Pellet manufacturing subjects pellet machines to some of the most demanding operating environments imaginable. Roller bearings must contend with elevated temperatures, intense pressures, water vapor, and various contaminants—all of which can compromise their performance.
Choosing the right grease is something that mechanics, engineers, and both technical and service managers understand to be critical. It is the single most important factor in ensuring machinery operates efficiently and reliably over the long term.
Valvoline™ advanced roller bearing grease is designed to help you increase profitability while driving down maintenance costs. The following explains how it achieves this.
Grease is a lubricant ranging from semi-fluid to solid in consistency, engineered specifically for heavy-duty use. It is formulated from three core components: base oil, a carefully selected additive system, and thickeners. Each of these ingredients plays a distinct and vital role in producing greases capable of withstanding exceptionally harsh conditions. The ability to perform under heavy loads, elevated temperatures, shear forces, and high stress is the hallmark of a truly high-quality grease.
Because no two applications share identical operating conditions, every application demands a grease that has been specifically formulated for the particular machine, task, and operational environment involved.
Pellet production is an inherently complex process defined by extreme working conditions. The processing of raw materials generates high temperatures, significant pressures, water steam, and various contaminants. Taken together, these factors degrade lubrication and disrupt the operation of pellet machines and associated equipment, ultimately risking roller bearing failure.
Beyond the operating environment itself, several additional factors influence how well these critical components are lubricated: bearing quality, press capacity, grease excess, and the specific type of material being pelletized.
Using a grease that is ill-suited to the rigorous demands of heavy-duty pellet production can result in serious and costly consequences.
Valvoline™ has developed heavy-duty greases specifically engineered to withstand the extreme conditions encountered throughout the pellet production process.
Valvoline advanced greases provide protection against:
Facilities can achieve reductions in grease consumption of up to 50% compared to conventional lithium complex greases of lower viscosity.
The outstanding water-absorbing characteristics of calcium sulfonate complex grease enable it to prevent roller-bearing corrosion while maintaining its NLGI consistency.
Unlike lithium greases—whose properties can degrade at elevated temperatures or upon exposure to water—calcium sulfonate complex grease retains its dropping point and other essential performance characteristics under the same conditions.
Calcium sulfonate complex grease is built from premium, high-quality base oils, additives, and thickeners that work together to prevent wear and corrosion. Its advanced formulation and resistance to water washout mean that no additional admixtures are necessary. This stands in contrast to conventional lithium complex greases, which can shed some of their protective properties when water is present.
Valvoline special calcium sulfonate complex greases are engineered for heavy-duty industrial applications, including wood pellets production. They also satisfy the lubrication requirements of fodder pelleting applications.
Beech 80% + conifers
Beech 80 - 90% + conifers
Valvoline Industry Calsul 2
Bearing temperature (°C)
Bearing service life (h)
Beech 90% + conifers
Valvoline Multipurpose Complex Red 2
Bearing temperature (°C)
Beech 90% + conifers
Operators of heavy-duty pellet production equipment who select a grease from the Valvoline portfolio of multipurpose and special industry greases consistently realize meaningful operational advantages.
By safeguarding critical metal components, these greases extend the service life of pellet machines. Testing and case studies conducted across a range of heavy-duty applications confirm the benefits of Valvoline advanced special industrial grease—including efficiency gains of up to 90% and TCO reductions of up to 25%, both of which translate directly into higher profits.
