Correlação entre formulação teórica e experimental para a eficiência energética de rolamentos

Abstract

Society continuously seeks the utilization of energy and materials in a sustainable manner. In engineering analysis, when discussing power conservation in shafts that transmit rotational motion, it is essential to address bearings. Being the most commonly used machine element in shafts that transmit power across a wide range of applications, improving their energy efficiency has the potential to impact all energyconsuming sectors worldwide. Between 80% and 90% of bearings are lubricated with grease, while the state-of-the-art reveals that only oil-lubricated models exist for predicting friction torque. In this context, the objective of the study is to evaluate the theories for predicting power loss in bearings and compare them with experimental results obtained from the Rolling Bearing Power Loss Test Rig (RBPLR) available at the Federal Technological University of Paraná. This work will focus on the three currently referenced models for predicting friction loss in bearings: SKF, FAG, and Houpert. The study encompasses laboratory and bibliographic research methodologies, involving practical experiments and literature studies on theoretical formulations. It was possible to assess the optimal sequence for conducting tests on the test rig and evaluate how the theoretical equations behave in relation to experimental data for grease-lubricated radial bearings. From the theoretical models, it can be concluded that the models are unsuitable for predicting friction torque in grease-lubricated bearings and show significant divergence under low loads, with the SKF model exhibiting indications of suitability at loads close to the minimum load determined by the model. Lastly, the methodology also allowed for evaluating how the theoretical equations align with the experimental data.