PTFE Partial Arc Bearing for Large Water-lubricated Tail-shafts

PTFE (Poly-Tetra-Fluoro-Ethylene) is a well-known bearing material used to provide low friction for water-lubricated shafts. Partial arc design bearings are attracting keen interest due to reduce friction, since it develops a hydrodynamic film even in water lubrication. However, the application of both PTFE material and a partial arc design is limited to small bearings, because conventional PTFE partial arc bearings are manufacture in ring form and PTFE rings have strict limitation in size. In this paper, a newly developed, PTFE partial arc bearing for large water-lubricated tail-shafts is outlined. Friction, wear and deformation properties of the new bearing are described. In addition, wear life prediction is proposed for the PTFE partial arc bearing.