Klüber Lubrication has presented its concept of hydro lubricants to the American Gear Manufacturers Association, which took place last month.
An application engineer and power transmission specialist from Klüber, Matthias Pfadt, gave the presentation in the “Efficiency, Lubrication, Noise and Vibration” technical session.
Gear oil immediately conjures up images of a mineral oil or at least a synthetic derivative. Water, in contrast, is often seen as a contaminate that should be avoided as much as possible. As Pfadt highlighted in his talk, however, hydro lubricants can bring a range of advantages, such as better sustainability, lower friction, and improved electrical and thermal conductivity.
Of course, making a mechanical lubricant based on water has not been without its challenges, but Pfadt told the audience at the October 15 to 17 event that the company has addressed the various concerns, such as load carrying capacity, seal compatibility, and corrosion protection. Klüber Lubrication insists that its hydro lubrication technology is now suitable for automotive and industrial gearboxes, giving designers a new option for achieving energy savings and effective cooling. The company argues in a whitepaper that the shift to hydro lubricants is needed to overcome the limitations of mineral oil:
“Conventional lubricants based on mineral oils show limitations in various scenarios. At the same time, industrial operators’ expectations towards innovative specialty lubricants are increasing. This includes elongating of component life, reducing emissions and reaching higher energy efficiency.”
You can learn more about the Klübersustain GW 0-460 gear oil from the company’s whitepaper.
