Application Cases

Experiment Name: Experimental Research and Analysis of Electrical Erosion Damage Mechanism of Rolling Bearings Under Coupled Effects of AC Electric Fields and Operating Conditions, and the Suppression Effectiveness of Conductive Grease

Experimental Objectives:
Investigate the influence of voltage, frequency, rotational speed, and load on the electrical erosion damage of bearings under AC electric fields, along with the underlying evolution mechanisms. Based on experimental results, study the inhibitory effects of conductive additive grease on electrical erosion to provide cost-effective solutions for suppressing bearing electrical erosion in engineering applications.

Testing Equipment:
Rolling bearing electrical erosion test bench, digital optical microscope, surface roughness measuring instrument, function generator, power amplifier (ATA-3040), voltage and current probes, oscilloscope, temperature and vibration sensors, test bearings, lubricants.

Experimental Procedure:
This study established a bearing electrical erosion test bench to verify the oil film breakdown characteristics under AC electric fields. The effects of voltage, frequency, rotational speed, and load on the formation of bearing damage stripes were investigated, and the damage morphology and evolution patterns were analyzed. By preparing greases containing conductive additives such as nano-copper and nano-silver, effective suppression of electrical erosion and optimization of conductive pathways were achieved.

Figure 1: Structural Diagram of the Rolling Bearing Electrical Erosion Test Bench

Experimental Results:
Under the operating conditions of 14V voltage, 1.5kHz frequency, and 3000r/min rotational speed, significant "washboard-like" damage stripes formed on the inner ring of the bearing, with widths ranging from 143 to 248μm. The surface roughness increased from 48nm to 440nm, and vibration acceleration rose to 8.4G. After adding 1.5% nano-copper/silver conductive grease, the damage was suppressed, leaving only uniform matte traces. The surface roughness decreased to 56nm, vibration acceleration dropped to 1.03G, and breakdown current density increased to 24.8A/mm². Ultimately, combining conductive additives with ceramic ball replacement completely eliminated the electrical erosion stripes, providing quantitative evidence and feasible approaches for engineering protection.

Figure 2: Surface Morphology Observation of Bearing Inner Ring Electrical Erosion Damage Under Different Voltage Amplitudes (PAO8, 1.0kHz, 3000r/min, 200N, 6 hours)

Figure 3: Current Density Under Different Voltage Values (PAO8, 1.0kHz, 3000r/min, 200N)

Figure 4: SEM Image of Electrical Erosion Damage Stripes on the Bearing Surface Under 14V Voltage Amplitude (PAO8, 1.0kHz, 3000r/min, 200N, 6 hours)

Figure 5: Morphology Observation of Bearing Inner Ring Electrical Erosion Damage Under Different Mass Fractions of Nano-Copper Conductive Grease (2000r/min, 150N, 13V, 1.0kHz, 6 hours)

Figure 6: Breakdown Current of Nano-Copper Under Different Mass Fractions in Grease

Product Recommendation: ATA-3040C Power Amplifier

Figure: ATA-3040C Power Amplifier Specifications

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