Discussion: “The Importance of Spinning Friction in Thrust-Carrying Ball Bearings” (Reichenbach, G. S., 1960, ASME J. Basic Eng., 82, pp. 295–300)

Abstract

Accinelli, et al. [5], showed that high-speed bearings, when operated with varieties of lubricants, showed this same sharp increase in friction with temperature. In fact, the silicone oil which had the most favorable viscosity characteristics for maintaining a hydrodynamic film in the face of rising temperature was the first to show the sharp friction increase resulting from desorption. Inasmuch as many ball bearings are forced by geometrical considerations to have a considerable amount of spinning, designers would be well advised to remember this when specifying lubricants. In particular for high-temperature operation, the use of liquid lubricants does not seem feasible because of the desorption problem. The use of solid-film lubricants either applied mechanically to the surface or chemically formed in situ would seem more practical.