A Radiometric Test to Determine the Lubricant Effect on Journal Bearing Load Capacity

Radiometric techniques have been developed and successfully applied to journal bearing studies in a unidirectional bearing test machine. These techniques, which involve the detection of wear debris from a radioactive (¹¹³Sn) test bearing, were used to determine bearing load capacity with both Newtonian and non-Newtonian lubricants. Results indicate that the radiometric method can rapidly provide information that correlates with other laboratory and engine test data.