A noise analysis of cylindrical roller bearings operating under zero external load

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to numerically investigate one source of acoustic noise in roller bearings, that which results from the motion of the rollers in the bearing under zero external load. For the sake of simplification, it was assumed that the cylindrical roller bearings are infinitely long. Furthermore, the effects of the following on the noise of the bearing were also examined: the radial clearance of the bearing, the viscosity of the lubricant, and the number of rollers. The results of the study show that the fundamental frequency of the noise components of the cylindrical roller bearing corresponds to the multiplication of the number of rollers anti the whirling frequency of the roller center. The acoustical frequency spectra of the cylindrical roller bearing are pure tone spectra, containing the fundamental frequency of the roller bearing and its superharmonics. The factors that decrease the sound pressure level of a cylindrical roller bearing include low lubricant viscosity, high radial clearance, and a reduced number of rollers. The results and discussions of the present article could aid in the design of low-noise cylindrical roller bearings.