Analysis of the impact of graphene nano-lubricating oil on thermal performance of hydrostatic bearing

Abstract

Purpose

To enhance the performance of hydrostatic bearings, graphene serves as a lubricant additive. Using the high thermal conductivity of graphene, the purpose of this study is to focus on the impact of graphene nano-lubricating oil hydrostatic bearing temperature rise at various speeds and eccentricities.

Design/methodology/approach

The thermal conductivity of graphene nano-lubricating oil was calculated by molecular dynamics method and based on the viscosity–temperature effect, the coupled heat transfer finite element model of hydrostatic bearing was established; temperature rise of pure lubricating oil and graphene nano-lubricating oil hydrostatic bearing were analysed at different speed and eccentricity based on computational fluid dynamics method.

Findings

With the increase of speed and eccentricity, the temperature rise of 0.2% graphene nano-lubricating oil bearings is lower than that of pure lubricating oil bearings; in addition with the increase of graphene mass fraction, the temperature rise of graphene nano-lubricating oil bearings is always higher than that of pure lubricating oil bearings, and the higher the speed, the more obvious the phenomenon.

Originality/value

The effects of graphene as a lubricant additive on the thermal conductivity of nano-lubricating oil and the variation of the temperature rise of graphene nano-lubricating oil bearings compared to pure lubricating oil bearings were analysed by combining micro and macro methods.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-12-2023-0388

Citation

Chen, D., Zhao, Y., Sun, K., Pan, R. and Fan, J. (2024), "Analysis of the impact of graphene nano-lubricating oil on thermal performance of hydrostatic bearing", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 76 No. 4, pp. 545-553. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-12-2023-0388