Contact Force Distribution and Static Load-carrying Capacity of Large Size Double Row Four-point Contact Ball Bearing

Clearance not only affects the startup torque, rotation precision and stiffness of bearing, but also affects the load distribution, load-carrying capacity and life of bearing. A computational model in which the clearance of bearing is first included is presented for determining the contact force distribution and static load-carrying capacity of a double row four-point contact ball bearing which is subjected to the combined radial, axial and overturning moment loadings. The relation between the negative axial clearance and the contact force distribution is analyzed. The static load-carrying capacity curves are established, and the effects of the changes in negative axial clearance, curvature radius coefficient of raceway groove and initial contact angle on the static load-carrying capacity are analyzed. The results show that, with the increase in the absolute value of negative clearance, the maximum contact load decreases first and then increases. The clearance values in the range of −0.2 mm–0 mm have little effect on the static load-carrying capacity of bearing. With the increase in the curvature radius coefficient of raceway groove and the decrease in the initial contact angle, the static load capacity of bearing decreases.