Influence of operating conditions on blending of lubricating oils

Abstract

This work is intended to study of influence of operating conditions on blending of lubricating oils. The required mixing time in standard configuration tank was obtained from measurement of Ca-content by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES) as tracer technique. The mixers were flat bottom cylindrical vessels, having insidiameters of 12, 25 and 36 cm., Impellers are 6-bladed disc turbine with 4, 8.3 and 12 cm in heights. Rotation speeds of impeller vary between 300 to 500 rpm. and viscosity of finished lubricating oils @ 100℃ have 12, 14 and 19 cSt. (approximately). Temperature was fixed at 60℃. The results showed that the required mixing time was inversely proportional to rotational speed and was depended on flow pattern and physical properties of lubricating oils. The optimum mixing condition was 400 rpm. of impeller rotational speed. The required mixing time can be correlated as: τ = 0.367 Re + 2582.420 This equation was only used in the range of viscosities @ 100℃ vary between 12 to 19 cSt. and in large-scale equipment no greater than 10,000 litres.