Page 44: of Marine News Magazine (March 2020)

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LUBRICANTS

Lubrication Selection

Fundamentals

By Ben Bryant s an operator of vessels, you understand that lubri- cants play an important role in helping you achieve your operational objectives. Yet, ? nding the right

A one can be overwhelming since there’s an almost unlimited number of different lubricant formulations. An understand- ing of lubrication chemistry, performance expectations and operational objectives will help you select a lubricant that will improve operations and lower your overall costs.

LUBRICATION BENEFITS

The basic function of a lubricant is to reduce friction by separating interacting surfaces. In operation, a lubricating oil or lubricating grease is applied to the surface and moni- tored for effectiveness. Possible lubrication bene? ts include: • Create surface separation • Reduce friction between components • Minimize or prevent wear • Increase ef? ciency • Reduce energy consumption • Extend service life of the equipment • Improve reliability • Noise reduction • Cut maintenance and repair costs • Improve machine safety • Prevent rust and corrosion • Cleanse equipment of fouling/contaminants • Prevent or remove deposits, sludge, varnish • Remove heat from system • Perform work (e.g., hydraulic ? uids)

In addition, you might have external considerations, like meeting environmental certi? cations that leads you toward a speci? c formulation. However, even in these cir- cumstances, the lubricant selected signi? cantly impacts the overall operation.

March 2020 44 MN