Abstract: A model of heat transfer among bearing elements is established based on the heat transfer analysis. With the finite difference method, the bearing system is separated into a group of temperature nodes based on working conditions, structural features of the bearing with shaft and the model of heat transfer among bearing elements. The friction heating, which has been calculated based on quasi-static analysis and thermal analysis, has been distributed proportionally to inner and outer ring. For each temperature node, energy equilibrium equations have been established. The energy equilibrium equations can be solved by Newton-Raphson technique. Temperature distribution is tested at various inner ring velocities and working loads. The results show that the inner ring velocity and axial load can affect temperature rise and temperature distribution strongly, but the effect of radial load is not significant. The maximum value of the temperature is at the point between the ball and inner ring. The different temperatures of outer ring are below the corresponding temperatures of inner ring. The calculation results are close to experimental results. So the models established are correct.

Key words: Bearing with shaft, Temperature distribution, Temperature field analysis, Thermal network method