Mechanical Power Losses of Ball Bearings: Model and Experimental Validation

A tribo-dynamic model of ball bearings is proposed to predict their load-dependent (mechanical) power losses. The model combines (i) a transient, point contact mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) formulation to simulate the mechanics of the load carrying lubricated ball-race interfaces and (ii) a singularity-free dynamics model and establishes the two-way coupling between them that dictates power losses. The dynamic model uses a vectoral formulation with Euler parameters. The EHL model is capable of capturing two-dimensional contact kinematics, velocity variations across the contact as well as asperity interactions of rough contact surfaces. Resultant contact surface shear distributions are processed to predict mechanical power losses of example ball bearings operating under combined radial and axial forces. An experimental setup is introduced for measurement of the power losses of rolling-element bearings. Sets of measurements taken by using the same example ball bearings are compared with those predicted by the model to assess its accuracy in predicting mechanical power loss of a ball bearing within wide ranges of axial and radial forces.