This document provides an overview of grease basics, including its components, functions, and properties. Grease consists of three main components: base oil, thickener, and additives. The base oil and additives are the major components that influence grease behavior, while the thickener acts as a "sponge" to hold the lubricant. Grease is used when oil lubrication is impractical, such as for machinery that is inaccessible or operates under extreme conditions. Key properties of grease include consistency, dropping point, oxidation stability, and effects of high/low temperatures. Grease selection depends on matching these properties to the operating conditions.
This document provides an overview of grease basics, including its components, functions, and properties. Grease consists of three main components: base oil, thickener, and additives. The base oil and additives are the major components that influence grease behavior, while the thickener acts as a "sponge" to hold the lubricant. Grease is used when oil lubrication is impractical, such as for machinery that is inaccessible or operates under extreme conditions. Key properties of grease include consistency, dropping point, oxidation stability, and effects of high/low temperatures. Grease selection depends on matching these properties to the operating conditions.
This document provides an overview of grease basics, including its components, functions, and properties. Grease consists of three main components: base oil, thickener, and additives. The base oil and additives are the major components that influence grease behavior, while the thickener acts as a "sponge" to hold the lubricant. Grease is used when oil lubrication is impractical, such as for machinery that is inaccessible or operates under extreme conditions. Key properties of grease include consistency, dropping point, oxidation stability, and effects of high/low temperatures. Grease selection depends on matching these properties to the operating conditions.
Tags: greases The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) defines lubricating grease as !A solid to semifluid product of dispersion of a thic"ening agent in li#uid lubricant$ %ther ingredients imparting special properties may be included! (ASTM & '((, Standard &efinitions of Terms )elating to *etroleum)$ Grease Anatomy As this definition indicates, there are three components that form lubricating grease$ These components are oil, thic"ener and additi+es$ The base oil and additi+e pac"age are the ma,or components in grease formulations, and as such, e-ert considerable influence on the beha+ior of the grease$ The thic"ener is often referred to as a sponge that holds the lubricant (base oil plus additi+es)$ Figure 1. Grease Anatomy Base Oil Most greases produced today use mineral oil as their fluid components$ These mineral oil.based greases typically pro+ide satisfactory performance in most industrial applications$ /n temperature e-tremes (lo0 or high), a grease that utili1es a synthetic base oil 0ill pro+ide better stability$ Thickener The thic"ener is a material that, in combination 0ith the selected lubricant, 0ill produce the solid to semifluid structure$ The primary type of thic"ener used in current grease is metallic soap$ These soaps include lithium, aluminum, clay, polyurea, sodium and calcium$ 2ately, comple- thic"ener.type greases are gaining popularity$ They are being selected because of their high dropping points and e-cellent load.carrying abilities$ Comple- greases are made by combining the con+entional metallic soap 0ith a comple-ing agent$ The most 0idely used comple- grease is lithium based$ These are made 0ith a combination of con+entional lithium soap and a lo0. molecular. 0eight organic acid as the comple-ing agent$ Nonsoap thic"eners are also gaining popularity in special applications such as high. temperature en+ironments$ 3entonite and silica aerogel are t0o e-amples of thic"eners that do not melt at high temperatures$ There is a misconception, ho0e+er, that e+en though the thic"ener may be able to 0ithstand the high temperatures, the base oil 0ill o-idi1e #uic"ly at ele+ated temperatures, thus re#uiring a fre#uent relube inter+al$ Additives Additi+es can play se+eral roles in a lubricating grease$ These primarily include enhancing the e-isting desirable properties, suppressing the e-isting undesirable properties, and imparting ne0 properties$ The most common additi+es are o-idation and rust inhibitors, e-treme pressure, anti0ear, and friction.reducing agents$ /n addition to these additi+es, boundary lubricants such as molybdenum disulfide (moly) or graphite may be suspended in the grease to reduce friction and 0ear 0ithout ad+erse chemical reactions to the metal surfaces during hea+y loading and slo0 speeds$ Table 1. NLGI onsistency Function The function of grease is to remain in contact 0ith and lubricate mo+ing surfaces 0ithout lea"ing out under the force of gra+ity, centrifugal action or being s#uee1ed out under pressure$ /ts ma,or practical re#uirement is that it retains its properties under shear forces at all temperatures it e-periences during use$ A!!lications "uitable #or Grease 4rease and oil are not interchangeable$ 4rease is used 0hen it is not practical or con+enient to use oil$ The lubricant choice for a specific application is determined by matching the machinery design and operating conditions 0ith desired lubricant characteristics$ 4rease is generally used for 5$ Machinery that runs intermittently or is in storage for an e-tended period of time$ 3ecause grease remains in place, a lubricating film can instantly form$ '$ Machinery that is not easily accessible for fre#uent lubrication$ 6igh.#uality greases can lubricate isolated or relati+ely inaccessible components for e-tended periods of time 0ithout fre#uent replenishing$ These greases are also used in sealed.for.life applications such as some electrical motors and gearbo-es$ 7$ Machinery operating under e-treme conditions such as high temperatures and pressures, shoc" loads or slo0 speed under hea+y load$ 8$ Worn components$ 4rease maintains thic"er films in clearances enlarged by 0ear and can e-tend the life of 0orn parts that 0ere pre+iously lubricated by oil$ Functional $ro!erties o# Grease 5$ 4rease functions as a sealant to minimi1e lea"age and to "eep out contaminants$ 3ecause of its consistency, grease acts as a sealant to pre+ent lubricant lea"age and also to pre+ent entrance of corrosi+e contaminants and foreign materials$ /t also acts to "eep deteriorated seals effecti+e$ '$ 4rease is easier to contain than oil$ %il lubrication can re#uire an e-pensi+e system of circulating e#uipment and comple- retention de+ices$ /n comparison, grease, by +irtue of its rigidity, is easily confined 0ith simplified, less costly retention de+ices$ 7$ 4rease holds solid lubricants in suspension$ 9inely ground solid lubricants, such as molybdenum disulfide (moly) and graphite, are mi-ed 0ith grease in high.temperature ser+ice or in e-treme high.pressure applications$ 4rease holds solids in suspension 0hile solids 0ill settle out of oils$ 8$ 9luid le+el does not ha+e to be controlled and monitored$ haracteristics As 0ith oil, grease displays its o0n set of characteristics that must be considered 0hen being chosen for an application$ The characteristics commonly found on product data sheets include the follo0ing $um!ability$ *umpability is the ability of a grease to be pumped or pushed through a system$ More practically, pumpability is the ease 0ith 0hich a pressuri1ed grease can flo0 through lines, no11les and fittings of grease.dispensing systems$ %ater resistance. This is the ability of a grease to 0ithstand the effects of 0ater 0ith no change in its ability to lubricate$ A soap:0ater lather may suspend the oil in the grease, forming an emulsion that can 0ash a0ay or, to a lesser e-tent, reduce lubricity by diluting and changing grease consistency and te-ture$ onsistency. 4rease consistency depends on the type and amount of thic"ener used and the +iscosity of its base oil$ A grease;s consistency is its resistance to deformation by an applied force$ The measure of consistency is called penetration$ *enetration depends on 0hether the consistency has been altered by handling or 0or"ing$ ASTM & '5< and & 58=7 methods measure penetration of un0or"ed and 0or"ed greases$ To measure penetration, a cone of gi+en 0eight is allo0ed to sin" into a grease for fi+e seconds at a standard temperature of '>?C (<<?9)$ The depth, in tenths of a millimeter, to 0hich the cone sin"s into the grease is the penetration$ A penetration of 5== 0ould represent a solid grease 0hile a penetration of 8>= 0ould be semifluid$ The N24/ has established consistency numbers or grade numbers, ranging from === to @, corresponding to specified ranges of penetration numbers$ Table 5 lists the N24/ grease classifications along 0ith a description of the consistency of ho0 it relates to common semifluids$ &ro!!ing !oint. &ropping point is an indicator of the heat resistance of grease$ As grease temperature increases, penetration increases until the grease li#uefies and the desired consistency is lost$ The dropping point is the temperature at 0hich a grease becomes fluid enough to drip$ The dropping point indicates the upper temperature limit at 0hich a grease retains its structure, not the ma-imum temperature at 0hich a grease may be used$ O'idation stability. This is the ability of a grease to resist a chemical union 0ith o-ygen$ The reaction of grease 0ith o-ygen produces insoluble gum, sludges and lac#uer.li"e deposits that cause sluggish operation, increased 0ear and reduction of clearances$ *rolonged e-posure to high temperatures accelerates o-idation in greases$ (igh)tem!erature e##ects. 6igh temperatures harm greases more than they harm oils$ 4rease, by its nature, cannot dissipate heat by con+ection li"e a circulating oil$ Conse#uently, 0ithout the ability to transfer a0ay heat, e-cessi+e temperatures result in accelerated o-idation or e+en carboni1ation 0here grease hardens or forms a crust$ Affecti+e grease lubrication depends on the grease;s consistency$ 6igh temperatures induce softening and bleeding, causing grease to flo0 a0ay from needed areas$ The mineral oil in grease can flash, burn or e+aporate at temperatures greater than 5<<?C (7>=?9)$ Lo*)tem!erature e##ects. /f the temperature of a grease is lo0ered enough, it 0ill become so +iscous that it can be classified as a hard grease$ *umpability suffers and machinery operation may become impossible due to tor#ue limitations and po0er re#uirements$ As a guideline, the base oil;s pour point is considered the lo0. temperature limit of a grease$ +e#erences 5$ *irro, Wessol$ Lubrication Fundamentals$ Ne0 Bor" Marcel &e""er, '==5$ '$ C$S$ Army Corps of Angineers$ Engineering and Design - Lubricants and Hydraulic Fluids$ AM 555=.'.58'8 CACW.AT, 5DDD$