Pages

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Lubrication - The Facts

By Robert Blignaut


A lubricant is a substance that is added in order to reduce the friction that occurs between moving surfaces. As such, lubricants can be used in order to distribute heat and for transporting foreign particles. Lowering friction is referred to as lubricity. Any effective lubricant must have the same characteristics. In order for a lubricant to be effective it must have a high boiling point, low freezing point, high viscosity index, resistance to oxidation as well as corrosion, and be stable at whatever temperature it is to be exposed to while in use.

In the case of motor oil as a lubricant it has to offer protection to the internal combustion engine that is situated within powered equipment and vehicles. In the majority of instances lubricants have 90% base oil and 10% additives. Base oils are usually petroleum fractions that are often referred to as mineral oils. Vegetable oils, silicones, esters, hydrogenated polyolefines, and fluorocarbons are also used as base oils. Additives are necessary I that they reduce wear and friction while also improving viscosity index which results in superior resistance to oxidation, aging, and corrosion.

A fuel such as gasoline can have lubricants such as 2-cycle oils that are mixed with them, mainly because of the fact that they possess a low lubricity. Some sulfur impurities that are located in fuel offer some lubrication properties as well. Biodiesel is considered to be a good form of diesel fuel additive that provides extra lubricity.

However, not all lubricants come in liquid form. Some are non-liquid such as dry graphite, tungsten disulphide, Molybdenum sulphide, PtFe grease, and Teflon tape, all of which are commonly used in plumbing applications. Dry lubricants consist of graphite, tungsten disulphide, and Molybdenum sulphide and they are all able to provide lubrication at temperatures that exceed those that oil-based and liquid lubricants are able to operate at.

Lubrication can be used in many other applications besides those we have already covered. They can also reduce the friction as bearings like ball bearings, air bearings, and roller bearings. All of these also need internal lubrication. Acoustic lubrication uses sound as a lubricant.

Other than industrial applications that use lubricants for the automotive industry, lubricants can also be utilized in medical applications such as in the case of artificial joints and their lubricants, or in cooking, when lubricants are used to prevent food sticking to a frying pan. There are also lubricants that are used for personal reasons.

Besides industrial applications like lubricants for the automotive industry, lubricants can also be used for medical purposes (artificial joints and their lubricants), cooking (prevention of food sticking by way of fats and oils in frying pans) and personal lubrication.

Lubricants are used for several reasons. They may be used to keep moving parts away from one another; transfer heat; lessen friction; sweep away both debris and contaminants; transmit power; shield against wear; prevent corrosion; reduce the danger of fire and smoke in objects; and as a seal for gases. Lubrication is used today across a number of industries and for myriad reasons. While most people are probably familiar with lubrication mainly for motor vehicle uses, it also can be found in other areas. Cooking and medical uses are just two examples of other areas where lubrication is used prominently.




About the Author:



No comments: