High Pressure Viscometer Development.

In rolling contact devices such as rolling element bearings, gears, traction drives, etc., a lubricant is subjected to very high pressures in what is called the elastohydrodynamic EHD contact. One difficulty in the development of EHD lubrication theory has been a lack of data on lubricant viscosity and density at the pressures typical of EHD contacts often as high as 300,000 psi. This report describes the results of a program to develop a system for measuring viscosity and densities to pressures of over 400,000 psi at temperatures of up to 400 F. The system was designed and constructed and successfully tested to 435,000 psi. Results of viscosity data on four fluids at pressures up to 390,000 psi and 300 F are presented as an initial demonstration of the systems capability. Author