Research on temperature field during the hot pressing process of UHMWPE-based water-lubricated bearing

Abstract

This paper aimed at the problem of uneven heating of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) bearing in the process of UHMWPE was made into water-lubricated bearing, and have used ICEPAK software to study the temperature distribution of the UHMWPE during hot pressing. Research indicated that hot pressing UHMWPE was an unsteady heat transfer in the process of heating and holding. Air convection had little effect on the overall process. During processing, the slow heating method to process smaller UHMWPE water-lubricated bearing could effectively reduce the temperature difference. It made the inner heating of UHMWPE uniform and equated to the temperature of the shaft sleeve. This research can provide data support for temperature control and process optimization for the UHMWPE-based water-lubricated bearing hot pressing process.

Keywords:

• UHMWPE
• hot pressing
• water-lubricated bearing
• temperature field

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). We declare that we do not have any commercial or associative interest that represents a conflict of interest in connection with the work submitted.

Additional information

Funding

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant no. 52105055], the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province of China [grant no. 2020JJ4334], the Scientific Research Fund of Hunan Provincial Education Department [grant no. 21A0393 & 20B274] & the Postgraduate Scientific Research Innovation Project of Hunan Province [grant no. CX20211214].