Flow performance analysis of different air supply methods for high speed and low friction ball bearing

Abstract To clarify the internal flow characteristics of oil-air lubrication for high speed ball bearing, flow visualization techniques for both simulation and experiment were presented. By defining a rotating coordinate in the numerical model, the motion of the ball and inner ring/cage were described. Then a visual flow monitoring scheme about bearing internal flow field with PIV method was put forward, for the first time the air flow and vortex distribution inside bearing cavity were obtained. Finally, by comparing the air flow and vortex distribution of three air supply methods, the internal flow velocity, air pressure difference, thermal dissipation were all discussed at different rotation speed. The comprehensive performance of three air supply methods were evaluated via the field synergy analysis.