Minimization and avoidance of conventional lubricants in rolling bearings by tribological coatings (GreenBearings)
Third party funded individual grant
Acronym: GreenBearings
Start date : 01.08.2013
End date : 31.07.2015
Extension date: 31.12.2015
Website: http://greenfactorybavaria.de/gf/cms/front_content.php?idcat=84
Project details
Scientific Abstract
The use of rolling bearings instead of plain bearings drastically reduces friction and wear in machines of all kinds. However, despite the high technical level of modern rolling bearings, there is still considerable potential for optimisation. According to studies by rolling bearing manufacturers, the use of tribological coatings in certain applications can save up to 44% of the frictional torque compared to bearings commonly used today. Due to the millions of applications of rolling bearings in all industrial application areas, the reduced loss energy adds up to a considerable energy saving potential. If friction and wear are sufficiently reduced, the use of conventional lubricants based on mineral oil can also be successively reduced or completely avoided.
When avoiding lubricants, a distinction has to be made between whether the bearing can be dry lubricated without an intermediate medium being present (thus possibly eliminating the need for previously complex sealing and lubrication systems) or whether it should run with minimum quantity lubrication in the mixed friction area. For both variants there are numerous application areas, e.g. in the field of energy and drive technology, in heavy industry, in production machines, consumer goods or in clean room applications as well as in medical technology.
The energy consumption of machines and systems can thus be significantly reduced by saving on pumping stations or compressed air units, which would be necessary for conveying or atomizing the lubricants. In addition, the use and maintenance of the lubricating units is no longer necessary.
On the basis of a detailed system analysis of the rolling bearing, those bearing components or functional surfaces are to be identified whose coating can achieve the highest efficiency potential in selected model cases. A coating system and a charging concept are to be developed and successfully implemented for the components to be coated, taking into account the restrictions of industrial application. Last but not least, a basic understanding of the underlying friction and wear mechanisms in the tribological contacts of the investigated rolling bearings provided with coated components must be developed. The results are validated by component tests and examined by means of an overall technical and economical analysis as well as feasibility studies with regard to the transfer into industrial application.
