The STRATCO® Contactor™ Reactor and Its Use In the Production of Calcium Sulfonate Based Greases By: John J. Lorimor, Axel Americas, LLC. & John S. Kay, STRATCO Inc.
Abstract
water. Unlike other grease types, these excellent performance characteristics are present in the grease without the use of additional compounding or additives1.
Calcium sulfonate based greases are recognized as an excellent technology for grease applications where heat, water, and high or shock loads exist. Their inherent Figure 1. Calcium sulfonate type grease global production volumes properties are well known and include excellent rust and wear protection, high load carrying capacity, high dropping point, and excellent mechanical stability, even in the presence of water. Calcium sulfonate based greases are typically prepared in conventional “open” kettles. The design of this type of production vessel is limited in its mixing and heating effectiveness. The unsealed construction of these kettles allows the volatile promoters used in the calcium sulfonate grease production process to escape. In addition, the slow speed mixing imparted by paddle stirring is not optimal for production of a dispersed micelle structure. In contrast, the STRATCO® Contactor™ reactor was designed to address the limitations of Calcium sulfonate based greases are used frequently as conventional open kettles for reacting grease thickeners. The problem solvers in severe service applications where other STRATCO Contactor reactor’s sealed design, highly efficient greases have failed because they could not survive the rate of heat transfer, turbulent circulation path, and high shear extreme conditions. Some of the demanding applications mixing zone make it extremely well suited as a production that have benefitted from calcium sulfonate type greases are vessel for calcium sulfonate based greases. found in steel, pulp and paper mills, off-road construction The objective of this project is to successfully manufacture and mining equipment, marine, and even food processing calcium sulfonate based greases using the STRATCO industries. As shown in Figure 1, the direct result of this Contactor reactor. The differences in manufacturing processes successful performance is that calcium sulfonate based for conventional open kettles and the STRATCO Contactor greases have become one of the fastest growing types of grease reactor will be discussed in detail. Performance characteristics globally2. Because of this popularity and high growth rate, of the finished calcium sulfonate based greases obtained by grease producers are increasingly looking to produce calcium each process will be compared. sulfonate based greases.
Introduction
Calcium sulfonate based greases excel in demanding lubricant applications where machinery is exposed to heat, water, and high or shock loads. These highly shear stable greases provide excellent protection against rust and wear in these extreme environments, even in the presence of
Grease production
The earliest type of calcium sulfonate based grease is commonly referred to as a calcium sulfonate gel or “simple” calcium sulfonate grease. In this most basic version, the thickener component of the grease comprises only a gelled
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