[‫]دليل العمليات الكيميائيه – لجنة الزيوت‬ ‫الشركه السودانيه للتوليد الحراري‬

Types of lubricants

Lubricants are generally composed of a majority of base oil plus a variety

of additives to impart desirable characteristics. Although generally
lubricants are based on one type of base oil, mixtures of the base oils also
are used to meet performance requirements.

Base oils can be synthetic, vegetable or mineral-based as well as a

combination of these, The application determines which oil should be
used; Viscosity is the most important property of oil is defined as the oil’s
resistance to flow at a specified temperature also it measures the oil’s
thickness:

Thick oil = high viscosity

Thin oil = low viscosity

Kinematic viscosity is measure in centistokes (cSt),

One cSt = one mm squared per second, As temperature increases,

viscosity decreases

Viscosities are conventionally reported at 40º C .

1. Base oil groups

Mineral oil term is used to encompass lubricating base oil derived from
crude oil. The American Petroleum Institute (API) designates several
types of lubricant base oil:

 Group I – Saturates <90% and/or sulfur >0.03%, and Society of

Automotive Engineers (SAE) viscosity index (VI) of 80 to 120

Manufactured by solvent extraction, solvent or catalytic de-waxing,

and hydro-finishing processes. Common Group I base oil are
150SN (solvent neutral), 500SN, and 150BS (bright stock)

 Group II – Saturates over 90% and sulfur under 0.03%, and SAE
viscosity index of 80 to 120

Manufactured by hydrocracking and solvent or catalytic de-waxing

processes. Group II base oil has superior anti-oxidation properties
since virtually all hydrocarbon molecules are saturated. It has
water-white color.
Page 1 of 8
 [‫]دليل العمليات الكيميائيه – لجنة الزيوت‬ ‫الشركه السودانيه للتوليد الحراري‬

 Group III – Saturates > 90%, sulfur <0.03%, and SAE viscosity
index over 120

Manufactured by special processes such as isohydromerization.

Can be manufactured from base oil or slax wax from dewaxing
process.

 Group IV – Polyalphaolefins (PAO)

 Group V – All others not included above such as naphthenics,
PAG, esters.

In North America, Groups III, IV and V are now described as

synthetic lubricants, with group III frequently described as
synthesized hydrocarbons, or SHCs. In Europe, only Groups IV
and V may be classed as synthetics.

The lubricant industry commonly extends this group terminology to

include:

 Group I+ with a Viscosity Index of 103–108

 Group II+ with a Viscosity Index of 113–119
 Group III+ with a Viscosity Index of at least 140

Can also be classified into three categories depending on the prevailing

compositions:

 Paraffinic
 Naphthenic
 Aromatic

2. Synthetic oils

 Polyalpha-olefin (PAO)
 Synthetic esters
 Polyalkylene glycols (PAG)
 Phosphate esters
 Alkylated naphthalenes (AN)
 Silicate esters
 Ionic fluids

3. Biolubricants made from vegetable oils and other renewable

sources

Page 2 of 8
 [‫]دليل العمليات الكيميائيه – لجنة الزيوت‬ ‫الشركه السودانيه للتوليد الحراري‬

These are primarily triglyceride esters derived from plants and

animals.
4. Solid lubricants.
5. Aqueous lubrication.

Also lubricant can be classified to

 Automotive
1. Engine oils
 Petrol (Gasoline) engine oils
 Diesel engine oils
2. Automatic transmission fluid
3. Gearbox fluids
4. Brake fluids
5. Hydraulic fluids
 Industrial
1. Steam and gas turbine oils
2. Hydraulic oils
3. Air compressor oils
4. Gas Compressor oils
5. Gear oils
6. Bearing and circulating system oils
7. Refrigerator compressor oils
 Aviation
1. Gas turbine engine oils
2. Piston engine oils
 Marine
1. Crosshead cylinder oils
2. Crosshead Crankcase oils
3. Trunk piston engine oils
4. Stern tube lubricants
 Tractor (one lubricant for all systems)
1. Universal Tractor Transmission Oil – UTTO
2. Super Tractor Oil Universal – STOU – includes engine
 Other motors
1. 2-stroke engine oils

Industrial Lubricating Classification

International Standers Organization (ISO) Viscosity Classification:
The ISO viscosity classification uses mm2/s (cSt) units and relates to
viscosity at 40oC. It consists of a series of 18 viscosity brackets between
1.98 mm2/s and 1650 mm2/s, each of which is defined by a number. The
numbers indicate to the nearest whole number, the mid-points of their

Page 3 of 8
 [‫]دليل العمليات الكيميائيه – لجنة الزيوت‬ ‫الشركه السودانيه للتوليد الحراري‬

corresponding brackets. For example, ISO viscosity grade 32 relates to

the viscosity bracket 28.8 to 35.2 mm2/s, the midpoint of which is 32.0
mm2/s. This is illustrated in the table below, which shows the ISO
viscosity grade numbers, the mid-points of each bracket, and the viscosity
limits.

ISO Viscosity Kinematic viscosity at 40 (mm²/s)

grade (ISO Minimum Maximum Mid-point
VG)
2 1.98 2.42 2.20
3 2.88 3.52 3.20
5 4.14 5.06 4.60
7 6.12 7.48 6.80
10 9.0 11.0 10.0
15 13.5 16.5 15.0
22 19.8 24.2 22.0
32 28.8 35.2 32.0
46 41.4 50.6 46.0
68 61.2 74.8 68.0
100 90.0 110 100
150 135 165 150
220 198 242 220
320 288 352 320
460 414 506 460
680 612 748 680
1000 900 1100 1000
1500 1350 1650 1500

Page 4 of 8
 [‫]دليل العمليات الكيميائيه – لجنة الزيوت‬ ‫الشركه السودانيه للتوليد الحراري‬

ENGINE OIL LUBRICANT CLASSIFICATIONS

The most widely used system for engine oil viscosity classification is that
established by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in the USA, in
this system two series of viscosity grades are defined – those containing
the letter W and those without the letter W (winter).With letter W divided
to Mono grade & Multi grade Oils.

Mono grade: means single or one, these oils are defined by their
viscosity for instance at

-18º C for thinner grades:

SAE 5w / SAE10w / SAE15w

At 100º C for thicker grades:

SAE20 / SAE30 / SAE40 / SAE50

Grades with the letter W are intended for use at lower temperatures and
are based on a maximum low temperature viscosity and a maximum
borderline pumping temperature, as well as a minimum viscosity at
100°C. The low temperature viscosity is measured by means of a multi-
temperature version of ASTM D2602 ‘Method of Test for apparent
Viscosity of Motor Oils at Low temperature using the Cold Cranking
Simulator’.

Multi grade: means more than one meets the requirements of more than
one SAE viscosity grade suitable for use over a wider temperature range
than mono grade oil; Multi grade oils have two viscosity grades lowest
and highest classification (one of the W grades at low temperatures and
one of the non-W grades at high temperature)

eg. SAE15w40

Lower grade = viscosity in cold weather

Higher grade = viscosity at high operating temperature

Multi grade oils generally contain more viscosity index improvers (VI
Improvers) reduce the tendency of an oil to lose viscosity or thin out, at
high temperatures

Page 5 of 8
 [‫]دليل العمليات الكيميائيه – لجنة الزيوت‬ ‫الشركه السودانيه للتوليد الحراري‬

‘Multi-grade’ oil is one whose low temperature viscosity and borderline

temperature satisfy the requirements of one of the W grades and whose
viscosity at 100°C is within the stipulated rangeof one-W-grades

Oils without the letter W, intended for use at higher temperatures, are
based on the viscosity at 100°C only. These are measured by ASTM
D445 ‘Method of Test for Kinematic Viscosity of temperature and
Opaque Liquids’.

1,2
SAE VISCOSITY GRADES FOR ENGINE OILS (JANUARY
2009

SAE Low temperature (c°) Low- shear-rate Low- shear-

viscosity Kinematic rate viscosity
grade viscosity (mm²), at (MPA.s)
100 (c°) at150(c°) min.
Cranking Pumping min max
viscosity viscosity
MPA.S max MPA.S Max
with

0W 6,200 at –35 60,000 at –40 3.8 – -

5W 6,600 at –30 60,000 at –35 3.8 – -
10W 7,000 at –25 60,000 at –30 4.1 – -
15W 7,000 at –20 60,000 at –25 5.6 – -
20W 9,500 at –15 60,000 at –20 5.6 – -
25W 13,000 at –10 60,000 at –15 9.3 – -
20 – – 5.6 <9.3 2.6
30 – – 9.3 <12.5 2.9
40 – – 12.5 <16.3 3.5 (0W-40,
5W-40, 10W-
40 grades)
40 – – 12.5 <16.3 3.7(15W-40,
20W-40,25W-
40, 40 grades)
50 – – 16.3 <21.9 3.7
60 – – 21.9 <26.1 3.7

Notes: 1mpa.s = 1 mm²/s =1 cst

Page 6 of 8
 [‫]دليل العمليات الكيميائيه – لجنة الزيوت‬ ‫الشركه السودانيه للتوليد الحراري‬

Viscosity classification – Automotive Gear Lubricants:

Gear oils (SAE J300 (GEAR OILS)

The classification is based on the lubricant viscosity measured at low

and/or high temperatures It should be noticed that there is no relationship
between the SAE engine oil and gear oil classifications. Gear lubricant
and engine oil having the same viscosity will have widely different SAE
grade designation as defined in the two classifications.

AUTOMOTIVE GEAR LUBRICANT VISCOSITY GRADES

CLASSIFICATION SAE J306 (JANUARY 1, 2005):

SAE Maximum temperature for Kinmatic viscosity at

viscosity viscosity of 150,000cp (c°) 100(c°) (cst)
grade max min max
70W –555 4.1 –
75W –40 4.1 –
80W –26 7.0 –
85W –12 11.0 –
80 – 7.0 <11.0
85 – 11.0 <13.5
90 – 13.5 <18.5
110 – 18.5 <24.0
140 – 24.0 <32.5
190 – 32.5 <41.0
250 – 41.0 —

Page 7 of 8
‫]دليل العمليات الكيميائيه – لجنة الزيوت[‬ ‫الشركه السودانيه للتوليد الحراري‬

‫‪Page 8 of 8‬‬