Water lubricated bearings have been named in literature as a sustainable alternative to their oil-based counterparts. In order to clarify when water lubricated bearings are or are not a sustainable alternative, and inform design decisions, an analytical design tool is introduced based on anticipatory Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This model is based on data from the bearing geometries, materials, and material combinations that have been the subject of research attention in the past 20 years in water lubricated bearing design. The model provides simple equations, fed with data from literature on materials, production and their tribological combination to provide initial insight on the sustainability of these types of bearings and future designs. A case study illustrates that quantifying environmental impacts can help determine when lubricant loss is more important than material choice, or vice-versa. The method aids bearing designers towards more sustainable designs.

水润滑轴承在文献中被称为油基轴承的可持续替代品。为了阐明水润滑轴承何时是或不是可持续的替代品，并为设计决策提供信息，引入了一种基于预期生命周期评估 (LCA) 的分析设计工具。该模型基于轴承几何形状、材料和材料组合的数据，这些数据在过去 20 年中一直是水润滑轴承设计的研究热点。该模型提供了简单的方程式，并从有关材料、生产及其摩擦学组合的文献中获取数据，以初步了解这些类型的轴承和未来设计的可持续性。一个案例研究表明，量化环境影响有助于确定润滑剂损失何时比材料选择更重要，反之亦然。该方法可帮助轴承设计人员实现更可持续的设计。