Elastohydrodynamic properties of water-based fire-resistant hydraulic fluids

The elastohydrodynamic (ehd) lubricating properties of commercial fire-resistant hydraulic fluids in rolling point contacts are described. Earlier work is reviewed and new work presented on water-in-oil and oil-in-water emulsions. It is shown that in general, elastohydrodynamic film thicknesses of water-in-oil emulsions are close to those of their base oils. For very fine particle size emulsions, however, thicker films are observed. Commercial oil-in-water emulsions in fully flooded conditions have not been found to give measurable elastohydrodynamic films. However, when the emulsions are destabilized, a localized pool of oil collects in the contact zone which enables ehd films to form, though these films do not survive very high rolling speeds. Polyglycol solutions give low ehd film thicknesses, approximately one third those of mineral oils of corresponding viscosity. This can be attributed to the low pressure—viscosity coefficient of these solutions.