Chapter 12

Chapter 12
Viscosity
Viscosity
 Shear stress in a fluid is proportional to the rate of change of
velocity with respect to y  For most lubricating fluids, the rate of shear is constant, thus

 µ is absolute viscosity,also called dynamic viscosity

 Fluids exhibiting this characteristic are called Newtonian fluids

https://yo
utu.be/Af
CyzIbpL
N4?t=260

Fig. 12–1
Fig. 12–1
7
8

Units of Viscosity
 Units of absolute viscosity
◦ ips units: reyn = lbf·s/in2
◦ SI units: Pa·s = N·s/m2
◦ cgs units: Poise =dyn·s/cm2
 cgs units are discouraged, but common historically in lubrication
 Viscosity in cgs is often expressed in centipoise (cP), designated
by Z
 Conversion from cgs to SI and ips:
Units of Viscosity
 In ips units, the microreyn ( µreyn) is often convenient.
 The symbol µ' is used to designate viscosity in µreyn

Measurement of Viscosity
 Saybolt Universal Viscosimeterused to measure viscosity
Measurement of Viscosity
 Measures time in seconds for 60 mL of lubricant at specified
temperature to run through a tube 17.6 mm in diameter and 12.25  In SI, kinematic viscosity n has units of m 2/s
mm long  Conversion is
 Result is kinematic viscosity  Eq. (12–3) in SI units,
 Unit is stoke = cm2/s
 Using Hagen-Poiseuille law kinematic viscosity based on seconds
Saybolt, also called Saybolt Universal viscosity (SUV) in seconds
 To convert to dynamic viscosity, multiply ν by density in SI units
is

where Zk is in centistokes (cSt) and t is the number of seconds

Saybolt where ρ is in kg/m3 and µ is in pascal-seconds

1|Page
Chapter 12

2|Page
Chapter 12

3|Page

The Relations of the Variables
 Albert Raimondi and John Boyd used an iteration technique to
solve Reynolds’ equation.
 Published 45 charts and 6 tables
 This text includes charts from Part III of Raimondi and Boyd
◦ Assumes infinitely long bearings, thus no side leakage
◦ Assumes full bearing
◦ Assumes oil film is ruptured when film pressure becomes zero
Chapter 12
Viscosity Charts
 Viscosity is clearly a function of temperature
 Viscosity charts of common lubricants are given in Figs. 12 –12
through 12 –14
 Raimondi and Boyd assumed constant viscosity through the
loading zone
 Not completely true since temperature rises as work is done on the
lubricant passing through the loading zone
 Use average temperature to find a viscosity
4|Page
 Chapter 12

Viscosity-Temperature Chart in U.S.

Viscosity-Temperature Chart in Metric
Customary Units Figure 12-12
Units Figure 12-13

Viscosity-Temperature Chart for

Multi-viscosity Lubricants Figure 12-14

5|Page
 Chapter 12

Minimum Film Thickness and

Eccentricity Ratio Figure 12-16

Coefficient of Friction Variable Figure

Position of Minimum Film Thickness 12-18
Figure 12-17

Flow Variable
Figure 12-19

Flow Ratio of Side Flow to Total

Flow Figure 12-20

6|Page
 Chapter 12
Maximum Film Pressure Figure 12-21 Terminating Position of Film Figure
12-22

Combined Temperature Rise Chart

Figure 12-24

7|Page
Chapter 12

8|Page