Operating characteristics of a three-piece-inner-ring large-bore roller bearing to speeds of 3 million DN

A 118 mm bore roller bearing with a three piece inner ring ran successfully at 300,000 DN for 20 hr. Provisions were made for lubrication and cooling through the inner ring. In some tests the outer ring was also cooled. Power loss within the bearing increased with both speed and total oil flow rate to the inner ring. Outer ring temperature decreased by as much as 22 K (40 F) when outer ring cooling was employed whereas inner ring temperature remained essentially constant. Cage slip was greatly reduced or even eliminated by using a bearing with a very tight clearance at operating speed. A three piece inner ring bearing had higher inner ring temperatures and less temperature difference between the inner and outer rings than a conventional one piece inner ring bearing.