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Tribology Data HB Chapter1
Tribology Data HB Chapter1
Lubricant Properties
Chun-I Chen
CONTENTS
Typical Property Values of Lubricating Oils.........................................................................................3
Relations for Extending Physical Property Data................................................................................24
References...................................................................................................................................................32
Appendix.....................................................................................................................................................33
There are two components in this section. The first presents typical lubricating oil properties in
table format. The second gives correlations that can be used to estimate properties under other
conditions which are not included in the tables.
In most cases, the specification determines the formulation. If lubricants that meet the
same specification have roughly the same properties, only one set of typical values is given.
Sometimes, mainly due to the different base oil types, oils may meet the same specification but
have very different values in some properties. In such cases, two or more sets of values may
be listed. For example, both naphthenic mineral oils and paraffinic mineral oils can be formu-
lated to meet the AGMA #1 specification; however, they have very different viscosity-temper-
ature properties. Without a VI improver, paraffinic oils will show VI values around 100, where-
as naphthenic oils have typical values of less than 50.
The “AVG MW” column presents the average molecular weight of the lubricant oils.
The “Common Additives” column lists the additives commonly found in oils that meet the
given specification. The meanings of the abbreviations used in this column are listed as fol-
lows: C, anticorrosion; O, antioxidant; R, antirust; W, antiwear; F, defoam; DT, detergent; DS,
dispersant; EP, extreme pressure; FM, friction modifier; MD, metal deactivator; P, pour depres-
sant; VI, viscosity index improver.
where:
log = logarithm to base 10
v = kinematic viscosity, [cSt] or [mm2/s]
T = Temperature, [K] or [°R]
A and B = dimensionless constants
The constants A and B can be evaluated for a fluid from two data points at different temperatures.
Kinematic viscosities or temperatures for other points can then be readily calculated. To use this equa-
tion, the kinematic viscosity should be larger than 2.0 centistokes. For lower viscosities, the constant
0.7 increases according to relations in ASTM D341. ASTM has available “Standard Viscosity-
Temperature Charts” which give a straight line relation for any oil represented by Equation 1. The
“Middle Range” chart of Figure 1 covers the temperature range of -40 to 150°C. Other charts extend
from -70 to 370°C for viscosities from 0.18 to 20 million cSt.
The viscosity index (VI) can be calculated by ASTM method D2270 and can be approximated
from Figure 2. This arbitrary measure gives a relative viscosity-temperature sensitivity, with 100 rep-
resenting little change in viscosity with temperature (the best paraffinic mineral oils in 1929) and 0 rep-
resenting a great change (the poorest naphthenic oils in 1929).
Note that the kinematic viscosity is related to dynamic viscosity as follows:
VISCOSITY-PRESSURE COEFFICIENT
The viscosity-pressure coefficient, α, is defined as:
where:
α = pressure-viscosity coefficient, [10-8Pa-1]
m0 = viscosity-temperature property from the ASTM Walther equation and
equal to (ASTM slope)/0.2; ASTM slope = constant B in Equation 1
ν0 = atmospheric kinematic viscosity at the temperature of interest, [mm2/s]
r = atmospheric density at the temperature of interest, [103kg/m3]
Note: kinematic viscosity at 1 atm and the temperature of interest should be above 1.0.
Copyright © 1997 CRC Press, LLC.
Typical Lubricating Oil Properties 27
Kinematic viscosity at pressure P and the temperature of interest can be obtained by the
following equation. Significant variation in this viscosity-pressure coefficient can be expected
when the pressure ranges above about 50–300 atm. (0.5–3 MPa).
where:
ν = kinematic viscosity at pressure P and at the temperature of interest, [mm2/s]
P = pressure, [GPa]
Po = atmospheric pressure (0.0001 GPa)
where:
M = molecular weight of petroleum fraction
ν100 = kinematic viscosity of petroleum fraction at 100°F (37.8°C), [cSt]
ν210 = kinematic viscosity of petroleum fraction at 210°F (98.9°C), [cSt]
sp gr = specific gravity, 60/60°F (15.6/15.6°C)
Alternately, Equation 2B2.1-1 of the API Technical Data Book26 can also be used.
where:
Tb = mean average boiling point of petroleum fraction, [°R]
sp gr = specific gravity, 60/60°F (15.6/15.6°C)
where:
ρT = density at the temperature T, [103kg/m3]
ρ60F = density at 60°F, [103kg/m3]
T = temperature, [°F]
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
Equation 12A3.1-1 of the API Technical Data Book26 is used to estimate the thermal conductiv-
ity of petroleum fraction liquids:
where:
k = thermal conductivity, [Btu/h/ft/F]. (1 Btu/h/ft/F = 1.7307 W/m/K.)
T = temperature, [°F]
where:
k = thermal conductivity, [Btu in./(h ft2oF)]. (1 Btu in./(h ft2oF) =
0.1442279 W/m/K.)
T = temperature, [°F]
sp gr = specific gravity, 60/60°F (15.6/15.6°C)
SPECIFIC HEAT
Equation 7D2.2-1 of the API Technical Data Book26 is used to estimate the specific heat of
petroleum fraction liquids:
If the kinematic viscosities at 100°F and 210°F are known, then Equation 3 can be used
to estimate the molecular weight. Equation 4 can then be used to estimate Tb. Another equa-
tion27 can also be used.
where:
Cp = specific heat, [Btu/Ib/°R] (1 Btu/Ib/°R = 4186.8 J/kg/K.)
sp gr = specific gravity 60/60°F (15.6/15.6°C)
T = temperature, [°F]
BULK MODULUS
The Song correlation28 is used to estimate the bulk modulus. Only the values at 40°C and 1 atm
are given in Table 1.
The modulus estimated by this correlation is isothermal secant bulk modulus, which is
defined as:
where:
B = isothermal secant bulk modulus at pressure P and temperature T, [GPa]
V0,T = specific volume at pressure P0and temperature T, [cm3/g]
P = pressure, [GPa]
P0 = atmospheric pressure (0.0001 GPa)
VP,T = specific volume at pressure P and temperature T, [cm3/g]
where:
BP,T = isothermal secant bulk modulus of mineral oil and pure hydrocarbon at
pressure P and temperature T, [GPa]
B0,T = isothermal secant bulk modulus at atmospheric pressure and temperture
T, [GPa]
log10(B0,T)= 0.3766*[log10(v0,T)]0.3307-0.2766
ν0,T = kinematic viscosity at atmospheric pressure and temperature T, [cSt]
AT = -0.01382T + 5.851
T = temperature, [°CJ
P = pressure, [GPa]
where:
B′P,T = isothermal secant bulk modulus of nonmineral-based fluid at pressure P
and temperature T, [GPa]
BP,T = isothermal secant bulk modulus from Equation 9, [GPa]
S = deviation factor for nonmineral-based fluids from the following table, [GPa]
Once the bulk modulus at the temperature and pressure of interest is obtained by Equation 9 or 10,
Equation 8 can then be used to calculate the specific volume or density at that temperature and pres-
sure.
GAS SOLUBILITY
A semiempirical correlation proposed by Beerbower (Beerbower, 1980) can be used to estimate the
solubility of gases at atmospheric pressure.
Liquid solubility parameter, S1, is approximately 18.0 for diesters commonly used in aircraft
fluids, 18.5 to 19.0 for higher esters, 18.41 for methyl phenyl silicone, 15.14 for dimethyl sili-
cone, 18.29 for tri-2-ethylhexyl phosphate, and 18.82 for tricresyl phosphate.
Some gas solubility parameters, S2, are given in the following table.29
Effect of dissolved gases on viscosity of lubricants at 1000 psi (7.0 MPa) is shown in the
following table.29
REFERENCES
APPENDIX