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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