Invasion-Migration-Wear Mechanism of Hard Particles at the Interface of Water-Lubricated Rubber Bearing Under Friction Vibration Excitation

Abstract

In sediment environments, water-lubricated rubber bearings are inevitably subjected to particle abrasion, especially during frictional vibration. However, the invasion-migration-wear mechanism of hard particles under frictional vibration excitation remains unclear. This study analyzes the contact strain at the friction interface and the dynamic response of the friction system by constructing a visualized friction pair at the interface and employing digital image processing technology. The results reveal that the friction-induced vibration in the water-lubricated rubber bearing-rotor system primarily manifests as chatter and squeal. Chatter represents a more intense stick–slip behavior, during which larger sediment particles are allowed to invade. These invading particles tend to sink deeper into the friction pair during the stick phase and migrate with the water flow during the slip phase, leading to combined wear in the form of scratches and pits. During squeal, the amplitude of stick–slip behavior is relatively small, allowing only small sediment particles to invade, which result in scratches on the bearing surface. When the system does not experience friction vibration, sediment particles are unlikely to enter the friction interface, even in a sediment-rich environment, and therefore, no significant wear occurs.

Graphical abstract