High Shear Strength Lubricant Fluids for Low Temperature Viscosity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lubrication fluids for elastohydrodynamic traction drives face a challenge in achieving high shear strength and low temperature viscometric properties simultaneously, as improving one property often compromises the other.

Innovation Solution

Combining dimethylsilicone fluids with moderate viscosity and di-alkyl or di-cycloalkyl compounds, or ester compounds with polycyclic hydrocarbons to create lubrication fluids that maintain high elastohydrodynamic shear strength while enhancing low temperature viscometric properties without degradation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If high shear strength fluids are used to improve torque transfer efficiency, then elastohydrodynamic shear strength is improved, but low temperature viscometric properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelastohydrodynamic shear strengthVSAvoidlow temperature viscometric properties
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite fluid formulations combining polycyclic hydrocarbon base fluids with specific additive packages containing dimethylsiloxane fluids, polypropyleneoxide compounds, and ester compounds. This composite approach allows the base fluid to provide high elastohydrodynamic shear strength while the additives modify low temperature viscometric properties, achieving both performance requirements simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent systematically varies compositional parameters including the types and proportions of base fluids, additives, and their interactions. By optimizing the concentration ranges of specific compounds (e.g., dimethylsiloxane fluids with controlled viscosity and functional group content), the patent achieves the desired balance between high temperature shear strength and low temperature flow characteristics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Temperature

If dimethylsiloxane fluids with functional groups are added to improve low temperature properties, then low temperature viscometric properties are improved, but elastohydrodynamic shear strength deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelow temperature viscometric propertiesVSAvoidelastohydrodynamic shear strength
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by specifying that dimethylsiloxane fluids contain no more than 10 wt. % of functional groups other than methyl functional groups. This controlled localization of functional groups allows sufficient low temperature property modification while maintaining the bulk fluid's elastohydrodynamic shear strength characteristics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent controls the functional group content parameter of dimethylsiloxane fluids within a specific threshold (≤10 wt. %), demonstrating parameter change methodology. This quantitative control enables optimization of low temperature properties while preventing excessive functional group content from degrading shear strength performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The resulting lubrication fluids exhibit improved low temperature properties and sustained high elastohydrodynamic shear strength, suitable for all-weather operations without compromising traction coefficients.

Implementation Method 1

Combining dimethylsilicone fluids with moderate viscosity and di-alkyl or di-cycloalkyl compounds, or ester compounds with polycyclic hydrocarbons to create lubrication fluids that maintain high elastohydrodynamic shear strength while enhancing low temperature viscometric properties

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectViscosity blending:

Implementation Method 2

Elastohydrodynamic traction drives are power transmission devices that operate by transmitting torque through a thin elastohydrodynamic film of fluid between nominally-smooth, rolling-sliding, highly-loaded contacts. The efficient transfer of torque relies upon the high-stress shear strength of the fluid used to lubricate the surfaces in these high-stress elastically-deformed contacts

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastohydrodynamic lubrication: Lubrication

Data Source

PatentUS9556397B2High elastohydrodynamic shear strength fluid compositions
Publication Date: 2017.01.31 VANTAGE SANTOLUBES RES LLC

AI summary

A lubrication fluid including cyclic hydrocarbons in combination with dimethylsilicone fluids and/or di-alkyl or di-cycloalkyl or alkyl-cycloalkyl, or mixtures thereof, and di-end-capped polypropylene oxides or highly branched esters to produce very high traction elastohydrodynamic (EHD) traction fluids and to modify the low temperature viscometric properties of the mixed fluids without adversely affecting the very high elastohydrodynamic shear strength or traction coefficients of the very high shear strength cyclic hydrocarbon fluid in the resulting mixed fluids with improved low temperature viscosity.