Grease Film Behavior in Ball Bearings

To the film thicknesses of grease-lubricated ball bearings, the viscosity of the base oil is considered in the Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication (EHL) equations. For very low speeds, the grease film thickness is much larger than the calculated base oil film thickness. Initially, the grease film thickness decreases with speed to a minimum value, followed by an increase, thus generating a “V-shape pattern”. To evidence this behavior of grease film in a ball bearing, the authors used the method of measuring electrical resistance. Using an oil with a viscosity close to a grease base oil viscosity, a relationship was obtained between the electrical resistance of the ball bearing and the average film thickness in the ball–race contacts. Based on this relationship, the variation in the grease film thickness was obtained by measuring electrical resistance at a bearing speed between 1 and 500 rpm for short running periods of 60 s. A “V-shape pattern” was evidenced with a minimum value of grease film thickness at around 10 rpm. Additionally, the electrical resistance methodology was considered, evidencing the good stability of the film thickness for long operation time at speeds between 200 rpm and 1500 rpm. After 8 running hours, minor fragmentation of the soap filaments was observed under the scanning electron microscope compared to the fresh grease structure, without affecting the thickness of the grease film.