Effect of operating parameters on the threshold voltages and impedance response of non-insulated rolling element bearings under the action of electrical currents

In the present work, the effects of operating parameters on the threshold voltages and impedance response of non-insulated rolling element bearings under the influence of varying levels of electrical currents have been studied. The voltage-current relationships in the bearings have been established. Investigations reveal that first and second threshold voltages appear under the influence of electrical currents in the bearings, depending on the lubricant resistivity, oil film thickness, bearing conditions and the operating parameters. The detected threshold voltages are primarily responsible for momentary flow of current and the further increase in current intensity with a slight change in potential drop across the bearings. The impedance of the bearings becomes negligible as the current intensity across the bearing increases. However, the impedance is more affected by the speed and film thickness than by the load on the bearings. This paper highlights the mechanism of the process of failure of the bearings, using lubricants with different characteristics. The investigations show that the experimentally evaluated threshold voltage coefficients of the bearings, using high resistivity lubricants, increase with speed and are independent of the loads on the bearings. This behaviour of the threshold coefficients of the bearings is used to predict the threshold voltages at different parameters of operation. However, bearings using low resistivity lubricants do not display the threshold voltage phenomenon. The investigation may also be used to determine the safe levels of potential drop across the bearing elements, to avoid damage of the bearings under different operating parameters and also to assess the film thickness by the measured impedance and current intensity response of the bearings.