Experimental Investigation of Porous Bronze Bearings

An experimental study was made of the performance of porous bronze bearings under different operating conditions. A PV value of 50,000 psi ft/min was found to be too high for the assembly used when the bearings were lubricated only by the oil initially provided within their structure. Tests at a PV value of 33,000 psi ft/min gave satisfactory results. The coefficient of friction was found to vary with load and to be almost independent of speed for the bearings tested under boundary lubrication conditions. Except for relatively light loads and moderate and higher speeds, the bearings operate under boundary lubrication conditions. When pressurized oil was supplied to the bearings, it was found that, for the same operating conditions, porous bearings run at higher eccentricity ratios than solid bearings, as predicted by theoretical analyses.