Review of the evolution and prevention of friction, wear, and noise for water-lubricated bearings used in ships

Abstract

With the development of green tribology in the shipping industry, the application of water lubrication gradually replaces oil lubrication in stern bearings and thrust bearings. In terms of large-scale and high-speed ships, water-lubricated bearings with high performance are more strictly required. However, due to the lubricating medium, water-lubricated bearings have many problems such as friction, wear, vibration, noise, etc. This review focuses on the performance of marine water-lubricated bearings and their failure prevention mechanism. Furthermore, the research of marine water-lubricated bearings is reviewed by discussing its lubrication principle, test technology, friction and wear mechanism, and friction noise generation mechanism. The performance enhancement methods have been overviewed from structure optimization and material modification. Finally, the potential problems and the perspective of water-lubricated bearings are given in detail.

Tribological evaluation of thermoplastic polyurethane-based bearing materials under water lubrication: Effect of load, sliding speed, and temperature

“…The complexity of loading conditions of the bearing increases with uncertain environment underwater [1]. To meet the requirements of green shipping, these bearings could be lubricated with water [2]. Water has very low viscosity compared to other standard stern tube lubricants and therefore lubricant starvation could occur.…”

Tribological Behavior of Sulfonated Polyether Ether Ketone with Three Different Chemical Structures under Water Lubrication

“…Green tribology has emerged as a prominent area of focus within the field of contemporary tribology [4][5][6]. Water-lubricated bearings based on water-based lubrication have attracted significant attention among scholars due to their cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and easy maintenance [7][8][9]. Water exhibits numerous distinctive properties.…”

“…However, the limited viscosity and carrying capacity of pure water hinder the formation of a comprehensive lubricating film and hydrodynamic lubrication in water-lubricated bearings operating under low speed and heavy load conditions [11][12][13]. Furthermore, it has been observed that the utilization of water-based lubrication can lead to a corrosive impact on mechanical components composed of steel and its alloys [9]. The aforementioned deficiencies have a significant impact on the dependability of subaquatic equipment and severely restrict the feasible utilization of water-lubricated bearings.…”

Dual-Function Hybrid Coatings Based on Polytetrafluoroethylene and Cu2O for Anti-Biocorrosion and Anti-Wear Applications

“…In these mediums, a variety of corrosive microorganisms thrive, including sulfate-reducing bacteria, iron bacteria, methanogens, acid-producing bacteria and so on [5][6][7][8]. In particular, the motion components lubricated with water often operate in mixed and even boundary lubrication regimes [9]. The tribo-corrosion of the metallic components is a significant challenge regarding the lifespan and reliability of the equipment [10,11].…”