Epoxidized Pongamia Biolubricant with ZDDP Additive for Journal Bearing Lubrication

This work experimentally predicts the performance of Zinc-Dialkyl-Dithio-Phosphate (ZDDP) additive added non-edible epoxidized pongamia biolubricant for journal bearing lubrication. Crude pongamia oil is chemically modified using epoxidation and oxirane ring opening process to remove its free fatty acid and ZDDP additive is added to this epoxidized pongamia biolubricant at 1, 2 and 3 weight percentages. The circumferential pressure distributions of journal bearing under the lubrication of these biolubricant samples are determined using journal bearing test rig. The test results of biolubricant samples are also compared with the test results of synthetic mineral oil samples SAE5W30 and SAE10W30. For low-speed application of journal bearing, the circumferential fluid-film pressure distributions for 1 wt% and 2 wt% ZDDP additive added epoxidized pongamia biolubricants were found to be almost same as those of synthetic oils SAE5W30 and SAE10W30.