Spherical Roller Bearings

Spherical roller bearings are inherently self-aligning and very robust. The two rows of rollers make the bearings able to carry heavy loads. Invented by SKF and refined over the years, the present SKF range of spherical roller bearings includes a wide range of sizes of several ISO Dimension Series and also includes special designs, for example, for vibrating screens and similar applications. More recently a range of sealed spherical roller bearings has been added to the assortment. Split spherical roller bearings are usually based on the standard bearings but can be customized as required.

• Open bearings
• Sealed bearings
• Bearings for vibratory applications.
• SKF Energy Efficient (E2) spherical roller bearings
• Split spherical roller bearings

Bearing design

SKF spherical roller bearings for vibratory applications have the same dimensions and performance values as bearings in the 223 series but have a C4 radial internal clearance as standard. They are available with either a cylindrical or tapered bore. To facilitate efficient lubrication all bearings are provided with an annular groove and three lubrication holes in the outer ring.

SKF spherical roller bearings for vibratory applications are, depending on their size, available in one of the designs described below.

E/VA405 (bearings with d = 65 mm)

Two surface hardened window-type steel cages, flangeless inner ring and guide ring centred on the inner ring.

E/VA 405 (bearings with d > 65 mm)

Two surface hardened window-type steel cages, flangeless inner ring and guide ring centred on the cages (fig).

EJA/VA405 and CCJA/W33VA405

Two surface hardened window-type steel cages for bearings of EJA design (fig) or CCJA design (fig), flangeless inner ring and guide ring centred on the outer ring raceway.

EJA/VA406 and CCJA/W33VA406

These bearings have a PTFE coated cylindrical bore and the same features as a VA405 design bearing. These bearings are intended for the non-locating bearing position in vibratory applications to prevent fretting corrosion between the shaft and the bore of the bearing. Shafts do not require special heat treatments or coatings.

System solutions for vibrating screens

In addition to single bearings for vibrating screens, SKF has developed fault detection and bearing systems that can extend performance, reduce maintenance and monitor machine condition in vibratory equipment. More information on this on “www.skf.com/copperhead”.

SKF Explorer class bearings

High performance SKF Explorer spherical roller bearings are shown with an asterisk in the product tables. SKF Explorer bearings retain the designation of the earlier standard bearings, e.g. 22220 E. However, each bearing and its box are marked with the name “EXPLORER”.

Special bearings

SKF produces a wide range of special spherical roller bearings to meet specific customer needs. These are, for example, bearings for

• printing machines, paper mills or coaters in high precision execution
• for very arduous operating conditions as for example in continuous casting machines
• high temperature applications
• mounting with loose fit on roll necks
• railway vehicles

For detailed information on these spherical roller bearings please contact SKF.

Bearings on sleeves

Spherical roller bearings with a tapered bore can be mounted on smooth or stepped shafts using

• an adapter sleeve (fig)
• a withdrawal sleeve (fig).

The sleeves facilitate bearing mounting and dismounting and often simplify bearing arrangement design.

When sealed bearings are to be mounted on an adapter sleeve it is necessary to protect the sealing lips from being damaged. This can be done by

• using an E-design adapter sleeve (see section “Adapter sleeves”)
• inserting an intermediate ring between the bearing and the locking washer (fig).

Appropriate bearing housings

The combination of a spherical roller bearing and an appropriate bearing housing constitutes an economic, interchangeable and reliable bearing arrangement that meets the demands for easy maintenance. SKF produces appropriate housings in a variety of designs and sizes to suit a wide range of applications. The designs include:

• SNL plummer block housings in the 2,3, 5 and 6 series (fig).
• Large SNL plummer block housings in the 30 and 31 series (fig).
• SDG plummer block housings (fig).
• SONL plummer block housings for oil lubrication (fig).
• SAF pillow (plummer) block housings for inch shafts (fig).
• SDAF pillow (plummer) block housings for inch shafts (fig).
• SBD plummer block housings (fig).
• TVN plummer block housings (fig).
• FNL flanged housings (fig).
• 7225(00) flanged housings (fig).
• THD take-up housings (fig).

Detailed information on housings can be found in the catalogue “Bearing housings”.

Dimensions

The boundary dimensions for spherical roller bearings are in accordance with ISO 15:1998. The dimensions of the adapter and withdrawal sleeves correspond to ISO 2982-1:1995.

Tolerances

SKF spherical roller bearings are manufactured as standard to Normal tolerances.

SKF Explorer spherical roller bearings up to and including 300 mm bore diameter are, however, produced to higher precision than the ISO Normal tolerances. For example

• the width tolerance is considerable tighter than the ISO Normal tolerance,
• the running accuracy is to tolerance class P5 as standard.

For larger bearing arrangements where running accuracy is a key operational parameter, SKF spherical roller bearings with P5 running accuracy are also available. These bearings are identified by the suffix C08. Their availability should be checked.

The tolerance for the bore and the outside diameter of SKF Explorer spherical roller bearings for vibratory applications have been reduced from Normal to P5 and P6 respectively.

The values of the tolerances are in accordance with ISO 492:2002.

Internal clearance

SKF spherical roller bearings are produced as standard with Normal radial internal clearance and most are also available with a greater C3 clearance. Many bearings can also be supplied with a smaller C2 clearance or the much greater C4 or C5 clearances.

SKF spherical roller bearings for vibratory applications are produced as standard with C4 clearance. The radial internal clearance limits are listed for bearings with

• cylindrical bore in table 2 and with
• tapered bore in table 3.

The clearance limits are in accordance with ISO 5753:1991 and are valid for bearings before mounting under zero measuring load.

Misalignment

The design of spherical roller bearings is such that they are inherently self-aligning, i.e. angular misalignment between the outer ring and inner ring can be accommodated without any effect on bearing performance (fig). Under normal loads and operating conditions (load ratios of C/P > 10) and when misalignment is constant in position with respect to the outer ring, the guideline values for permissible misalignment provided in table 4 apply. Whether these values can be fully exploited or not depends on the design of the bearing arrangement, the type of seals used etc.

Demo

When the position of the misalignment is not constant with respect to the bearing outer ring, e.g. in

• vibrating screens with rotating imbalance and therefore rotating deflection of the shaft (fig)
• deflection-compensating rolls of paper machines where the stationary shaft is bent,

additional sliding is caused in the bearing under the operating conditions. Therefore, with reference to bearing friction and associated heat generation, it is recommended that misalignment of the inner ring with respect to the outer ring should not exceed a few tenths of a degree.

Sealed bearings can accommodate angular misalignments of the shaft with respect to the housing of up to approximately 0,5�. Provided the guideline value is not exceeded, there will be no detrimental effect on the efficiency of the seals.

Influence of operating temperature on bearing material

All SKF spherical roller bearings undergo a special heat treatment so that they can be operated at higher temperatures for longer periods, without the occurrence of inadmissible dimensional changes. For example, a temperature of +200 �C for 2 500 h, or for short periods at even higher temperatures, is permitted.

Minimum load

To achieve satisfactory operation, spherical roller bearings, like all ball and roller bearings, must always be subjected to a given minimum load, particularly if they are to operate at high speeds or are subjected to high accelerations or rapid changes in the direction of load. Under such conditions the inertia forces of the rollers and cage(s), and the friction in the lubricant, can have a detrimental influence on the rolling conditions in the bearing arrangement and may cause damaging sliding movements to occur between the rollers and raceways.

The requisite minimum load to be applied to spherical roller bearings can be estimated using

Pm = 0,01 C0

where

Pm = equivalent minimum load [kN]

C0 = basic static load rating [kN] (see product data)

In some applications it is not possible to reach or exceed the requisite minimum load. However, if the bearing is oil lubricated lower minimum loads are permissible.

These loads can be calculated when n/nr = 0,3 from

Pm = 0,003 C0

and when 0,3 < n/nr = 2 from

where

Pm = equivalent minimum load [kN]

C0 = basic static load rating [kN] (see product data)

n = rotational speed [r/min]

nr = reference speed [r/min] (see product data)

When starting up at low temperatures or when the lubricant is highly viscous, even greater minimum loads than Pm = 0,01 C0 may be required. The weight of the components supported by the bearing, together with external forces, generally exceeds the requisite minimum load. If this is not the case, the spherical roller bearing must be subjected to an additional radial load.

NoWear spherical roller bearings have proven to give reliable operation at very low loads. They can with stand longer periods of insufficient lubrication, sudden variations in load and rapid speed changes.

Axial load carrying ability

Because of their special internal design, SKF spherical roller bearings are able to accommodate heavy axial loads and even purely axial loads.

Axial load carrying ability of bearings mounted on an adapter sleeve

If spherical roller bearings with adapter sleeves are mounted on smooth shafts with no fixed abutment, the magnitude of the axial load that can be supported is determined by the friction between the shaft and sleeve. Provided the bearings are correctly mounted, the permissible axial load can be calculated from

Fap = 0,003 B d

where

Fap = maximum permissible axial load [kN]

B = bearing width [mm]

d = bearing bore diameter [mm]

Equivalent dynamic bearing load

P = Fr + Y1Fa when Fa/Fr = e

P = 0,67 Fr + Y2Fa when Fa/Fr > e

The values of the calculation factors e, Y1 and Y2 can be found in the product tables.

Equivalent static bearing load

P0 = Fr + Y0Fa

The value of the calculation factor Y0 can be found in the product tables.

Supplementary designations

The designation suffixes used to identify certain features of SKF spherical roller bearings are explained in the following. The suffixes used to identify bearing (and cage) design, e.g. CC or E, are not included here as they are explained in the section “Open bearings”.

Mounting bearings with a tapered bore

Bearings with a tapered bore are always mounted with an interference fit. The reduction in radial internal clearance, or the axial displacement of the inner ring on its tapered seat is used as a measure of the degree of interference.

Suitable methods for mounting spherical roller bearings with tapered bore are:

• Measuring the clearance reduction.
• Measuring the lock nut tightening angle.
• Measuring the axial drive-up.
• Measuring the inner ring expansion.

Small bearings with a bore diameter up to 100 mm can be properly mounted by measuring the lock nut tightening angle.

For larger bearings the SKF Drive-up Method is recommended. This method is more accurate and takes less time than the procedure based on clearance reduction or the lock nut tightening angle. Measuring the inner ring expansion, i.e. applying the SKF SensorMount� Method, enables large size bearings to be mounted simply, quickly and accurately, since a sensor is integrated into the bearing inner ring.

Detailed instructions for a selected bearing can be found at skf.com/mount.

Spherical roller bearings | Open bearings | Sealed bearings | Bearings for vibratory applications | SKF Energy Efficient (E2) spherical roller bearings | Split spherical roller bearings

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