PHYSICS

INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
Fluid Mechanics: Viscosity of
Engine Oils

By Arpit Joshi

INDEX
Introduction
Aim
Apparatus
Theory
Procedure
Observations
Calculations
Conclusion
Bibliography

INTRODUCTION
Consider the following situation:
You are driving your diesel car on the road to
shimla and it is very cold outside. Suddenly
your car breaks down and you open the
bonnet to see what is wrong. You notice that
grime has accumulated in your engine and
the motor oil is to be replaced for the car to
start. You only have the following oils:
1)
2)
3)
4)

MAK Gold 40(for bikes)

Servo 4T (for bikes)
HP Milcy Turbo (for trucks)
Castrol Active (for trucks)

Of the given choices, you must use your

knowledge of viscosity and fluid mechanics to
choose the oil most suited for your car.

AIM
To compare the viscosity of different engine
oils at a given temperature and thereby
determine the most effective one for a diesel
car.

APPARATUS
1.
Meter high, 5cm broad cylindrical glass
tube
2.
Meter scale alongside tube
3.
High density carbon steel balls
4.
Screw gauge
5.
Stop watch
6.
String
7.
Assorted engine oils

THEORY
Why is engine oil used and how
does it work?
Engine oil is used for lubricating various
internal combustion engines. The main
function is to reduce wear and tear of moving
parts. Thus, the oil creates a layer that helps
them move smoothly.
It also cleans, inhibits corrosion, improves
sealing, and cools the engine by carrying
away the heat from the moving parts.

How is engine oil rated?

Engine oils can be made of single polymers or
multiple polymers and are rated accordingly.
These differ in their viscosity and hence, differ
in their uses. The SAE gives a single grade to

engine oils. However, multi grade oils are

more popular.
Multi grade oils are rated in the form xWy. W
is the winter rating which shows that the oil
has been tested for cold conditions. x tells us
which single grade polymer the oil behaves
like under cold conditions. The lower the
number, the less viscous the oil and better
the performance in low temperatures. y tells
the single grade polymer as much as which
the oil thins at high temperature.
The rating is primarily based on the viscosity
of engine oils. Hence, it is evident that
viscosity is the single most important
characteristic deciding the efficiency of these
oils.

What is viscosity?
It is the property of a fluid by virtue of which
an internal resistance comes into play when
the fluid is in motion, it opposes the motion
between its different layers.

Coefficient of viscosity

When liquid flows over a flat surface, the

liquid layer in contact with the fixed surface
does not move. Higher layers move forward
with increasing velocity. Thus, a backward
dragging force F acts tangentially to every
layer. Thus, the force becomes:
F= A(v/x)
Where,
v=Speed of the layer
A=Area of the layer
x=Seperation between the layer.
In this equation, the constant of
proportionality () is called the coefficient of
viscosity.

Stokes Law
It was shown by stokes law that if a small
sphere of radius r be moving with a terminal
velocity v through an infinite homogenous
and incompressible fluid of coefficient of
viscosity , it experiences a force F given by:

F=6rv
Terminal velocity is known as the maximum
velocity acquired by the body falling in a
viscous medium.

PROCEDURE
1.
850ml of the oil was weighed and the
density was found out.
2.
The jar was cleaned and filled with the
motor oil up to a 97 cm marker.
3.
Two loops of string were tied around
the lower part of the glass tube, 50 cm
apart. One at 65cm and the other at
15cm.
4.
A high density carbon steel shot was
measured and weighed to determine its
density.
5.
The carbon steel shot was dropped
into the liquid.

6.
The timer was started when the shot
reached the first string and was stopped
when it reached the second.
7.
Three reading were taken for each
engine oil and their observations were
noted.

OBSERVATIONS
Radius of carbon steel ball = 1.905 (r)
Density of carbon steel ball = 549.45 kg/m3
()
Density of all oils = 0.84 g/m3 = 840 kg/m3 ()
Ambient temperature = 25 (degree Celsius)
Time taken in different oils
OIL NAME
TIME(seconds
AVERAGE
)
TIME
T1 T2 T3

MAK Gold 40

3.5
1
Servo 4T
3.0
1
HP Milcy
2.8
Turbo
6
Castrol Active 3.1

3.3
5
3.0
6
2.6
6
3.0
1

3.4
1
3.0
3
2.7
1
3.0
8

3.42
3.03
2.74
3.06

Terminal Velocity in different oils

OIL NAME
TERMINAL
VELOCITY(m/s)
MAK Gold 40
0.146
Servo 4T
0.165
HP Milcy Turbo
0.182
Castrol Active
0.137

CALCULATIONS
6rv = (4/3) r3 (-) g

 = [2 r2 (-) g]/9v
MAK Gold 40
= [2*(1.9x10-3)2 * (549.45-0.84) * 9.8] /
(9*0.146)
= 0.029541 kg/ms
Servo 4T
= [2*(1.9x10-3)2 * (549.45-0.84) * 9.8] /
(9*0.165)
= 0.02614 kg/ms
HP Milcy Turbo
= [2*(1.9x10-3)2 * (549.45-0.84) * 9.8] /
(9*0.182)
= 0.023698 kg/ms
Castrol Active
= [2*(1.9x10-3)2 * (549.45-0.84) * 9.8] /
(9*0.137)
= 0.031482 kg/ms
These are a wide range of factors that must
be taken into consideration to choose the
right engine oil. Engine oil ratings are based

on the viscosity of the oil, but these ratings

arent exactly accurate. Each of these oils falls
under a SAE 40 rating, but they have different
viscosities.
The rating of engine oils therefore is based on
a factor known as kinematic viscosity.
Kinematic viscosity in turn is the ratio
between dynamic viscosity and the density of
the liquid. These values are then divided into
ranges and then SAE ratings.
The kinematic viscosity however will not be
constant at a given temperature. The density
of liquids decrease with increase in
temperature.
Therefore, we must also look at the coefficient
of thermal expansion of engine oils in order to
calculate the new density and in turn, the
kinematic viscosity.
Volumetric Expansion
V=T
V=Volume

=Coefficient of thermal expansion

T = temperature
Change in density
1=0 / [1+ (t1-t0)]
Kinematic Viscosity
v=/
v=kinematic viscosity
=absolute/dynamic viscosity
=density
Viscosity Index
VI=(L-U) / (L-H) * 10
U=Kinematic viscosity
L and H=kinematic viscosity of the reference
oils

Volume
Flowrate = F = P1-P2/R
= (Pressure difference)(radius)4 /
8(viscosity)(length)
Resistance to flow = R = 8L/r4
The coefficient of Thermal expansion of light
diesel oil is 0.00085.
Assuming this value to be equal to the
coefficient of thermal expansion of our engine
oils, we have postulated that we can calculate
the kinematic viscosity at any given
temperature.
Assuming the exponential model for
calculation of absolute viscosity to hold true
under our conditions
(T)= 0exp(-bT)
In order to calculate the the kinematic
viscosity ratio, we can use this formula and
then divide by the respective densities.

Dynamic viscosity is the coefficient of

viscosity of a liquid which we have calculated.
OIL
NAME
MAK
Gold
40

COEFFICIEN
T OF
VISCOSITY
0.029541

Servo 0.02614
4T
HP
0.023698
Milcy
Turbo
Castrol 0.031482
Active

DENSIT
Y
820

KINEMATIC
VISCOSITY
(m2/s)
0.000359

KINEMATIC
VISCOSITY
(cSt)
359

840

0.000311

311

820

0.000289

289

840

0.000374

374

Calculating the kinematic viscosity at 1000C:

(T)= 0 * e-bt
0= (T) / e-bt
(100)=( (T) / e-bt ) * e-b(373)
( Used to calculate b in the equation )
e-b(373) / e-bt=K
V(T) / V(100) = [0 * e-bt / (t)] / [ { 0*e-b(373) }/
{(t)/1+(100-T)}]

Thus,
V(100) / V(T)=[ e-b(373) / e-bt ] * [1+ (100-T)]

CONCLUSION
V(100) / V(T)=[ e-b(373) / e-bt ] * [1+ (100-T)]
This Equaiton puts all the values of kinematic
viscosity of the oils in the SAE 40 range.
In order to compensate for the grime buildup and
the face that the engine may have to start in
colder weather, the least vicous oil should be used.
With a dynamic viscosity of 0.023698 kg/m3
and a kinematic viscosity of 289 cSt, HP Milcy
Turbo is the ideal engine oil.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
www.machinerylubrication.com
www.kittiwake.com
www.carbibles.com
www.racq.com.au
www.redlineoil.com
www.upmpg.com
www.oilwinlube.com
www.kewengineering.co.uk
www.howstuffworks.com
www.synlube.com/viscosity.html
www.engineeringtoolbox.com
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_oil