Tribo-design of lubricants for power loss reduction in the oil-film bearings of a process industry machine: Modelling and experimental tests

Abstract This paper addresses the optimization of the tribological characteristics of lubricating oils used in the process industry. In many cases, the machines are organized in several “stands” to form “lines” and are equipped by spindles supported by oil-film journal bearings that are fed by the same oil. The modelling of a steel roll forming line is presented by using a thermo-elasto-hydro-dynamic model for the calculation of the power dissipated in each journal bearing. The optimal lubricating oil characteristics are defined by means of a multivariate optimization on the parameters of viscosity, temperature and thickness of the oil-film. The results of the experimental tests are shown for the oil used in the real plant and the new oil formulated by simulations.