High Pressure Lubricant Property Measurements

Using a high pressure chamber, different types of lubricants have been studied at pressures representative of elastohydrodynamically lubricated contacts. The three types of lubricants (solid, liquid and gaseous) have been compressed and sheared to measure the compression, the shear stress as a function of pressure and shear velocity, and the solidification pressure. In the high pressure chamber refrigeration gases have been compressed into solid state, lubrication oils have been compressed 35% by volume, and solid waxes have been compressed 44% by volume.