Ideal line - rheometer curve.

A new measurement curve from BECHEM is enabling speedier conclusions on the flow behaviour of lubrication greases. The much lower-cost method is an ideal solution for calculating grease flows in central lubrication systems.

The lubrication points of complex machines and installations in the steel, mining, cement, paper and food industries are often fed by central lubrication systems. In the process, lubrication grease sometimes has to pass through extremely long pipework systems before finally arriving at the actual lubrication point. Extreme heat or cold can have a major bearing on the fluidity and fitness for purpose of lubricants, and so the reliability of installation operation. Knowledge of the flow behaviour of lubricants is very important. Rheometer curves are used to arrive at reliable conclusions on the conveying capabilities of lubrication greases in central lubrication systems. Knowledge of rheometer curves for a lubrication grease should be the fundamental condition for using it in a central lubrication system. To determine the curves, a constant grease mass flow is pumped through a test pipe. The pressure loss reached at a particular pipe length is measured. This method is time-consuming and expensive. The elaborate measuring equipment must be filled with several kilograms of test grease, which often has to be temperature-controlled overnight before the test. So there are not many laboratories having this type of equipment. Often no or only old rheometer curves are available to system operators.