Load Calculation and Life Prediction for Auto Water Pump Bearing

Abstract

Taking the water pump bearing with one roller row (WR)-type auto water pump bearing as a research sample, an analytical calculation method is developed to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the current calculations for the bearing loads and life in engineering application. Considering the misalignment due to the deflection of the bearing spindle, the bearing internal loads and deformations under the action of the complicated external space loads are obtained. The bearing fatigue life including the lives of the rollers and the balls is also calculated with considering the non-normal load distribution caused by the spindle deflection and the roller tilt. The bearing load and life calculation results are compared with those calculated by the traditional method in which the deflection of the bearing spindle and the roller tilt are ignored. The effects of the bearing spindle deflection on the load distribution and the life of the auto water pump bearing are analyzed and discussed. The life decrease in the auto water pump bearing is significant due to the deflection of the bearing spindle and it is recommended to give more attention to this deflection for the high quality of the bearing design and calculation.