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This work presents an approach for modeling grease-lubricated bearing wear by coupling models for boundary-lubricated wear and bearing lubrication state. The lubrication model takes a mass balance approach, using previously developed models for pressure-driven side flow loss and centrifugally driven bleed supply mechanisms. These are combined with a contact model to determine the level of surface interaction and the impact that this interaction has on the lubricated wear and friction coefficients. The developed model was used in numerical simulation of the wear over time during operational conditions representative of 2 Mkm travel distance of a passenger train and the results were compared with experimental investigation of wear particles collected from field test lubricating grease. The results suggest nonlinear behavior with an increasing wear rate over time. Comparison between model results and wear volume estimated from collected wear particles is inconclusive and requires further investigation. A sensitivity analysis of the wear rate found that early in life the model is most sensitive to parameters that directly influence contact properties (load, boundary-lubricated friction coefficient, and wear coefficient). At later stages this shifts as parameters that affect the lubricant loss and supply mechanisms (temperature, base oil viscosity, lubricant fill) become equally or more important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel and non-destructive method for quantitatively analysing grease lubricated bearing wear by using X-ray microcomputed tomography (μCT). The efficacy of μCT to measure rolling contact wear via wear debris analysis was demonstrated, as was quantifying grease contamination and wear debris identification. Test rig experiments of grease lubricated spherical roller bearings, were performed to simulate rolling contact wear. Six grease samples were collected from two bearings at three different intervals to investigate wear progression. Results showed μCT measured wear volume increased exponentially with increasing bearing operation times. Grease cleanliness (particle counts per ml) worsened nonlinearly due to the exponential growth of wear debris over longer bearing operational times. Comparing the conventional ISO281 bearing assembly and operating condition assessment, a particle-count based method via μCT analysis provided a less subjective and dynamic assessment for quantifying grease contamination. Grease contamination was found to increase with longer operational timeframes due to the combination of wear debris growth and decreased lubrication film thickness. Finally, laminar, chunk and spherical wear particles, associated with rolling contact wear, were identified by the morphometric parameters measured by μCT. This study highlights the potential of μCT as a wear monitoring and grease quality assessment technique for railway bearing applications. • Microcomputed tomography is pioneered to measure wear in test rig bearings. • The proposed method is nondestructive and requires no sample manipulation. • The efficacy in wear measurement is proven through debris analysis in grease. • Quantitative analysis of 3D wear debris images provides wear mechanism assessment. • Grease contamination worsens with wear debris growth exponentially and lubricant film thinning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aged mineral-oil-based, lithium-hydroxystearate-thickened grease was collected from used axle spherical roller bearings, which were used for urban commuter trains. Three types of aged grease were categorized based on the total distance that the bearing had traveled, as early life (<0.05 million km [M.km]), medium (0.3–0.6 M.km), and heavily used (1.82 and 2.0 M.km). The microstructure of degraded grease from 20 bearings was characterized in this project using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Base oil of each grease sample was released by a centrifugation method and the oxidation of bled oil was measured by infrared analysis. A notable change in grease microstructure was observed by AFM and SEM. The thickener morphology changed from an entangled helical fibril structure to particle-like nanofragments. The variation in thickener microstructure was observed in the early life grease, which suggested grease can experience an inconsistent aging process in the real-life bearings. Overall, 70.5 ± 1.37 wt% base oil bled from the fresh grease, 68.2 ± 0.73 wt% from the early life grease, 58.1 ± 2.33 wt% from the medium used grease, and 60.0 ± 6.35 wt% from the heavily used grease. The results suggest that the densely packed microstructure observed in the aged grease affects the capability of base oil bleeding from the grease. The retardation of base oil flow due to degraded grease may result in the lubricating ability of grease becoming compromised and hence result in an increased wear rate of the bearings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work characterises wear debris/particles generated naturally in grease-lubricated spherical roller bearings (SRBs) used in urban rolling stock. Morphological examination revealed the most active wear in grease lubricated SRBs is predominantly associated with the rolling/sliding contact and adhesive mechanisms, resulting in chunk, laminar and spherical wear debris found most frequently. Morphological transitions in spherical and chunky wear debris associated with bearings' service life was seen for the first time in railway SRBs. Interestingly, the formation of chunky wear debris was not necessarily governed by rolling contact fatigue and crack propagation mechanisms seen in oil lubricated systems, but rather associated with the collapse of larger spherical wear debris. Additionally, the surface complexity observed on individual debris, associated with rolling-sliding wear is also discussed. The findings add to the sparse knowledge of wear debris formation and their contribution to grease degradation, particularly for railway SRBs. Furthermore, an estimate of the contamination level of the SRBs was obtained by carefully adapting the fluid lubricant standards. The combination of these results will allow for improved wear prediction and the optimisation of bearing maintenance practices. • Seven types of wear debris naturally generated in grease lubricated rolling stock SRBs was identified and studied. • Formation of wear debris in the railway SRBs is mostly associated with rolling/sliding contact mechanism. • Morphological evolution of spherical debris linked with service life was seen for the first time in grease lubricated SRBs. • Chunk wear debris found in grease lubricated SRBs were governed by collapse and/or fracture of large spherical wear debris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]