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) MAK Gold 40(for bikes)

2) Servo 4T (for bikes)
3) HP Milcy Turbo (for trucks)
4) 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= ἠA(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 (ἠ) 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 ‘ἠ’, it experiences a force F given
by:

F=6πἠrv

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 (ρ)
Density of all oils = 0.84 g/m3 = 840 kg/m3 (ρ)
Ambient temperature = 25 (degree Celsius)

Time taken in different oils

OIL NAME TIME(seconds) AVERAGE TIME
T1 T2 T3
MAK Gold 40 3.51 3.35 3.41 3.42
Servo 4T 3.01 3.06 3.03 3.03
HP Milcy Turbo 2.86 2.66 2.71 2.74
Castrol Active 3.1 3.01 3.08 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

6πἠrv = (4/3) π r3 (ρ-σ) g

ἠ = [2 r2 (ρ-σ) g]/9v

MAK Gold 40
ἠ = [2*(1.9x10-3)2 * (549.45-0.84) * 9.8] / (9*0.146)
ἠ = 0.029541 kg/ms
Servo 4T
ἠ = [2*(1.9x10-3)2 * (549.45-0.84) * 9.8] / (9*0.165)
ἠ = 0.02614 kg/ms
HP Milcy Turbo
ἠ = [2*(1.9x10-3)2 * (549.45-0.84) * 9.8] / (9*0.182)
ἠ = 0.023698 kg/ms
Castrol Active
ἠ = [2*(1.9x10-3)2 * (549.45-0.84) * 9.8] / (9*0.137)
ἠ = 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 aren’t 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=α∆T

V=Volume
α=Coefficient of thermal expansion
T = temperature

Change in density
ρ1=ρ0 / [1+ α(t1-t0)]

Kinematic Viscosity
v=µ/ρ

v=kinematic viscosity
µ=absolute/dynamic viscosity
ρ=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
= π (Pressure difference)(radius)4 / 8(viscosity)(length)

Resistance to flow = R = 8ἠL/πr4

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

µ(T)= µ0exp(-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 COEFFICIENT OF DENSITY KINEMATIC KINEMATIC
NAME VISCOSITY VISCOSITY VISCOSITY
(m2/s) (cSt)
MAK 0.029541 820 0.000359 359
Gold 40

Servo 4T 0.02614 840 0.000311 311

HP Milcy 0.023698 820 0.000289 289
Turbo
Castrol 0.031482 840 0.000374 374
Active

Calculating the kinematic viscosity at 1000C:

µ(T)= µ0 * e-bt
µ0= µ(T) / e-bt
µ(100)=( µ(T) / e-bt ) * e-b(373)

( Used to calculate ‘b’ in the equation )

e-b(373) / e-bt=K

V(T) / V(100) = [µ0 * e-bt / ρ(t)] / [ { µ0*e-b(373) }/{ρ(t)/1+α(100-T)}]

Thus,

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

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