TYPES OF LUBRICANTS

By Er.Laxman Singh Sankhla B.E.Mech., Chartered Engineer Jodhpur, India Mail ID: laxman9992001@yahoo.co.in
There are three kinds of lubricants: solid, semi-solid and liquid lubricants. Gaseous lubricants: Most common gas used is air. Semi Solid Lubricants: Examples of semi solid lubricants are grease and Vaseline. Solid Lubricants: Commonly used lubricants are graphite and soapstone. These lubricants are used when liquids or soft solids cannot be used and when the surfaces between which the lubricant will be placed are hard materials. These materials are then mixed with oil or grease to improve their efficiency as lubricants. Liquid lubricants: Oil Types Oils are classified as either petroleum or synthetic. Petroleum oils are refined from crude oil and synthetic oils are produced by chemical synthesis. The primary characteristic when selecting an oil is its viscosity, a measure of its flow characteristics. Viscosity is normally expressed in terms of the time

required for a specific amount of oil to flow through a standard size hole at a specific temperature. Viscosity varies with temperature and is always described with the temperature at which it was measured. The International System (S.I. units) for classifying viscosity uses centistokes at standard temperatures of 40C and 100C. The Saybolt Universal Second (SUS) is also commonly used in many parts of the world. The standard measuring temperature for SUS is 40C and 100C. There are many classifications for oil viscosity grades. The most familiar is the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) system, which includes automotive engine and gear oils for conventional crankcases and manual transmission oils . The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) has adopted a standard of viscosity grades for industrial fluids, known as the ISO viscosity grade. This system shows the viscosity grade as the numerical viscosity of the fluid in centistokes at 40C (104F). These two viscosity classification systems can be directly compared. When selecting the correct oil for an application, the bearing size, speed, temperature, load and general operating condition must all be considered. Always refer equipment manufacturers O & M for specific lubrication requirements for a equipment. Liquid lubricants are used in delicate and light machines which work at high speed but under low pressure. Mineral oils, vegetable oils & animal oils are the various types of liquid lubricants. Petroleum Oils. Classified as naphthenic or paraffinic, depending on the crude oil source. Excellent general-purpose oils at normal temperatures (40 to 250F). Additives are typically required to inhibit oxidation, foaming and polymerization and to improve viscosity index. Also known as white petroleum, mineral oil has been widely used in heavy machinery applications. Synthetic Lubricants: It can be used, where extreme temperature, chemical reactive atmosphere or some very particular operating conditions are involved and where all other lubricants fail to work effectively. Synthetic oil is a lubricant consisting of chemical compounds which are artificially made (synthesized) from compounds other than crude oil.

Silicones: Synthetic compounds with a relatively constant viscosity over their temperature range. Used for very cold starting and low torque applications. Generally undesirable for high loads and speeds. Temperature range 100F to 450F. Maximum dN rating of 200,000. Fluorocarbons: Synthetic oils for corrosive, reactive or high temperature (up to550F) environments. Nonsoluble in most solvents. Excellent oxidative stability, low volatility. They provide poor protection against bearing corrosion. Designed for specific temperature ranges with several products used to cover from 70F to 550F. Synthetic Hydrocarbons: Polyalphaolefins and others which are chemically reacted to provide performance areas superior to petroleum and other synthetic oils. These oils are useable over a wider temperature range than petroleum oils; they are less volatile, more heat resistant and oxidation-stable at high temperatures, and more fluid at low temperatures. General temperature range is 80F to 350F.