Performance Challenges and Countermeasures of motor plain bearings in High Temperature Environment

1. Effect of High Temperature on Bearing Material Performance
High temperature is one of the main factors that lead to the decline in performance of motor plain bearing materials. First, as the temperature rises, the hardness of the bearing material will gradually decrease. Hardness is a key indicator to measure the material's ability to resist local plastic deformation. The decrease in hardness means that the bearing is more likely to deform when bearing loads, thus affecting its accuracy and stability. In addition, the decrease in hardness will directly affect the wear resistance of the bearing, making the bearing surface more susceptible to wear and shortening its service life.

The thermal expansion effect of the material is also an issue that cannot be ignored. Under high temperature, components such as the inner and outer rings, rolling elements, and cages of the bearing will undergo different degrees of thermal expansion, resulting in changes in the bearing clearance. The increase or decrease in the clearance may destroy the original matching relationship, making the contact between the rolling element and the raceway abnormal, increasing friction and wear rate. Especially under high-speed operation conditions, this abnormal contact may cause vibration and noise, and in severe cases even cause the bearing to get stuck or fail.

2. Effect of high temperature on lubrication performance
The lubrication system is essential for the normal operation of sliding bearings. However, the high temperature environment poses a severe test to the performance of the lubricant. As the temperature rises, the viscosity of the lubricating oil decreases significantly, which directly affects the formation and stability of the oil film. The oil film is a key barrier to reduce bearing friction and protect the bearing surface. The decrease in viscosity means that the oil film thickness is thinner and the protective ability is weakened, which aggravates the wear of the bearing.

More seriously, high temperature will also accelerate the oxidation and decomposition process of the lubricant. Oxidation and decomposition will not only reduce the cleanliness and lubrication performance of the lubricating oil, but also may generate corrosive substances, which will further erode the bearing material and accelerate the wear process. In addition, the sediments produced by oxidation and decomposition may also block the lubrication channel, affect the normal supply of lubricating oil, and cause the bearing to fail prematurely due to lack of effective lubrication.

3. Countermeasures
Facing the performance challenges of motor plain bearings in high temperature environments, it is crucial to adopt effective countermeasures. On the one hand, bearing materials and lubricants with high temperature resistance and strong oxidation resistance should be selected. These special materials can maintain high hardness and good lubrication performance under high temperature conditions, thereby extending the service life of the bearing.

On the other hand, optimizing the bearing design and cooling system is also key. By improving the bearing structure, such as adopting a more reasonable clearance design and enhancing the heat dissipation capacity, the internal temperature of the bearing can be effectively reduced and the impact of the thermal expansion effect can be mitigated. At the same time, strengthening the maintenance and management of the cooling system to ensure the effective circulation and heat dissipation of the cooling medium is also an important means to improve the high temperature resistance of the bearing.

In addition, regular monitoring of the operating status and lubrication condition of the bearing, timely detection and treatment of potential fault hazards are also effective measures to ensure the stable operation of the motor plain bearing in a high temperature environment.