INVESTIGATIONS ON THE FRICTION IN ROLLING AND SLIDING BEARINGS DURING LUBRICATION BY RAPESEED OIL WITH NON TOXIC AND ASHLESS ADDITIVE

Increasing of the environmental requirements to transport and industry poses to tribology a priority task related to the development of environmentally friendly lubricants and technologies. Vegetable oils and synthetic esters are most commonly used as biodegradable base oils. The fundamental constraints associated with their direct application are related to two parameters: stability towards oxidation and their contact characteristics, antifriction, wear and tear resistance. To increase oxidation stability, low unsaturated fatty acids contents are used, and the reduction of friction and wear is achieved by developing compatible composite additives towards the base vegetable oil. The present study presents results from a comparative investigation of friction characteristics and oil temperature in two tribosystems "Rolling Bearings" and „Sliding Bearing“ when lubricated with pure rapeseed oil and rapeseed oil containing 4% non-toxic and ashless additive . The new additive is designed for biodegradable base oils. The research was conducted in tribology laboratories in Southern Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia, and at the Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria