Bearings are an important component of most of the machinery used in industry and otherwise. They have different types based on design, rolling elements, and other characteristics. Among these types, one is a spherical roller bearing. It has barrel-shaped rolling elements inside the outer and inner raceways of concave and convex surfaces, respectively.
So, what makes them different from the rest of the bearings, especially tapered roller bearings and cylindrical roller bearings? We will tell you everything related to spherical roller bearings, including their applications, definition, features, and comparison with other types of bearings.
What is a Spherical Roller Bearing?
Spherical roller bearings handle the angular misalignments besides handling the axial and radial loads of the machinery. They are rolling-element bearings having two rows of rollers. The rollers have a barrel shape and they move inside two raceways. Their outer raceway is concave-shaped, while the inner raceway is convex-shaped.
This exceptional feature of the spherical roller bearings makes them unique for self-alignment of deflected shafts and handling heavier loads constantly. It is the reason these bearings are perfect for heavy industry applications where misalignments and tolerating heavy load are required.
Besides, they have other notable characteristics as well, such as:
- Two rows of self-aligning rollers
- Versatile for different configurations, like split types and open and sealed designs based on operating requirements.
- High load-carrying capacity
- Considerably low friction
- Wide temperature range
- Robust construction
- Longer service life
There are different applications for these bearings and you can use them in various industries, such as steel and paper mills, heavier machinery, mining equipment, wind turbines, and marine applications.
What is the Difference Between Spherical & Cylindrical Bearings?
The spherical and cylindrical bearings can perfectly handle axial and radial loads and movement in any machinery. But their applications, composition (structure), advantages, and limitations are different.
The difference between the two bearings is evident from the table below:
| Attributes | Spherical Roller Bearings | Cylindrical Bearings |
| Composition | The inner side of the outer raceway is concave, whereas the outer side of the outer ring is convex. | There are rollers or cylindrical-shaped rollers between the inner and outer rings. |
| Rolling Elements | They are present in two forms. Either they won’t have any rolling elements or if they do, they will be in barrel shape. | They have cylindrical rollers between the inner and outer raceways. |
| Load Capacity | Exceptional capacity to handle radial load and moderately axial load and is perfect for misaligned and dynamic loads. | Their radial load bearing capacity is high but they don’t support axial loads. |
| Misalignment Tolerance | Spherical bearings have excellent capability since they have a self-aligning design. | These bearings have poor misalignment tolerance because their rollers must align with the raceways. |
| Friction | They have low friction because of the presence of the rolling elements | Even lower friction because of rolling elements and line contact between raceways and rolling elements. |
| Speed Capability | Such bearings have moderate to low speed capability and are not good for high-speed activities. | They have a high capability for high speed and can withstand highly accelerating applications. |
| Durability | It is very durable and tolerates harsh conditions. | Less durable than the spherical bearings and cannot tolerate very harsh conditions. |
| Lubrication | They need occasional lubrication, or you can use self-lubricating components to make them. | This needs regular maintenance and lubrication for a longer life span. |
| Industries Used In | Wind turbines, construction, automotive, and mining. | Turbines, precision machinery, electric motors, and gearboxes. |
| Key Advantages | Because of self-aligning, they are ideal for dynamic and misalignment applications. | They are perfect for high speed applications. |
| Key Limitations | These have limited speed capabilities than cylindrical bearings. | They cannot support misalignments and dynamic loads. |
What is the Difference Between Spherical Bearings and Taper Bearings?
Like cylindrical bearings, tapered roller bearings are different from spherical roller bearings in terms of applications, design, load-carrying capacity, and characteristics. However, their purpose to handle misalignment and axial loads is pretty much the same.
You can refer to the table for a detailed difference between the two rolling-element bearings.
| Features | Spherical Roller Bearing | Tapered Roller Bearing |
| Structure | The inner side of the outer raceway is concave, whereas the outer side of the outer ring is convex. | They have concave outer and inner raceways and are made of conical shaped tapered rollers. |
| Rolling Elements | Their rolling elements are barrel shaped that self-align. | They have tapered rollers, with one end having a larger diameter than the other one. |
| Load Capacity | Can bear high levels of radial loads and moderately cater to the axial load in two directions. | Can handle both axial and radial loads well but they are better at supporting axial loads in one direction. |
| Misalignment Tolerance | Spherical roller bearings have excellent capability since they have a self-aligning design. | They have limited misalignment tolerance as they need proper alignment for operation. However, some misalignment is managed. |
| Friction | They have low friction because of the presence of the seld-aligning rolling elements | When they are placed/aligned accurately, they offer very low friction but if the axial load increase, friction also increase. |
| Speed Capability | These bearings are better suited for moderate speed applications. | According to their design, they can work better in high speed applications. |
| Durability | It is very durable and tolerates harsh conditions, like shocks and vibrations. | It is durable in a controlled environment but cannot handle harsh conditions well. |
| Applications | Wind turbines, construction, automotive, and mining. | Wheel bearings (automotive), construction equipment, and gearboxes. |
| Axial Load Handling | Moderate load carrying ability in both directions. | Very high capability, especially for one direction. |
| Radial Load Handling | Exceptional radial load handling capability because of the rollers’ large contact area. | High radial handling load capability but lower than the spherical bearings. |
| Design Complexity | Very simple design for handling radial and axial loads and misalignments. | More complex design customized for certain axial and radial load conditions. |
| Key Advantage | Because of self-aligning, they are ideal for dynamic and misalignment applications. | Exceptional axial load carrying capability and distributing loads evenly in one direction. |
| Key Limitation | These have limited axial load handling capabilities than tapered bearings. | These cannot self-align and hence cannot be used for many applications. |
When to Use Spherical Bearings? (Spherical Bearings Applications)
Well, spherical bearings are commonly used in applications where you need flexibility, misalignment, and angular motion. They have a very unique design that enables the machines to cater to oscillatory, rotational, and pivoting motion while compensating for angular deviations among the different connected parts.
Some of the important applications of spherical roller bearings are listed below with details:
1. Automotive Industry
They absorb shock and vibrations in suspension systems to ensure smooth operation and compensate for misalignment in multiple components. These provide angular motion for seamless steering control. Also, in driveshaft assemblies they accommodate angular and rotational movement in power transmission.
2. Industrial Machinery
These bearings have applications in the mechanical linkages and levers for angular rotation. They are also present in loaders, conveyors, and rotary actuators to handle oscillatory motion, besides providing flexibility and alignment in order to achieve seamless automatic movements.
3. Agricultural Equipment
Spherical roller bearings support tractor linkages by managing angular misalignment in plows & harvesters. They are present in machinery attachments like tillers and seeders for smooth operation.
4. Construction Equipment
You can find them in excavators and loaders, where they offer pivoting movement in the booms and arms of the machinery. In cranes, they give flexibility and reliability under harsh conditions, loads, and angular displacement. They are also a part of earthmoving machinery and handle misalignment and motions caused by rough tracks.
5. Aerospace Industry
They are inside aircraft control systems supporting the motion of control surfaces and landing gear parts. They also tolerate angular misalignment in high accelerating rotational components.
6. Marine Applications
These roller bearings handle misalignment by hull deformation and waves. Steering machinery also has these bearings to ensure smooth movement in vigorous marine conditions.
7. Renewable Energy
In wind turbines they withstand misalignment present in the nacelle rotation and also blade pitch systems. They offer angular flexibility in the control mechanism of turbines in dams.
Spherical Roller Bearings Size Chart
Conclusion
Spherical roller bearings are a type of roller bearings that can handle radial loads exceptionally well under harsh conditions, including vibrations and shocks. They have barrel shaped rolling elements with a unique self-aligning design. Their outer raceway is concave-shaped while the inner raceway is convex. This feature of these spherical roller bearings makes them unique for self-alignment of deflected shafts and handling heavier loads constantly. It is the main reason these bearings are perfect for heavy industry applications where misalignments and tolerating heavy load are required.
Compared to these bearings, tapered roller bearings and cylindrical bearings lack self-aligning capability and hence cannot work as perfectly as them during harsh situations. They are however more suited for high speed applications. Spherical roller bearings are not very suitable for high speed usage.
You can contact BYWB Bearing for all your bearing queries. We are leading bearing manufacturers and suppliers in China, producing high-quality bearing types. Contact us for quotations and bearing assistance 24/7.
