Experimental analysis of recirculating lubrication and oil bath lubrication on tapered roller bearings

To provide improved recommendations for selecting an adequate lubrication method for tapered roller bearings (TRB's), detailed measurements of global friction torque and temperature distribution in TRB's are performed as function of different speed and loads. Moreover, different lubrication methods are investigated, considering different oil quantities in the bearing housing. The experimental data are compared with two existing frictional models, i.e., Harris and SKF models, and their range of applicability is also assessed. In this work an in-house bearing test setup, is used to simulate different operating conditions (speed and load). The bearing temperature is measured using thermocouples mounted on an outer stationary raceway, whereas the friction force is measured by a load cell