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Experimental study on the effect of solid lubricants on wheel rail contact wear and surface hardness evolution

Peiwen Sun (Beijing Key Laboratory of Performance Guarantee on Urban Rail Transit Vehicles, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, China)
Jianwei Yang (Beijing Key Laboratory of Performance Guarantee on Urban Rail Transit Vehicles, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, China)
AiHua Zhu (Beijing Key Laboratory of Performance Guarantee on Urban Track Transit Vehicles, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, China, and Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China)
Zhongshuo Hu (School of Mechanical and Electronic Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China, and)
Jinhai Wang (Beijing Key Laboratory of Performance Guarantee on Urban Rail Transit Vehicles, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, China)
Fu Liu (Beijing Key Laboratory of Performance Guarantee on Urban Rail Transit Vehicles, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, China)
Xiaohui Wang (Beijing Key Laboratory of Performance Guarantee on Urban Rail Transit Vehicles, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, China)

Industrial Lubrication and Tribology

ISSN: 0036-8792

Article publication date: 18 September 2023

Issue publication date: 31 October 2023

60

Abstract

Purpose

The CL60 steel wheels of subway vehicles operating on specific lines require frequent refurbishment due to rapid wear and tear. Considering this issue, MoS2-based and graphite-based solid lubricants are used to reduce the wear rate of subway wheels and extend their service life.

Design/methodology/approach

Under laboratory conditions, the effect of MoS2-based and graphite-based solid lubricants on the friction and wear performance of subway wheels and rails was evaluated using a modified GPM-60 wear testing machine.

Findings

Under laboratory conditions, MoS2-based solid lubricants have the best effect in reducing wheel/rail wear, compared to the control group without lubrication, at 2 × 105 revolutions, the total wheel-rail wear decreased by 95.07%. However, when three types of solid lubricants are used separately, the hardness evolution of the wheel-rail contact surface exhibits different characteristics.

Practical implications

The research results provide important support for improving the lifespan of wheel and rail, extending the service cycle of wheel and rail, reducing the operating costs of subway systems, improving the safety of subway systems and providing wear reduction maintenance for other high wear mechanical components.

Originality/value

The experiment was conducted through the design and modification of a GPM-60 testing machine for wear testing. The experiment simulated the wheel-rail contact situation under actual subway operation and evaluated the effects of three different solid lubricants, MoS2-based and graphite-based, on the wear performance and surface hardening evolution of subway wheel-rail.

Keywords

Citation

Sun, P., Yang, J., Zhu, A., Hu, Z., Wang, J., Liu, F. and Wang, X. (2023), "Experimental study on the effect of solid lubricants on wheel rail contact wear and surface hardness evolution", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 75 No. 8, pp. 904-910. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-04-2023-0096

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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