Palm oil as hydraulic fluids

The used of vegetable oils and animal fats for lubrication purposes have been practices for years. With the discovery of petroleum and the availability of inexpensive oils, alternatives became unattractive and were left by the wayside. Attention was refocused on vegetable oils during wartime and oil shortage situations. For example, during World War I and II, the use of vegetable oils for fuel, lubricants, greases and energy transfer increased rapidly. Also, the oil embargo of 1973 brought needed attention to alternatives for petroleum oils. In addition, the pressure for increased use of vegetable oils in lubricants, due to both environmental and health and safety considerations, is likely to continue. In addition, economic trends are likely to make vegetable oils increasingly more attractive than in the past in many areas of the globe. All these factors will probably result in an increase use of vegetable oil as lubricants. In this work, basic research on palm oil-based hydraulic fluid properties assessment will be carried out.