These are bearings that lubricate and cool themselves using water. Since internal combustion engines, turbines, generators, and other pieces of machinery and equipment operate in high temperature conditions, so are these bearings.
Circulating water through the bearing housing helps water-cooled bearings dissipate heat and lubricate moving parts. Either natural convection or a pump can be used to move the water through the bearing housing. A heat exchanger is used to chill the water before it is recirculated through the bearing housing.
In high temperature applications, including internal combustion engines and gas turbines, where the bearing temperatures can surpass 200 degrees Celsius, water cooled bearings are frequently
employed. In situations where high speeds, radial stresses, and misalignments are required and where oil lubrication is not practical, they are also employed.
Compared to conventional air-cooled bearings, water-cooled bearings have a number of benefits. They can bear heavier weights, function at greater temperatures, and offer superior lubrication. In comparison to oil-cooled bearings, they also pose a decreased danger of fire and explosion. But because they need a water supply, a drainage system, and a heat exchanger to get rid of the heat, the system’s complexity and price might go substantially.
