The lubrication mechanism of greases produced with polypropylene as a thickener is fundamentally different compared to regular soap based greases. In real industrial applications polypropylene thickened greases have been shown to enable longer re-lubrication intervals compared to soap based greases. This study aims to give a better understanding of the lubrication mechanism of polypropylene thickened grease in rolling bearing contacts by comparing five polypropylene greases and five lithium complex greases with identical base oil compositions. By running a number of different experiments in bearing test rigs we will provide examples of possible energy savings and extending component life by using a polypropylene grease with significantly different base oil viscosity compared to what is possible with a soap based grease.
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