It’s always a satisfying experience to know that you have an expert on a subject who can provide you with answers to questions or scenarios you’d otherwise have no idea how to solve. This is why we as a society cherish our car mechanics, physicians, home handymen and even our physical trainers – they’ve got the expertise in areas that often touch our lives but for which we just don’t have the time or experience to derive solutions for ourselves.
Ben Briseño is no different. He’s the product line manager at Clarion Lubricants and as such, has vast knowledge and understanding in the very important area of food-based lubricants. Working with foods poses very special problems that can make or break a food industry business or restaurant, so his expertise is highly coveted and is available in his Got Questions? column on FoodEngineering.com.
Ben’s writing style is matter-of-fact but also very specific, as this answer to a question regarding the differences between conventional food-grade lubricants and synthetic food-grade lubes clearly shows. As Ben explains it, “Synthetic food grade lubricants such as Polyalphaolefin (PAO) or Polyalkylene Glycol (PAG) types offer enhanced properties in areas such as high temperature stability, low temperature fluidity, energy savings, and longer oil life. They are preferred where operating conditions surpass the capabilities of conventional food grade lubricants. In food processing, synthetics are often used in low and high temperature applications, air compressors, refrigeration compressors, and gear drives. Synthetic’s lower traction coefficient will yield energy savings in gear drives and compressors compared to conventional food grade lubricants.”
Some of the subjects he covers in his recent column include:
- Advantages and disadvantages to food-grade versus nonfood-grade greases
- Storage considerations for food-grade greases
- Antimicrobial agents used in lubricants
- How to minimize gear box failures on conveyor belt lines
- The best Clarion lubricants for various food industry procedures and operations
In today’s world of social media and 24-hour news cycles and Internet journalism, it’s exciting to be able to turn to experts whom you can really trust in their field.
Learn about food grade lubricants from Stevenson Oil.