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Grease Comparison Chart.1pdf

When changing grease-lubricated applications, it is usually impossible to remove all of the old grease. Grease compatibility depends on the thickener types used, which can be confusing due to varying manufacturer compatibility charts. ASTM Standard D6185 provides guidelines for evaluating grease compatibility based on measuring dropping point, mechanical stability, and consistency change upon heating. Greases are considered compatible if they meet criteria in these three areas, with further testing potentially warranted on other performance parameters. Determining compatibility is important when changing between grease products.

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Carlos M
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165 views3 pages

Grease Comparison Chart.1pdf

When changing grease-lubricated applications, it is usually impossible to remove all of the old grease. Grease compatibility depends on the thickener types used, which can be confusing due to varying manufacturer compatibility charts. ASTM Standard D6185 provides guidelines for evaluating grease compatibility based on measuring dropping point, mechanical stability, and consistency change upon heating. Greases are considered compatible if they meet criteria in these three areas, with further testing potentially warranted on other performance parameters. Determining compatibility is important when changing between grease products.

Uploaded by

Carlos M
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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You are on page 1/ 3

The Skinny on Grease Compatibility Page 1 of 3

The Skinny on Grease Compatibility


David Turner, Shell
Tags: greases, grease compatibility
Machinery Lubrication (1/2009)

When it comes to lubrication in industrial plants, most maintenance people strive for consistency – the
use of the same products over a long period of time. This generally allows for smooth operation of
equipment. Sometimes, though, conditions dictate a change from one lubricant to another. In the case
of lubricating oils, it is often possible to change the fluid completely; and when that is not possible,
the compatibility of the fluids can be relatively easily determined.

In grease-lubricated applications, on the other hand, it is usually impossible to remove all of the old
grease from the application when changing products. Grease suppliers typically advise their
customers to purge as much of their grease as possible through the grease-dispensing system and
application to displace the previously used product. However, this may not be necessary if the two
greases in question are compatible with one another.

Unlike the compatibility of oils, which is most often related to interactions of the additives in the
products (and sometimes the nature of the base fluids themselves), the compatibility of greases is
most often related to the thickener types of the products to be mixed (although base fluid
compatibility is also important).

Grease compatibility is often confusing to grease users, even though most grease manufacturers
produce compatibility charts. This is because the charts from the various manufacturers often disagree
with one another on certain thickener-type combinations. In bygone days, when simple soaps and clay
were the primary thickener types, compatibility was relatively straightforward. Lithium and calcium
soaps were compatible with one another, and neither was particularly good when mixed with a clay-
based grease. Today, with not only the aforementioned thickeners – but also complex soaps, polyurea,
calcium sulfonate and even more exotic thickeners used in many greases – the issue of compatibility
has become much more complicated. A typical grease compatibility chart is shown in Figure 1.

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Articles/Print/1865 3/14/2011
The Skinny on Grease Compatibility Page 2 of 3

Figure 1. Relative Compatibility Rating


B = Borderline C = Compatible I = Incompatible
Note: This chart is a general guide to grease compatibility. Specific properties of greases can dictate
suitability for use. Testing should be conducted to determine if greases are compatible.

Compatibility of grease mixtures is typically categorized as follows:

• Compatible – The properties of the mixture are similar to those of the individual grease.

• Incompatible – The properties of the mixture are significantly different than those of the
individual greases.

• Borderline – The properties of the mixture may or may not be acceptable, depending on the
nature of the application.

To add to the confusion, there are some grease specifications that are based solely on grease
performance without regard to grease composition. If greases of different thickener types (both of
which meet the performance requirements of the specification) get mixed in service, dire
consequences can result.

The compatibility of polyurea greases with soap-thickened greases is probably the most debated area
of grease compatibility today. Greases based on simple lithium soaps (lithium stearate or lithium 12-
hydroxystearate) and lithium complex soaps (containing simple soap and a complexing agent, such as
lithium azelate) may or may not be compatible with polyurea greases. This is because of the wide
variety of materials that can be reacted to form a thickener that is termed polyurea. Some polyurea
thickeners are completely compatible with lithium and lithium complex thickeners, while other
polyurea thickeners are definitely incompatible with the lithium and lithium complex thickeners.

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Articles/Print/1865 3/14/2011
The Skinny on Grease Compatibility Page 3 of 3

It is necessary to perform compatibility testing on combinations of these greases to determine whether


the greases can be mixed in service. It is incumbent upon the user of the greases to verify
compatibility when making a change from one product to another. Most grease suppliers have data on
certain grease combinations or are willing to perform the required testing for their customers.

To help users understand the implications of mixing greases, ASTM International (formerly the
American Society for Testing and Materials) Committee D02.G developed ASTM D6185 Standard
Practice for Evaluating Compatibility of Binary Mixtures of Lubricating Greases in 1997. This
document details the procedure for evaluating the basic compatibility of greases, which is determined
by measuring the dropping point, the mechanical stability and the change in consistency of the
mixture upon heating.

Greases are considered to be compatible if the following conditions are met:

• The dropping point of the mixture is not significantly lower than that of the individual greases.

• The mechanical stability of the mixture is within the range of consistency of the individual
greases.

• The change in consistency of the mixture following elevated temperature storage is within the
range of the change in consistency of the individual greases following elevated temperature
storage.

Once two greases are determined to be compatible in the above three areas, further testing to
determine the impact on other performance parameters of the products may be warranted. Any test
that is designed for measuring grease performance may be used on a mixture of greases to determine
the effect on that parameter when the greases are mixed. The tests that are conducted should be agreed
upon between the user and grease supplier to assure that the properties that are critical to the proper
function of the product in service are covered. The full text of ASTM D6185 is available from ASTM
International at www.astm.org.

About the Author


David Turner works for Shell Global Solutions Inc. and is the co-chairman of the National
Lubricating Grease Institute’s technical committee. To learn more about NLGI, visit www.nlgi.org.

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Articles/Print/1865 3/14/2011

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