Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1316458
www . machinerylubrication.com | November - December 2020 | 29 Platform Level During the lubricant selection process in the first stage, there are many fundamental considerations regarding the selection of the base oil, viscosity, thickener type, oxidation resistance, thermal stability and so on. ese are determined based on the tribological needs of the machines. Nevertheless, each lubricant in application has ancillary attributes that can make crucial impacts on energy conservation, the health of individuals and the environment. e associated risk to these considerations has the opportunity to limit or even control the selection of the lubricants all together. Let's first take into consideration Energy Conservation. Energy Conservation Minimizing or eliminating friction is a key function of the lubri- cant. When the incorrect lubricant is selected or when the lubricant isn't properly applied (either manually or through an automatic delivery mechanism), the machine has to work harder and consume more energy to overcome unnecessary friction. Take incorrect viscosity for example: both too high a viscosity and too low a viscosity can result in increased energy consumed and waste. • Too little viscosity means machine surfaces in relative motion are under-protected, leading to mechanical wear and premature component failure. • Too high viscosity can cause higher fluid friction, leading to heat generation and premature lubricant failure, which can in turn leads to premature component failure. Aside from extending machine life by using a properly selected lubricant, there is a direct opportunity to conserve energy. e driving component of an asset, typically an electric motor, has to work hard enough to keep a shaft rotating with enough torque to overcome all sources of friction. A steady balance of lubricant properties during lubricant selection and deploying various condition monitoring strat- egies can help keep this on track. Additionally, the delivery method of a lubricant to the frictional surfaces is a factor itself. For example, in a bearing that is manually regreased, the interval should be thoughtfully calculated for optimization. Or alternatively, an automatic method may be deployed for more frequent and precise grease delivery at lower volumes. is holds true for other lubricated components. Energy conservation depends greatly on the selection lubricants and the lubri- cation system. So whether it is oil or grease, synthetic or mineral, manually or automatically lubricated, balance is key. Health & Environment Next, the impact on the health of people or the impact on the envi- ronment should be reviewed when selecting lubricants and lubrication systems. e level of risk in this case could very well be more relevant than considerations of machine life extension or general cost savings. As we estimate risk to health and the environment, it is a combination of the probability of occurrence and the resulting consequences. If lubricants selected have a known negative effect when in contact with people or the environment, this would be the consequence. ese