Tribological Features of Environmentally Safe Lubricant Compositions Based on Rapeseed Oil

Abstract Different lubricants in terms of their nature and properties are studied using a four-ball friction machine and an SMT–1 friction machine. It is found that an environmentally safe lubricant based on rapeseed oil (RO) in comparison with lubricants made on the mineral base widely used in railway transport for rail and flange lubrication provides a lower wear level for conjugated solid bodies and a lower temperature in the friction zone. It is thus observed to have a more efficient protective and lubricating action. The latter is confirmed by the operational testing of the developed environmentally safe lubricant for a system of locomotive flange lubrication. It should be noted that the developed environmentally safe lubricant ensures not only better tribological characteristics but also is obviously distinguished by its environmental properties and biodegradability when used for the lubrication of wheel–rail friction pairs, since it is vegetable-based.