Activity of KMiP Department

Research activity at the KMiP Department is concentrated on several fundamental subjects:

Characteristics of the research works

Projects, design and investigation of sliding journal and thrust bearings

A variety of design, research and maintenance problems are studied. Main areas of interest comprise: (1) thermohydrodynamic calculations of thrust bearings of various designs including thermoelastic deformation of the bearings elements, (2) hydrostatic operation of large thrust bearings of water turbines, (3) temperature measurements and diagnostic methods of large thrust bearings, (4) design methods of thrust bearings, (5) research into the optimum of bearing film profile at various operating conditions, (6) experimental research into performance of thrust bearings of various designs including a novel, patented, bearing with an elastic thrust plate, (7) troubleshooting and development of bearing systems. A test rig and measurement methods, as well as fluid film models and FEM models have been developed as the tools to solve bearing problems.
Design of ecological journal bearings lubricated with water (also ceramic).Rotary machines vibration level decrease by implementing antivibration Y bearing with high stiffness and damping coefficients.

Key words: sliding bearings, project, design, investigation, antivibration bearings, ecological bearings
Researches: L. Dąbrowski  A. Olszewski  M. Wasilczuk
Source of funding: GUT, State Committee for Scientific Research (Grant No. 7 T07C 21 10)


Fatigue strength investigation of sliding journal bearings

Contemporary approach to evaluation of critical stresses in the bearing wall leading to fatigue needs combination of the stress calculation method and experimental investigation of bearing sliding layer samples of various complexity. These both branches of modern research methodology and activity have been developed in TUG tribological laboratory. The original four test machines have been designed and built and strategy of bearing fatigue research based on sequential planning of experiments has been elaborated. Tests performed in these devices enable to elucidate the effects of separate factors influencing the fatigue phenomena in slide bearings. Bearing materials and lubricants are tested under various conditions of the variable load patterns and specific fatigue problems of plain bearing theoretical and experimental investigation are analysed.

Key words: journal bearings, surface fatigue, bench tests, failure analysis
Researches: J. Sikora,  J.Kłopocki,  W. Majewski
Source of funding: GUT, State Committee for Scientific Research (Grant No. 7 T07B 03319)


Tribological investigation of materials and lubricants under various conditions

Various materials for tribological use were investigated in the laboratory of the Chair including metals, polymers and ceramics. Both friction and wear phenomena were studied in dry and lubricated conditions. Five tribometers allow to cover wide range of investigation conditions under rotational and linear reciprocation motion including fretting regime. Both sliding velocity and load are regulated and controlled in wide range of runs and values (more details on tribometers). Special tests were elaborated for each of the tribometrs.

Key words: friction, wear, tribological materials, lubricants, tribometers
Researches: A. Neyman, A. Olszewski, K. Druet, W. Karaszewski, J. Łubiński, R. Gawarkiewicz, J. Gliwiński
Source of funding: GUT, State Committee for Scientific Research (Grant No. 7 T07C 094 98 C/40377; T07C05614, 7 T07C 008 17, 7 T07C 019 17)


Friction induced vibrations in sliding contacts

The main field of interest is the research on sliding and rolling friction of ceramic materials under various conditions. The principle being the sliding friction in unidirectional or reciprocating motion. This incorporates the problems of ceramic materials lubrication and lubricant selection for specific needs. Other area of investigation is Friction Induced Vibration (FIV) with the emphasis put to the influence of vibration on the tribological experiment and on the performance of tribo-materials in machines.
The other area of scientific interest are the problems of the repeatability and reproducibility of tribological experiments, with the emphasis put to the dynamic behaviour of tribological testers. The research is also reflected in custom design of testers with a pre-determined dynamic characteristics.

Key words: friction induced vibration, tribological experiment, ceramics, sliding friction, tribometrology
Researches: K. Druet,  J.I. Łubiński  M. Wasilczuk
Source of funding: GUT, State Committee for Scientific Research (Grant No. 7 T07B 021 15)


CA projects, design, diagnostics and analyses of machines and elements

Continuous work for method development of computer aided engineering and research have been carried out. Graphics data bases used in CAD systems (especially in AutoCAD environment) are created. Algorithms and computer software have been devised to assist research on hydrodynamic film in various type bearings and on other engineering phenomena.

Key words: CAD, programming, algorithm, engineering software
Researches: J.B. Siwek,  R. Gawarkiewicz
Source of funding: GUT


Artificial neural networks applications in mechanical engineering

Artificial neural network technology (ANN), as a part of artificial intelligence methodology (AI), is a extended tool for data analysis. Our field of interest covers applications of the ANN (and other methods of AI) in, widely understood CAD of mechanical systems, especially in pneumatics and tribo-systems.
Researches conducted allow to improve real-time simulation and optimisation of pneumatic systems (mostly, by the use of fast neural models of pneumatic devices), to propose new design methods in pneumatics (i.e. new method of selection of pneumatic control valve from catalogue) and to improve data analysis from tribology experiments. Currently the research works are concentrated on improving of our technology in pneumatics and on application of ANN for wear prediction.

Key words: artificial intelligence, artificial neural networks, computer aided design
Researches: Sz. Grymek  J.I. Łubiński  K. Druet
Source of funding: GUT

Special equipment

The most important publications

  • Dąbrowski L., Olszewski O., Wasilczuk M.: Problems of design of self-lubricating bearings for water turbines (in Polish) Zagadnienia Eksploatacji Maszyn Zeszyt 1 (117), vol. 34
  • Dąbrowski L., Wasilczuk M., Lewandowski S.: Field tests of a thrust bearing of a pump-turbine - influence of hydrostatic pump operation period on bearing performance (in Polish). Tribologia 2002 No. 2(182)
  • Dąbrowski L., Wasilczuk M.: Influence of hydrostatic pump operation period on performance of a thrust bearing of a 125 MW pump-turbine. Workshop on Bearings under Severe Operating Condidtions, Futuroscope 2002
  • Dąbrowski L., Wasilczuk M.: Method of friction torque measurement for a hydrodynamic thrust bearing. ASME Journal of Tribology, vol. 117, October 1995
  • Dąbrowski L., Wasilczuk M.: On the accuracy of theoretical models of hydrodynamic thrust bearings. Proceedings of the International Conference BALKANTRIB 96, Thessaloniki 1996
  • Druet K., Łubiński T., Łubiński J.: Reciprocating motion tribometer. [CD-ROM] Presentations/Papers, 2nd World TRIBOLOGY Congress. Vienna, Austria, 03-07 Septem- ber 2001. Vienna: Austr. Tribology Soc.2001
  • Gawarkiewicz R., Sikora J.: The effects of loading and amplitude of longitudinal oscillation on wear rate of selected dry bearing material. (in polish), Tribologia 2002 No. 5(185) p. 1375-1386
  • Gawarkiewicz R., Wasilczuk M.: Problems of sliding distance evaluation in guide vane bearings of water turbines. Proceedings of 2nd World Tribology Congress Vienna 2001
  • Gawarkiewicz R.: Dry bearing sliding layer transverse flexibility effects on real sliding distance for reciprocating microoscillatory movement of flat contact surface. Journal of KONES 2004, vol 11, No. 1-2, p. 171-177
  • Gawarkiewicz Rafał: Konstrukcja układu obciążenia węzła badawczego w głowicy SOOG. Polioptymalizacja i komputerowe wspomaganie projektowania. Polioptymalizacja i komputerowe wspomaganie projektowania. Red. nauk. W. Tarnowski, T. Kiczkowiak. Warszawa, WNT 2004, s. 35-40
  • Gawarkiewicz Rafał, Wasilczuk Michał: Wear measurements of self lubricating bearing materials in small oscillatory movement. WEAR an International Journal on the Science and Technology of Friction, Lubrication and Wear, Vol. 263 (2007), s. 458-462
  • Grymek S., Druet K., Łubiński J.I.: Perspektywy obliczeń neuronowych w inżynierii łożyskowania. Tribologia 2002, 33 No. 1(181)
  • Grymek S., Kiczkowiak T.: Application of ANN to the selection of valve from catalogue. In Proceedings of ICANN, Springer Verlag 1998 vol.2 "Perspectives in Neural Computing"
  • Karaszewski W., Neyman A.: Cr2O3 coating for sliding bearings. Nordtrib`98. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Tribology, 1998 vol. 2, p. 881-888
  • Kiczkowiak T., Tarnowski W., Grymek S.: Robust Procedure for Flow Coefficient Calculation. In Nikos E. Matorakis (Ed.): Recent Advances in Simulation, Computational Methods and Soft Computing, WSEAS Press 2002 USA
  • Łubiński J., Druet K., Łubiński J.: Variable dynamics test set-up for friction induced vibrations investigation. [CD-ROM] Presentations/Papers, Authors and Keywords. 2nd World TRIBOLOGY Congress. Vienna, Austria, 03-07 September 2001. Vienna: Austr.Tribology Soc. 2001
  • Łubiński T., Druet K., Łubiński J.: Wear resistance testing with an oscillating Rockwell type diamond indenter. [CD-ROM] Presentations/Papers, Authors and Keywords. 2nd World TRIBOLOGY Congress. Vienna, Austria, 03-07 September 2001. Vienna: Austr. Tribology Soc. 2001
  • Neyman A., Comparative investigation of lubricant properties in friction and wear tests. J. KONES 2002 vol. 9 No. 1-2 p. 204-210
  • Neyman A., Samatowicz D.: Research on lubricant influence on surface layers properties of steel elements. (in Polish) Zagadnienia Eksploatacji Maszyn Z.1(125)vol. 36,, str. 9-20 2001
  • Neyman A.: A specific role of wear particles in fretting process. Zagadnienia Eksploatacji Maszyn 1998 vol. 3 z. 2(114) p. 211-219
  • Neyman A.: Research on antiwear effect of some additives to grease in fretting process. Journal of KONES 1998 vol. 5 No. 1 p. 214-220
  • Neyman A.: Research on grease effect on the properties of lubricated material. Journal of Balkan Tribological Assoc. 1998 vol.4 No. 3-4.p.237-244
  • Olszewski Olgierd, Olszewski Artur, Gawarkiewicz Rafał.: Sprzęgło kołnierzowe umożliwiające precyzyjne osiowanie wałów hydrozespołu. Energetyka nr 5/2003. Zakład Wydawniczy "Energetyka", Centralny Ośrodek Szkolenia i Wydawnictw SEP 2003. s. 343-348.
  • Sikora J., Kurzych K. Influence of temperature on surface fatigue strength of AlSn20Cu1 alloyslide layer of the bearings. J. KONES 1999 vol. 6 No. 1-2
  • Sikora J.: Analyse of journal rotational velocity effect on fatigue load of sliding layer (in Polish). Tribologia 2001 R. 32 No. 4
  • Sikora J.: Analysis of influence of radial clearance ratio on fatigue load on bearing slide layer. Tribologia 1999 R. 30 No. 6(168)
  • Sikora J.: Bearing testing machine with rotating load vector. J. KONES 2002 vol. 9
  • Sikora J.: Experimental verification of MWO bearing machine. J. KONES 2002 vol. 9
  • Sikora J.: Influence of load and amplitude of tangential vibrations on selflubricated bearing material wear (in Polish). Tribologia 2002 R. 33 No. 5(185)
  • Sikora J.: Proposal of a new criterion parameter in fatigue investigation of plain journal bearings. J. KONES 1998 vol. 5 No. 1
  • Sikora J., Kłopocki J., Majewski W.: Research and fatigue resistance of metal hydrodynamic of journal bearings.J. KONES 2000 vol. 7 No. 1-2
  • Siwek B., Gawarkiewicz R. : Algorithm of the linear wear calculation on base of geometrical data of the flat slide surface. (in polish), Tribologia 2002.No. 182. p. 695-705
  • Siwek B.: Bases of technical design. (in polish). Computer graphics. Paragraph 8. Warszawa: WNT 1997
  • Siwek B.: Computer model of mechanical systems. (in polish) Zesz. Nauk. P. Gdań. 1998 vol. 559 Mechanika No. 77
  • Siwek B.: Using of data stream from geometrical structure representation of the surface to the wear rate determination. (in polish) Zesz. Nauk. Wydz. Mech. P.Koszal. 2002 No. 31
  • Siwek B: Graphical data bases in AutoCAD environment. (in polish) Zesz. Nauk. Wydz. Mech. P.Koszal. 1998 No. 23
  • Wasilczuk M., Dąbrowski L.: Design methods for increasing load-carrying capacity of thrust bearings (in Polish), Tribologia No. 3/97
  • Wasilczuk M., Dąbrowski L.: Effect of optimization of oil gap profile in a hydrodynamic thrust bearing. Proceedings of 1st World Tribology Congress, London, 1997
  • Wasilczuk M.: Design method for a hydrodynamic thrust bearing based on optimisation of oil gap profile [Proc] Nordtrib 2000. 9th Nordic Symposium on Tribology, Porvoo, Finland 2000. Vol. 1
  • Wasilczuk M.: Influence of operating conditions on optimum film profile of a thrust bearing. Proceedings of 2nd World Tribology Congress Vienna 2001