Why using the right Lubricant is so important
If you are one of those people who believe that a lubricant has only one use: to make things slippery, read on.
Although that might be its main function, using the right lubricant has many other benefits. Apart from reducing friction, it also cuts down on the amount of wear and tear that takes place during operation. It also brings down operating temperatures, helps to keep the system free from contaminants, and reduce corrosion of metal surfaces.
Other benefits of a good lubricant
- It reduces wear and tear of parts such as bearings
- Cuts down on friction between lubricated components
- Helps to keep pistons cool
- Reduces wear and tear of pistons as well as piston rings
- Helps to prevent corrosion due to moisture and acids
- Helps to prevent build-up of sludge on internal surfaces
- Acts as a hydraulic media
- Increases both the lifespan and performance of an engine
The elements of every good lubricant
Every lubricant begins with a good base oil. There are three kinds: mineral, vegetable and synthetic. In industrial applications the most popular types are synthetic and mineral, so for the purposes of this article we will focus on these two.
Mineral oils
Mineral oils are derived from crude oil, and the qualify of the refining process determines the quality of the final product. This type of oil is mainly made up of naphthene, paraffin, branched paraffin and aromatic. Paraffinic oils have a straight, elongated structure, while branched paraffinic oils are similar, but have a branch off the side. The main uses of these oils are in industrial lubricants, engine oils, and processing oils.
Naphthenic oils are most commonly used in applications that don’t run very hot. Aromatic oils, on the other hand, are used for manufacturing adhesives and seal compounds.
Synthetic oils
Synthetic oils are, as the name implies, created artificially. Similar to branched paraffinic oils they have a virtually identical straight-chained structure. A major benefit of a synthetic oil is that the weight and molecular size are constant, which means their properties can be predicted with a large degree of certainty.
A grading scale is used to rate oil, and different oil quality is required by different applications.
Summary
By now it should be clear that using the right lubricant for your work is extremely important. If you are in any doubt over the most suitable lubricant for your particular purposes, your best bet is to speak to an expert before proceeding.