Experiments and models for the thermal response of railroad tapered-roller bearings

Authors

Constantine M. Tarawneh, University of Texas-Pan AmericanFollow
Kevin D. Cole, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Brent M. Wilson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Fadi Alnaimat, University of Texas-Pan American

Date of this Version

12-2008

Comments

inPublished in International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 51:25-26 (December 2008), pp. 5794–5803; doi: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2008.05.011 Copyright © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. Used by permission. http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ijhmt

Abstract

The need to understand and quantify the heat transfer paths within tapered-roller bearings is of great importance in the railroad industry since bearing cup temperature measurement is the primary tool utilized in the removal of distressed bearings from service. Experiments were performed to acquire temperature histories at several locations on a stationary bearing subjected to heat sources imbedded in two rollers. The experimental results were compared to zero- and first-order thermal models to estimate overall heat transfer coefficients from the bearing. The results presented here can be used to explain some of the mechanisms that lead to overheating of tapered-roller bearings.