Introduction to Lubricants
Lubricant
A lubricant is a substance introduced to reduce friction between moving surfaces. It may also have the function of transporting foreign particles. The property of reducing friction is known as lubricity.
Lubricant is a material that reduces the friction arising due to the sliding / gliding / rolling / moving of two different components in a machinery. Friction is an undesirable process that results in (i) wear and tear of the surfaces of the moving parts (ii) loss of enormous energy as heat dissipation (iii) lowered efficiency of the moving parts and (iv) damage of machine parts as seizure etc. The purpose of lubricant is to reduce the friction and minimize the frictional effects such as overheating / seizure of the components thereby reducing the losses. Also, the lubricant enables the smooth, flawless ejection of the moulded articles from the basic mould structure. The process of reducing the friction and wear between the two relatively moving components of the machinery is termed as lubrication.
Function of lubricants: The important functions of a lubricant are (i) to reduce wear and tear of the surfaces of the moving parts (ii) to reduce the loss of enormous energy as heat dissipation (iii) to increase the efficiency of the moving parts and (iv) to reduce damage of machine parts as seizure, surface deformation etc (v) to prevent the expansion of metal due to local frictional heat (vi) to minimize the possibility of corrosion, as the direct contact of metals is avoided by the formation of the lubricant film and (vii) to enhance smooth motion of the moving parts.
Mechanism of lubrication
Three important types / modes of lubrication are (i) thick film lubrication or hydrodynamic lubrication (ii) thin film or boundary lubrication and (iii) extreme pressure lubrication.
Hydrodynamic lubrication: In this, the two moving parts are separated by a thick film of lubricant, about 1000°A thick. This type of lubrication occurs in machine parts of low load
A lubricant is a substance introduced to reduce friction between moving surfaces. It may also have the function of transporting foreign particles. The property of reducing friction is known as lubricity.
Lubricant is a material that reduces the friction arising due to the sliding / gliding / rolling / moving of two different components in a machinery. Friction is an undesirable process that results in (i) wear and tear of the surfaces of the moving parts (ii) loss of enormous energy as heat dissipation (iii) lowered efficiency of the moving parts and (iv) damage of machine parts as seizure etc. The purpose of lubricant is to reduce the friction and minimize the frictional effects such as overheating / seizure of the components thereby reducing the losses. Also, the lubricant enables the smooth, flawless ejection of the moulded articles from the basic mould structure. The process of reducing the friction and wear between the two relatively moving components of the machinery is termed as lubrication.
Function of lubricants: The important functions of a lubricant are (i) to reduce wear and tear of the surfaces of the moving parts (ii) to reduce the loss of enormous energy as heat dissipation (iii) to increase the efficiency of the moving parts and (iv) to reduce damage of machine parts as seizure, surface deformation etc (v) to prevent the expansion of metal due to local frictional heat (vi) to minimize the possibility of corrosion, as the direct contact of metals is avoided by the formation of the lubricant film and (vii) to enhance smooth motion of the moving parts.
Mechanism of lubrication
Three important types / modes of lubrication are (i) thick film lubrication or hydrodynamic lubrication (ii) thin film or boundary lubrication and (iii) extreme pressure lubrication.
Hydrodynamic lubrication: In this, the two moving parts are separated by a thick film of lubricant, about 1000°A thick. This type of lubrication occurs in machine parts of low load