Measurement and prediction of the heat transfer properties of hydrocarbon mixtures with potential application as aluminum cold rolling base oils

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to measure the differences in heat transfer properties of refined hydrocarbon distillate fractions that are commonly used as base oils in aluminium sheet cold rolling applications and assess if the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) values for these oils can be predicted from their compositions. The composition and physical properties of these fluids affect their tribological behaviour by influencing hydrodynamic lubrication, wear debris removal and cooling.

Design/methodology/approach

A purpose-built test rig was used to measure HTCs for a wide range of hydrocarbon solvents used as aluminium cold rolling oils. The results are expressed in the form of the HTCs relative to those of 14- to 16-carbon-chain-length normal paraffins. Measured HTC values were compared to values calculated from oil compositions and from the thermal conductivities of compounds representing different classes of typical oil components.

Findings

There were significant differences between the heat transfer properties of various hydrocarbon solvents, and these differences could be estimated from their content of normal and simple iso-paraffins and heavily branched and cyclic hydrocarbons. The HTC of hydrocarbon mixtures increases with the increasing content of n-paraffinic compounds.

Originality/value

This paper shows how one can estimate the relative HTCs of oils of known compositions, based on the relative thermal conductivities of model compounds. This is relevant to prediction of cooling properties of aluminium cold rolling base oils.

Citation

Pattemore, D., Heenan, D.F. and Januszkiewicz, K.R. (2015), "Measurement and prediction of the heat transfer properties of hydrocarbon mixtures with potential application as aluminum cold rolling base oils", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 67 No. 1, pp. 9-16. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilt-02-2013-0016