Performance you can rely on.

Fundamentals of Lubrication

InfineumInsight.com/Learn

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Agenda

01 State what the word tribology means

List the main regimes of lubrication and state the

02 conditions under which each tends to occur

Understand Infineum approach to lubricant

03 performance testing

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Introduction to Tribology

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Tribology Solving Real World Problems

Tribology is about understanding, analysing,

predicting and controlling interactions between
moving surfaces

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Tribology History and Definition

The word ‘Tribology’ Leonardo Da Vinci was

was first coined in 1964 the first to enunciate
the laws of friction

Source: WSJ

Tribology is the study of friction, wear and lubrication

between surfaces sliding against each other

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Why Does Tribology Matter?

Safety
Energy

Reliability
Environment

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Multi-disciplinary Aspect of Tribology

Fluids
mechanics

Solid Material
Tribology
mechanics science

Physical-
chemistry

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Stribeck Curve and Lubrication Regimes

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Stribeck Curve
Stribeck curve is used to represent friction response of a
tribological contact across different lubrication regimes
Boundary lubrication

Minimum film thickness (h)

Mixed lubrication
Coefficient of friction (µ)

Elasto-hydrodynamic
Hydrodynamic

Viscosity x speed
Log
Load

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Hydrodynamic Lubrication
The contact is designed such that their relative motion drags
lubricant between them, forcing the lubricant to high pressures of up
to 200 MPa (30,000 psi), large enough to support external loads
Lube oil supply

Bearing Bearing load

Pressurised film
creating a 'lift' of
the top surface
Lubrication
gap

Oil Flow

Journal
Moving Surface

Oil film thickness typically 1 to 100 μm Hydrodynamic

Minimum oil oil film pressure
film thickness profile

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Hydrodynamic Lubrication
Examples

Plain journal bearings Aquaplanning

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Elasto-hydrodynamic Lubrication (EHL)

When all the loading is concentrated on a small contact area:
• High localised stresses cause elastic deformation of the surfaces
• There is an exponential rise in viscosity of the lubricant as it is
squeezed through the contact

Thin fluid film is formed

due to surface deformation
and viscosity increase

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EHL
Examples

Toyota 1HZ timing gear Valve train – cam and lifter

experience EHL at cam nose

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Boundary Lubrication
Insufficient film to
separate the surfaces

Tribo-reacted film on
contacting asperities
Oil film thickness typically 1 to 100 nm

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Mixed Lubrication
Enough film to separate
most of the rubbing surfaces

Metal-to-metal contact
between asperities

Oil film thickness typically 1 to 100 nm

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Mixed and Boundary Lubrication

Examples
Piston rings experience
all lubrication regimes as
piston slides from TDC to BDC
Top Dead Centre (TDC) Mixed/boundary

Crank angle (deg)

Mid-stroke Hydrodynamic

Bottom Dead Centre (BDC) Mixed/boundary

0 100
Metallic contact (%)

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Applied Tribology and Key Properties

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Parameters to Consider in Tribology

Viscosity and Viscosity index

Behaviour under extreme
pressure
Lubricant
Newtonian vs. non- Newtonian
properties
Surface active additives

Surface finish Temperature

Metallurgy Material Operating Pressure
Hardness properties conditions Relative velocity
Coating Chemical species

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Material Properties
Top ring and cam

Surface Finish
Real example of top ring
roughness discrepancy

Metallurgy Hardness

Chilled
cast iron

Grey cast iron

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Operating Conditions
Main bearings
Critical operating conditions
• High load
• Low engine speeds

Main challenges
• Increasing contact pressures and
temperatures
• Stop and start and hybridisation
• High soot content in certain
applications Typical temperature
and contact pressure:
Main types of wear
• 120 °C
• Abrasion
• 60 MPa
• Corrosion
• Cavitation
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Lubricant Properties
Viscosity
𝑁
Dynamic viscosity: 𝜏 𝑆ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 (𝑚2 )
𝜂= [Pa.s]
resistance to shearing flow 𝛾ሶ 𝑆ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 (𝑠 −1 )

Kinematic viscosity: 𝜂 𝐷𝑦𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑐 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦

𝜗= [𝑚2 /𝑠]
flow response to gravity 𝜌 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦

Viscosity index:
Kinematic Viscosity (mm2/s)

300
250
VI ~ 65
200
150
100
50 VI > 250
0 110
30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Temperature (°C)
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Lubricant Properties
High pressure

Viscosity pressure relationship:

lubricant viscosity increases with pressure and
this effect is generally greater than the effect of
temperature.

Barus equation is most commonly used to show

the relationship:

𝜂𝑝 = 𝜂0 𝑒 𝛼𝑝
𝜂𝑝 viscosity at pressure ‘p’ [Pa.s]
𝜂0 viscosity at atmospheric pressure [Pa.s]
𝛼 is the pressure viscosity coefficient [m2/N]

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Lubricant Properties
Non-Newtonian behaviour
Viscosity-shear rate relationship:
almost all lubricants behave as non-Newtonian fluids
under high shear rates
Pseudo-plastic behaviour Thixotropic behaviour
also referred as shear thinning also referred as
shear duration thinning

Newtonian

Shear rate
Viscosity

Shear rate Shear stress

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How to Test and Measure

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Why Study Friction and Wear in an Engine?

Durability, Internal combustion Movement

performance engines contain between parts
retention and many moving metal generates friction
efficiency parts and wear

Several tests are used to qualify formulated

oils against well-defined performance criteria

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How to Select the Right Level of Testing

Control of variables, fundamental understanding

Field Chassis Fired Motored Motored Bench

Testing Dyno Engine Engine Sub- Rigs
assembly

Representativeness, complexity, time, cost

Representativeness, complexity, time, cost

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Surface Examination Tools

Optical White-light Scanning electron
Profilometry
microscope interferometer microscopy

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Example
Ring/liner wear tested in the SRV
Liner coupon Oil supply
Top ring section Liner temperature
Reciprocating frequency
Stroke
Normal load applied
Test duration
Lubricant
properties

Material Operating
properties conditions

Severity Discrimination Repeatability

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Example - Ring/liner wear tested in the SRV

Elements on
On-test monitoring Liner surface Liner surface
ring surface

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Is That Everything for the Lubricant?

• Keep surfaces separate

• Protect surfaces
Performance

• Act as a cooling fluid

• Fulfil detersive and dispersive functions

Durability
• Act as a sealant

• Remain adequately stable

Fuel economy

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Summary
You should now have a better understanding of:

01 Tribology: definition and implications

The main lubrication regimes and the conditions

02 under which they occur

The key parameters to consider for

03 a system approach

The different levels of testing and

04 surface analysis techniques

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