, was identical with numerical simulation.The technology on the lubrication of textured inner ring rib in this paper canenhance axial carrying capacity, limit speed and fatigue life of tapered roller bearingswhile reducing its surface temperature rise and wear rate. Research findings can provide references for the optimal design of surface texturing in the inner ring rib.