Seawater lubricated polymer journal bearings for use in wave energy converters

Stephen Meicke and Robert Paasch

Renewable Energy, 2012, vol. 39, issue 1, 463-470

Abstract: This study investigates the wear characteristics of polymeric journal bearings while immersed in seawater, and their applicability towards wave energy conversion. A block on ring wear machine was used to test four commercially available bearing materials under unidirectional and oscillatory sliding conditions at low pressure. It was observed that wear generally increases with counterface roughness; however, major deviations to this trend exist, depending on the bearing’s composition. Stable wear rates were shown to vary widely depending on velocity profile, though a general trend could not be established for the sample group as a whole. It was shown that polymer wear rates cannot be attributed to any one parameter, and that detailed testing at several characteristic pressures and velocities is needed to determine a material’s applicability towards wave energy converters operating in real seas.

Keywords: Wave energy conversion; Bearing; Polymer; Wear; Ocean energy; Seawater (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:39:y:2012:i:1:p:463-470

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2011.08.041

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