See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/267582684

Marine Water Lubricated Stern Tube Bearings: Design and Operation Problems

Conference Paper · January 2007

DOI: 10.1115/IJTC2007-44081

CITATIONS READS

2 1,446

1 author:

Wojciech Litwin
Gdansk University of Technology
28 PUBLICATIONS   181 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Real scale water lubrcated bearng tests under brakedown conditions - limited cooling View project

Parallel hybrid experimental tests. View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Wojciech Litwin on 07 November 2016.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 MARINE WATER LUBRICATED STERN TUBE BEARINGS - DESIGN AND
OPERATION PROBLEMS

(extended abstract draft)

Wojciech Litwin
Faculty of Ocean Engineering and Ship Technology
Gdansk University of Technology,
Ul. Narutowicza 11/12; 80-952 Gdansk; Poland

ABSTRACT
Faculty of Ocean Engineering and Ship Technology of Gdansk University of Technology (Poland) co-
operates with ship industry and some well known manufactures of water lubricated bearings.
In the last few years, three various test stands for research work with water lubricated main shaft bearings were
designed and built. They were used for many different tests with various kinds of bearings. The testing process helped
to understand and prove some phenomenons.
Water lubricated stern tube bearings are often used on modern ships. This environmentally friendly bearing is
much cheaper than popular oil lubricated one. The difference in price is a result of simplicity of the bearing unit and
lower material costs. Unfortunately, there were many serious breakdowns in the past associated with this kind of
bearing. Sometimes the wearing process was very rapid. It was mainly a result of problems with stable hydrodynamic
lubrication, poor material properties or unfavorable working conditions.
Theoretically, working conditions of water lubricated stern tube bearings are conducive to hydrodynamic
lubrication. Loads are low because of specific bearing proportion length to shaft diameter (L/D) which equals four.
Sliding speed depends on engine type, main gear ratio and ship size. Generally, the speed could be even higher than 3
meters per second. It should be enough for hydrodynamic lubrication. So why are there problems with this kind of
bearings? There are three main groups of reasons –construction faults, ship specific problems and negative influence
of sea environment.

INTRODUCTION
In this article some experimental results and pictures from actual ships are presented.
Experimental tests were carried out on two test stands:
• SBTS – for research work on single bearing,
• PSBTS – for test of propeller shaft unit [3].
Picture of damaged bearing bush provided thanks to Gdansk Shiprepair Yard "Remontowa" S.A.

DESIGN PROBLEMS

Proper construction of the bearing is necessary for long durable work. Long, open grooves along entire length of
bearing bush are necessary because some impurities and products of wear can deposit there. Additionally grooves
help to increase water flow across the bearing. It has to be remembered that almost all heat from friction area has to
be absorbed by water because polymer bearing bush can not transfer it.

Diameter clearance
There is a significant problem with proper clearance. It could be calculated, but bearing bush must be installed
inside metal sleeve. Thermocompression bonding method is usually employed. With this kind of mounting very
frequently real clearance is different than designed.
The other problem is water swelling by bearing material (Fig.1). It could change bearing wall thickness by even
more than 1%. Water swelling is very dangerous because of the risk of shaft fixing. As a result very often material
manufactures recommend bigger diameter clearance. This method has disadvantages. Bigger diameter clearance is
not conductive to a stable hydrodynamic lubrication.
 Position of the grooves
Producers often recommend number and position of the grooves. Their size depends on shaft size. Some
producers recommend groves on entire bearing perimeter but this usually breaks the hydrodynamic film. This is the
reason why grooves have to be made on the upper unload side of the bearing bush.

[µm]
650 600 550 500 450 400 350
250

300

350

[µm]
400

450
after assembly
after swelling
500
after running-in
after next 5h work
550

Fig.1. Measured clearance circle in water lubricated main shaft bearing with polymer bearing bush. Shaft diameter 100mm. Bearing
bush wall thickness 22mm.Three different clearance circle are presented – before swelling, after swelling and running-in for the
period of six hours

Material selection
There are many kinds of bearing materials. Materials for stern tube bearing have to be accepted by well known
classifications societies such as Lloyds Register of Shipping or Norwegian Det Norske Veritas. There are many well
known firms whose products have been accepted, such as ORKOT, RAILKO, TENMAT, THORDON, or VESCO.
Bearing material properties are especially important during shaft low rotation speed, e.g., on war ship detecting a
submarine – speed could be about four revolutions per minute. In this special untypical condition special kind of
hybrid bearing should be used.

Bearing bush deformation

Experimental tests of some materials show very fast running-in and wear process especially during low rotation
speed (Fig.1.).

Calculations problems
Many bearing manufactures recommend some calculation method or calculate bearing themselves on customer
request. Very often this calculation method is very simple and does not consider hydrodynamic lubrication problems.
Calculations made in the past compared to experimental tests show big differencess in results, a sometimes
exceeding than 100%. Recently FLUENT 6.2. software was used. The difference in results of hydrodynamic load was
about 30%.
During some experimental tests influence of surface roughness height and direction was verified. The
roughness height is very important but the roughness direction does not have strong influence on bearings work (Fig.
2,3) [4,5].
 [µm]
650 600 550 500 450 400 350
300

350 3 [rev/s]
5 [rev/s]
7 [rev/s]

[µm]
400 9 [rev/s]
11 [rev/s]
cl. circle
450

500

Fig.2. Measured shaft center trajectories. Turning Railko bearing bush. Diameter clearance 0,17mm, shaft diameter 100mm. Load
1kN. Shaft rotation speed 3, 7, 11 rev/s

[µm]
650 600 550 500 450 400 350
250

300
3 [rev/s]
5 [rev/s]
350 [µm]
7 [rev/s]
9 [rev/s]
400
11 [rev/s]
cl. circle
450

500

Fig.3. Measured shaft center trajectories. Internal broached Railko bearing bush. Diameter clearance 0,17mm, shaft diameter
100mm. Load 1kN. Shaft rotation speed 3, 7, 11 rev/s

For calculations isothermal model could be used (Fig.4.) but bearing bush deformation should be
considered.

OPERATION PROBLEMS

Ship specific – shaft skewness

On modern cargo ship the engine room is located on the stern of the ship. This result in a very short
propeller shaft usually coupled with main gear or directly witch the engine. This solution has some disadvantages.
The propeller shaft is short and rigid. Mounting and alignment is done in the shipyard but during operation in various
air and water temperatures, bearings often work in very unfavorable conditions. On the bearing bush edges evidence
of wearing could be seen. It is a result of shaft skewness.
Sometimes very short shaft and heavy propeller weight can also cause shaft skewness (Fig. 5.).
Fig.4. Calculated temperature in water film – FLUENT 6.2. Shaft rotation speed 11 rev/s; shaft diameter 100mm; diameter clearance
0,6mm; minimum film thickness 7µm; load 1,3kN

[µm]
850 800 750 700 650 600
400

3 [rev/s]
450 5 [rev/s]
7 [rev/s]
9 [rev/s]
500
11 [rev/s]
circle 760[N]

550
[µm]

600

Fig.5. Measured shaft center trajectories on propeller shaft unit test stand. Trajectories outside clearance circle – effect of shaft
skewness; load 760 N, rotation speed 3 ÷11 rev/s

Another problem is dynamic load – effect or sea wave motion and unbalanced propeller.

Environment specific
There are two different variants of propeller shaft bearing units. Open system where sea water is used for
lubrication or the closed system where distilled water is used. Especially in the open system some importunities such
as sand and even algae’s gather inside the stern tube (pic.1.).
On inland ships and other vessels working in shallow water, the open system is dangerous and bearings
could be destroyed by grains of sand. On this kind of ships rubber bearings or closed system is recommended.

CONCLUSIONS
Marine water lubricated stern tube bearing is a very crucial and sensitive element. Many aspects of design and
ship specific factors have strong influence on bearing reliability and durability.
Every bearing during designing process should be analyzed carefully since certain examples of bearing damage
after only a few days of sailing are well known in the ship industry.
 Pic.1. Damaged composite bearing bush with deposited impurities

REFERENCES
[1] Litwin W. “Water lubricated hybrid propeller shaft bearings with polymer bearing bush” WTC III 2005,
Washington, USA
[2] Litwin W. “Water lubricated polymer hydrodynamic bearing with full and grooved bearing bushing” ASME
IMECE, 2005 Orlando, USA
[3] Litwin W “The tests stands for water lubricated marine main haft bearings” NORDTRIB 2006, Helsingor Dania
[4] Dymarski C. Litwin W. “Influence of surface roughness on work of water lubricated main shaft bearing with
polymer bearing bush on the basis of experiment” TRYBOLOGIA 2007
[5] Dymarski C. Litwin W. “The first experimental tests of water lubricated sliding bearing with internal broached
bearing bush” NORDTRIB 2006, Helsingor Dania

View publication stats