Quantitative Study on Wear of Water-Lubricated Bearings in Sediment Environment

Water-lubricated bearings are widely used in propulsion shafting of large marine equipment, such as ships. When a water-lubricated stern bearing operates in harsh environments involving a low speed and heavy load for extended periods, there is a serious impact on the friction and wear performance of the bearing. In this study, a full pair of bearings made of a special polymer material was used as the research object in a sediment environment and was subjected to low-speed heavy-duty durability tests. At different temperatures, specific pressures, and speed conditions, the friction coefficient and wear were measured and linearly extrapolated. The results show that under harsh working conditions such as low speed and heavy load sediment, and the loading pressure is greater. It is difficult to form a complete water film between the friction pairs. A loading pressure of 0.2 MPa is beneficial to the long-term operation of the bearing under harsh working conditions. Moreover, the bearing damage is not serious, resulting in a reduction in bearing wear and an extension of operation life.