This document discusses lubricating grease, including its definition, composition, classifications, applications, and the grease manufacturing process. It defines grease as a solid or semi-fluid product made by dispersing a thickening agent in a liquid lubricant. The document outlines the key components of grease, classifications according to consistency and applications, and provides an overview of the grease production process including typical plant sizing and key equipment.

2. Fluid Solutions
Your partner in planning and manufacturing
latest state of the art grease plants
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3. LUBRICATING GREASE - DEFINITION
LUBRICATING GREASE *) IS A SOLID TO SEMI-FLUID PRODUCT
OF DISPERSION OF A THICKENING AGENT IN A LIQUID
LUBRICANT … OTHER INGREDIENTS IMPARTING SPECIAL
PROPERTIES MAY BE PRESENT
*) A.S.T.M. STANDARD DEFINITION OF TERMS OF PETROLEUM, 1959
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4. LUBRICATING GREASE
General composition:
Base Oil + Thickener + Additives = Grease
Conventional Oil Metallic Soaps (-salts) Surface active Grade of goods
- Raffinate - Lithium soap - High pressure/abrasive - Multi purpose grease
- Calcium soap protection - High temperature grease
Unconventional Oil - Sodium soap - Corrosion-/rust protection - Lubricating grease
- Hydrocrack Oil - Aluminum soap - Solids - Semi-fluid grease
(HC synthesis) - Lead soap - Gel grease
- Synthetical Volatile - Barium soap Grease protective - Polyurea grease
Organic Compounds - Age protection - Bentonite grease
(VOC) Other thickeners
- Synthetical Esters - Gels Performance classes
- Polyurethane - Acc. to automotive
Herbal Oil - Bentonite regulations
- Rape seed oil
Identification
- Acc. DIN 51502
Consistency classes
- Acc. NLGI code
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5. LUBRICATING GREASE
Classification acc. to NLGI classes:
classification applications
Roller bearing
Water pumps
Slide bearing
Block grease
penetration
NLGI-class
lubricating
(mm/10
Gear
full-
000 445 – 475 
00 400 – 430 
0 355 – 385 
1 310 – 340   
2 265 – 295  
3 220 – 250  
4 175 – 205  
5 130 – 160 
6 85 – 115 
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6. LUBRICATING GREASE
Classification acc. DIN 51502:
K PF 2 K - 30
Lower operating temperature (°C)
Upper operating temperature, behavior in contact with water3
NLGI-class
Additional letter(s) for base oil type and additive2
Lubricating grease for1
1)Lubricating grease for 3) Behavior
Upper temperature Test temperature
with water
G Closed gears (DIN 51826)
C 60°C 0 oder 1 40°C
OG Open gears
D 2 oder 3
K Ball bearing
M Slide bearing and gaskets E 80°C 0 oder 1 40°C
F 2 oder 3
2) G 100°C 0 oder 1 90°C
Additional
H 2 oder 3
G Closed gears (DIN 51826)
OG Open gears K 120°C 0 oder 1 90°C
K Ball bearing M 2 oder 3
M Slide bearing N 140°C
P Additives P 160°C
F Solids (e.g. MoS2) R 180°C
By arrangement
S 200°C 0 = no modification
1 = slight modification
T 220°C
2 = moderate modification
U > 220°C 3 = strong modification
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7. LUBRICATING GREASE
Applications:
Industrial Lubricating Grease
- Roller- and bush bearing lubrication
- Central lube system
- Strand casting systems, breaker and mill lubrication
Roller Bearings
Special- and Biodegradable Greases
- Lubrication of high performance precision bearing
- High speed bearings (railway wheels)
Industrial Semi-Fluid Grease
- Highly stressed roller bearings e.g. cylinder- and taper roller bearing
- Gear motor, drives, couplings, chain drive systems
- Gear semi-fluid grease
Drill Rods Grease Wheel Bearing
- Thread grease
Automotive Lubricating Grease
- Wheel bearing, ball joints, roller bearing
- Bush and antifriction bearing
- Steering linkage, wheel suspension
Automotive Semi-Fluid Grease
- Chassis lubrication
- Central lubricating systems
Drill Rod Lubrication
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8. Grease Manufacturing Process
Calculation of typical plant size
Required capacity: 2.000 to per year
Working time: 250 days per year
 8 to per day in total (1 shift, with 8 hrs batchtime)*
With 2 Finishing vessels: 8 to per day in total
 4 to per day (Batch) each
 4,5 m³ per day in total (1 shift)
 5 m³ working capacity of each finishing vessel*
Process vessel:  half size of finishing kettle
 3 m³ working capacity
 2,7 to per Batch with batchtime 8 h (1 shift)*
Key Equipment for grease plants
Total required capacity Working capacity Working capacity
of grease Process kettle* Finishing kettle*
2.000 to/year 3 m³ 2 x 5 m³
4.000 to/year 6 m³ 2 x 10 m³
8.000 to/year 2 x 6 m³ 4 x 10 m³
*depending on grease formulation
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9. Grease Manufacturing Process
Sketch
Manufacturing Process
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10. Grease Manufacturing Process
Process Flow Diagram
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11. Grease Manufacturing Process
Key Equipment – Mixing Equipment
• Grease kettles are heated with hot oil to
as much as 250°C or more
• Kettle capacities generally range up to 10
tons
• Kettles could be pressured up to 6bar as
option if required
• Kettles could have counter rotating
paddles which force the grease in
opposite directions to improve mixing
efficiency and temperature
transportation
• Kettles also have a homogenization unit
to provide additional (vertical) mixing &
homogenization action and to transport
the grease to other processing
equipment such as a colloid mill.
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12. Grease Manufacturing Process
Key Equipment – Homogenization/Filtration/Dearation
P&i diagram HFD unit
HFD unit
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13. Grease Manufacturing Process
Key Equipment – Homogenization/Filtration/Dearation
Mixing/Scraper
Equipment
Tank farm
CIP elements Cooking vessel during assembly
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14. Grease Manufacturing Process
Layout
Grease production unit
as skid-mounted unit
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15. Grease Manufacturing Process
Layout
Vertical grease production unit
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16. Grease Manufacturing Process
Automation System
Control the interactions between thickener and
lubricant (Base Oil + Additive) together with the
manufacturing process by process automation
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17. Grease Manufacturing Process
Automation System
Overview
Tank farm
Cooking kettle
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18. Our expertise in Grease Production
• High quality Engineering for the
complete grease plant
• Definition of working and delivery
packages in the project
• Available for a wide range of grease
production applications
• Pressurized processes possible
• Available in a wide range of
production sizes from pilot plants up
to commercial plants
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