A comparison of some condition monitoring techniques for the detection of defect in induction motor ball bearings

Rolling element bearings are critical components in induction motors and monitoring their condition is important to avoid failures. Several condition monitoring techniques for the bearings are available. Out of these stator current monitoring is a relatively new technique. Vibration, stator current, acoustic emission and shock pulse methods (SPMs) for the detection of a defect in the outer race of induction motor ball bearing have been compared. The measurements were performed at different loads. The defect in the bearing could be detected by all the methods. Acoustic emission monitoring proved to be the best method followed by SPM when the increase in the levels of the measured parameters were compared with respect to those of healthy bearings.     

Monitoring of Ball Bearing Operation under Grease Lubrication Using a New Compound Diagnostic System Detecting Vibration and Acoustic Emission

Our new compound diagnostic system comprised of a compound sensor, a signal processor, and a personal computer installed signal processing software. The compound sensor made by an advanced sensor fusion technique was able to detect simultaneously the vibration acceleration and the acoustic emission by itself. The signal processor received a signal from the sensor and separated it into the vibration acceleration signal and the acoustic emission signal. The signal processor and the personal computer processed the acceleration signal and acoustic emission signal for diagnostic information. The rolling contact fatigue process of a ball bearing under grease lubrication was monitored using the compound system. The system outputs diagnostic information, for example, the means, the variance, the skewness, and the kurtosis of the vibration acceleration signal and the acoustic emission signal. In diagnosing the rolling contact fatigue failure, the root mean square (rms) value of the vibration acceleration was most effective, and the mean of the demodulated acoustic emission was second to the rms value of the acceleration in effectiveness. From the result of the evaluation, it became clear that the system was useful for diagnosing rolling contact bearings under grease lubrication.     

Acoustic emission of rolling bearings lubricated with contaminated grease

In elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL), an extreme smoothness of the contacting surfaces is essential for the formation of a thin lubricant film, which separates the moving surfaces from each other. Sharp asperities, in particular, are very detrimental for the sliding surfaces. Because of the limited thickness of the lubricating film, the contact zone is very vulnerable if the lubricant contains contaminants, especially if hard particles are present in the lubricant.The present paper focuses on the acoustic emission (AE) measurement method for the monitoring of the lubrication situation in a grease lubricated rolling bearing. The aim of the investigation was to clarify how the contaminants in the grease influence the acoustic emission of the rolling bearing. In the paper, the results of tests with clean greases and with deliberately contaminated greases, and the influence of the cleaning and re-greasing of the bearing are discussed. The results showed that the AE measurement indicated very clearly the lowest contaminant concentration included in the study that was as low as 0.02 weight-%. Small size contaminant particles generated a higher AE pulse count level than large size particles. The AE time signal analysis method proved to be a suitable method to indicate the hardness of the contaminant particles. Cleaning the bearing of contaminants and re-greasing with a clean grease reduced the AE level of the bearing.     

Vibration monitoring of bearings at low speeds

Some experimetnal observations and results are given comparing acceleration shock pulse transducer, acoustic emission and jerk measurements from slightly damaged bearings at medium to low speeds. Additional results showing defects at very low speeds with an acoustic emission transducer are not easily explained     

滚动轴承内部温度状态监测技术

在摩擦学和传热学理论的基础上,建立了滚动轴承温度场数值仿真模型,对轴承内部温度的分布进行了研究,获得了环境温度、工作载荷和润滑脂容积比变化时轴承温度的修正公式。并以轴承的振动和润滑脂温度为监测参数,建立了轴承状态监测系统。运用温度分布规律对测点温度进行了修正,有效地消除了环境温度、工作载荷以及润滑脂容量变化对报警准确性的影响。     

滚动轴承早期缺陷振动的简化模型

建立了滚动轴承早期缺陷振动的线性简化模型,依据该模型分析了滚动轴承早期缺陷引起振动的特性。理论分析和实际测量表明:滚动轴承早期缺陷激励出轴承的固有振动,产生了脉冲冲击波;非周期早期缺陷振动为正常振动信号叠加一个或几个离散脉冲冲击波,产生垃圾音,周期早期缺陷振动为正常振动信号叠加一串串周期脉冲冲击波,产生内圈伤音、外圈伤音或滚动体伤音;脉冲冲击波是滚动轴承早期缺陷引起的异常声的主要原因。     

润滑脂流变性对滚动轴承振动性能的影响

采用表观粘度仪和振动仪研究了润滑脂的流变性对轴承振动性能的影响.研究发现,润滑脂在一定剪切速度下的表观粘度偏低对轴承振动性能有利,但润滑脂的表观粘度非常小时,在加工精度较差的中大型轴承上振动噪声性能反而不够理想;润滑脂的流变性能对中小型轴承振动噪声的影响有决定性作用,对微小型轴承的振动性能影响不明显,这符合摩擦学行为系统依赖性的规律.     

The use of acoustic emission information to distinguish between dry and lubricated rolling element bearings in low-speed rotating machines

Bearings are known as the vital parts of machines, and their condition is often critical to the success of an operation or process. Presence of a film of lubricant such as grease between the bearing surfaces minimizes the friction and surface wear. Contaminated grease or lack of lubricant may lead to an ineffective bearing performance or malfunction of the machinery parts. Therefore, in order to avoid unexpected breakdowns, reliable and robust bearing condition monitoring techniques are demanded. According to previous studies, acoustic emission (AE) signals contain valuable information that can be used for bearing condition monitoring and fault detection. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of AE signal parameters to distinguish between lubricated and dry bearings under similar operating conditions. To this end, a low-speed rotating test rig is manufactured and used. Eight levels of rotational speeds and four levels of radial loads were applied to the test rig shaft end, which is connected to the testing bearing. In each test, seven time domain AE parameters were computed. The statistical tools were also used to present the dominant experimental variables on AE signal parameters. According to experimental results, it was found that four AE parameters can be used to distinguish between dry and lubricated bearings.     

Free-Surface Grease Flow on a Rotating Plate

Grease lubrication is traditionally used in a great variety of mechanical systems such as rolling bearings, seals, and gears where it has been shown more advantageous than oil, mainly due to its consistency allowing the grease to stay inside the system and not leak out. Knowledge of the flow dynamics of grease is important for the understanding and prediction of grease distribution for optimum lubrication and for the migration of wear and contaminant particles. Free-surface effects play an important role in rolling bearings and open gears as the configuration normally is filled with about 30 % grease to avoid heavy churning. In this study, an analytical model of the stationary uniform flow on a rotating disc is developed and validated with experiments. The model results in the velocity profile for the flow in the thin fully yielded viscous layer in connection to the surface as well as an expression for the plug flow region on top of the viscous layer. Furthermore, the depth-averaged velocity is derived as is the shear stress value on the plate. From the latter, follows a condition for the grease to start moving and in turn yielding an expression for the viscous layer thickness as a function of the grease yield stress value, grease density, angular velocity, and radial position. In addition, an expression of the layer thickness containing the ratio between the flow rate and the layer width which in turn can account for effects not included in the model such as wall slip and surface adhesion and thus add another degree of freedom into the model. Experiments with two different greases having NLGI grade 1 and 2, respectively, shows it is possible to obtain a good fit with the analytically obtained thickness using the rheological parameters for actual greases.     

A review of vibration and acoustic measurement methods for the detection of defects in rolling element bearings

A review of vibration and acoustic measurement methods for the detection of defects in rolling element bearings is presented in this paper. Detection of both localized and distributed categories of defect has been considered. An explanation for the vibration and noise generation in bearings is given. Vibration measurement in both time and frequency domains along with signal processing techniques such as the high-frequency resonance technique have been covered. Other acoustic measurement techniques such as sound pressure, sound intensity and acoustic emission have been reviewed. Recent trends in research on the detection of defects in bearings, such as the wavelet transform method and automated data processing, have also been included.     

基于声发射技术的绝缘子在线监测方法的研究

通过对绝缘子现行的污秽监测方法的研究分析,提出了基于声发射技术的绝缘子污秽放电在线监测方法,对电晕放电和污秽放电声发射信号进行了实验研究,并对两者放电声发射在波形相位与强度上的差别进行了分析比较,基本消除了电晕放电对污秽放电声发射信号的干扰,从而揭示了污秽放电的严重程度和声信号之间的关系,证明了声发射技术在绝缘子在线检测上的可行性。     

Study of solid contamination in ball bearings through vibration and wear analyses

In rolling bearings, contamination of lubricant oil by solid particles is one of the main reasons for early bearing failure. In order to deal with this problem, it is fundamental not only the use of reliable techniques concerning detection of solid contamination but also the investigation of the effects of certain contaminant characteristics on bearing performance. Nowadays, non-invasive techniques, such as vibration measurements, are being increasingly used for on-time monitoring of machinery performance. In this context, the present work investigates the effect of lubricant contamination by solid particles on the dynamical behavior of rolling bearings, in order to determine the trends in the amounts of vibration affected by contamination in the oil and by the bearing wear itself. Experimental tests were performed with radial ball bearings lubricated by oil bath. Quartz powder in three concentration levels and different particle sizes was used to contaminate the oil. Vibration signals were analyzed in terms of the root mean square (rms) values. The results show that changes in the rms values of vibration in the high-frequency band, from 600 to 10,000 Hz, were associated to the changes in oil lubrication in the bearing contacts, caused by oil contamination and wear damage on the bearing surfaces.     

基于小波尺度谱的转子系统碰摩声发射特性

针对转子系统动静件间发生碰摩时会引起弹性应变而产生声发射,进而可利用声发射来辨识和诊断碰摩故障的特点,首先对碰摩声发射和碰摩振动信号进行了试验对照研究,讨论基于声发射的碰摩辨识别方法的独特优越性.然后,着重对碰摩声发射的特性进行了试验研究,并借助于小波尺度谱优越的时频分析性能,利用小波尺度谱对碰摩声发射的时频特性、传播特性和频散特性等进行了详细分析.分析结果显示小波尺度谱非常适合碰摩声发射这种频率丰富、非平稳和非线性的多模态波,是模态声发射分析的有力方法.     

The Influence of Speed,Grease Type,and Temperature on Radial Contaminant Particle Migration in a Double Restriction Seal

Microparticle image velocimetry (μPIV) is used to measure the grease velocity profile in small seal-like geometries and the radial migration of contaminant particles is predicted. In the first part, the influence of shaft speed, grease type, and temperatures on the flow of lubricating greases in a narrow double restriction sealing pocket is evaluated. Such geometries can be found in, for example, labyrinth-type seals. In a wide pocket the velocity profile is one-dimensional and the Herschel-Bulkley model is used. In a narrow pocket, it is shown by the experimental results that the side walls have a significant influence on the grease flow, implying that the grease velocity profile is two-dimensional. In this area, a single empirical grease parameter for the rheology is sufficient to describe the velocity profile.

In the second part, the radial migration of contaminant particles through the grease is evaluated. Centrifugal forces acting on a solid spherical particle are calculated from the grease velocity profile. Consequently, particles migrate to a larger radius and finally settle when the grease viscosity becomes large due to the low shear rate. This behavior is important for the sealing function of the grease in the pocket and relubrication.     

Lubricating Grease Shear Flow and Boundary Layers in a Concentric Cylinder Configuration

Grease is extensively used to lubricate various machine elements such as rolling bearings, seals, and gears. Understanding the flow dynamics of grease is relevant for the prediction of grease distribution for optimum lubrication and for the migration of wear and contaminant particles. In this study, grease flow is visualized using microparticle image velocimetry (μPIV). The experimental setup includes a concentric cylinder configuration with a rotating shaft to simulate the grease flow in a double restriction seal geometry with two different grease pocket sizes. It is shown that the grease is partially yielded in the large grease pocket geometry and fully yielded in the small grease pocket. For the small grease pocket, it is shown that three distinct grease flow layers are present: a high shear rate region close to the stationary wall, a bulk flow layer, and a high shear rate boundary region near the rotating shaft. The grease shear thinning behavior and its wall slip effects have been identified. The μPIV experimental results have been compared with a numerical model for both the large and small gap size. It is shown that the flow is close to one-dimensional in the center of the small pocket. A one-dimensional analytical model based on the Herschel-Bulkley rheology model has been developed, showing good agreement with the measured velocity profiles in the small grease pocket. Furthermore, wall slip effects and shear banding are observed, where the latter imply that using the assumption of uniform shear in conventional concentric cylinder rheometers may result in erroneous rheological results.     

基于BP神经网络的电机轴承润滑脂含量判定方法

传统电机轴承润滑脂含量判定方法通过停转进行润滑脂含量测量,这种方法使用起来极其不便利,而且很多轴承的润滑脂都是密封的.针对其停转、拆封的不便,提出了一种基于BP神经网络的电机轴承润滑脂含量判定方法.利用采集到的电机轴承的振动数据,对其进行统计特征提取,通过BP神经网络来构建润滑脂含量与统计特征之间的函数关系.经试验验证...     

Microstructure Characterization of Degraded Grease in Axle Roller Bearings

Abstract

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.     

大型分体式磁轴承电动机系统定子模态分析

准确分析定子固有模态对低振动噪声电机系统优化设计和控制有十分重要的意义。针对大型分体式磁轴承电动机系统,采用有限元仿真方法分析轴向磁轴承定子绕组、径向磁轴承定子叠片结构、机座螺栓连接以及底座附加质量对大型分体式磁轴承电动机系统定子模态的影响。结果表明:轴向轴承定子绕组对定子固有频率影响较大,宜采用质量计入铁心的方式处理;径向轴承定子叠片结构对定子固有频率的影响较小,可按各向同性处理;机座螺栓连接刚度对机座固有频率有一定影响,但当连接刚度远大于机座刚度时,影响较小;底座附加质量对整机模态频率有一定的影响,但对不同振型的固有频率的影响效果相差较大。计算了整机的模态频率,并与振动试验结果进行了对比验证。     

滚动轴承保持器磨损对轴承失效的影响

针对滚动轴承运行特点,采用XRF技术调查和分析铜、铁及尼龙为主体材料的保持器在脂润滑条件下的磨损,研究保持器磨损与轴承滚动体磨损之间的相关性及对轴承磨损失效过程的影响,并对不同材料保持器所产生的磨损颗粒对轴承及润滑脂的影响进行初步分析和探讨。统计数据分析结果表明,不同结构或材料构成的保持器在脂润滑轴承运转过程中始终存在着一定程度的磨损,且与轴承滚动体的磨损在磨损相对数量上显著相关;高聚物尼龙保持器所形成的磨损颗粒的影响,更多地反映为保持器材料中硬质填料的机械作用,而钢制保持器因其磨损颗粒具有金属活性和催化性,磨损颗粒同时还加速润滑脂的化学氧化过程及对脂稠化剂网状结构的破坏。     

Prediction of the friction torque in grease lubricated angular contact ball bearings using grey system theory

The development of special grease makes it possible for angular contact ball bearings to operate at high speed and temperature; however, as an important performance parameter, friction torque of bearings lubricated with grease is much greater than that of bearings lubricated with oil-air, and heat generation due to frictional loss is also greater, so it is necessary to predict the friction torque occurring in grease lubricated angular contact ball bearings. Based on grey system theory, a new prediction methodology for bearing friction torque is proposed which capitalizes on the notion that the information about friction torque of angular contact ball bearing is generally poor, incomplete and uncertain. A grey prediction model, GM (1, N) model, is presented to predict the friction torque in grease lubricated angular contact ball bearings. Several experiments on the friction torque of grease lubricated angular contact ball bearings were conducted to model and validate the effectiveness of the GM (1, N) model through on-line and off-line approaches. Experimental results show that about 90% of bearing friction torque under varying speed can be predicted in the on-line prediction; above 85% of bearing friction torque under varying speed and different loads can be predicted in the off-line prediction. Comprehensive analysis shows that, the GM (1, N) model performs very well for both modeling data and model validation data under different loads, varying bearing speed and work cycles, the proposed methodology can be used to predict bearing friction torque with good accuracy and robustness.