What is the difference in lifespan between oil bearing and ball bearing cooling fans in different environments?

The difference in lifespan between oil bearing and ball bearing cooling fans will sharply increase with the severity of the environment. In mild environments, the lifespan difference between the two is about 2-3 times, and in harsh environments such as high temperatures and dust, the difference can widen to 5 times or even higher. The specific differences vary depending on different environmental scenarios as follows:
Room temperature clean environment (around 25 ℃, less dust, dry, such as home office computers and ordinary household appliances)
This type of environment has low fan losses and is an advantageous scenario for oil bearing fans. The typical service life of oil bearing fans is about 10000-20000 hours. Calculated based on running for 8 hours per day, they can be used for 3-6 years; The lifespan of ball bearing fans can reach 50000 to 70000 hours, and can be used for 17-24 years under the same usage time. In this scenario, the lifespan of ball bearing fans is about 4-5 times that of oil containing bearings, but the lifespan of oil containing bearings can basically meet the regular usage needs of household equipment.
High temperature environment (above 70 ℃, such as industrial production line equipment, server rooms, and around automotive engines)
High temperature can accelerate the evaporation and deterioration of lubricating oil in oil containing bearings, leading to a significant reduction in their lifespan, which can only last for a few thousand hours. In some severe cases, faults such as lagging and abnormal noise may occur within less than 6 months; Ball bearings rely on rolling friction, have strong high temperature resistance, and can still maintain a lifespan of 30000 to 50000 hours. At this point, there is a significant difference in the lifespan between the two, with the lifespan of ball bearings reaching 5-8 times that of oil containing bearings. This is also the core reason why ball bearing fans are often preferred for industrial equipment.
Dusty and humid environments (such as factory workshops, outdoor equipment, and damp storage environments)
Dust can easily mix into the lubricating oil of oil containing bearings, forming sludge that blocks the shaft. Moisture can also exacerbate bearing corrosion, reducing the lifespan of oil containing bearing fans to thousands of hours, and faults often manifest as lagging or stalling; Ball bearings are mostly enclosed structures that can reduce the intrusion of dust and water vapor, have strong resistance to impurities, and can typically maintain a lifespan of 20000 to 40000 hours. In this environment, the lifespan of ball bearing fans is about 3-6 times that of oil containing bearings, and their operational stability far exceeds that of oil containing bearing fans.
Frequent start stop/multi installation posture environment (such as on-board equipment, mobile power supply, inverted/vertically installed industrial components)
Oil containing bearings are sensitive to installation posture and start stop frequency. Frequent start stop can damage the oil film at the shaft core. Lubricating oil is easily lost when vertical or inverted, and the service life may only be a few thousand hours. It is also prone to unstable speed problems; The mechanical structure of ball bearings is stable, not limited by installation posture, and can withstand the impact caused by frequent start stop. The service life can reach 40000 to 60000 hours. The lifespan of the ball bearing fan here is 6-8 times that of the oil containing bearing, making it suitable for dynamic scenarios that require high operational stability.