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Oil is Oil, right?Motor Oil Guide |
Oil is Oil, right? No it’s a lot more.Have you ever really thought about the lubricant you put in your machinery? In your car? Have you given much thought to the time and resources expended to it. If you haven’t then consider the following processes involved in manufacturing lubricants.
Perhaps you’ve heard someone say, “Oil is oil. As long as it’s slick, it’s OK”. Is this the general attitude you take toward your lubrication program ? Do you take appropriate measures to make sure the correct lubricant is used in each application? Do you take care to make sure your lubricants are kept clean, dry and cool? Is prompt action taken when there are indications that your lubricant has been contaminated or degraded in any way? Are different brands or types of lubricants mixed together based on what is most readily available or on the lowest cost? Do you know that your lubricant can tell you about the health of your machines? These are all very important questions to address. The aim of this article is to give you some general background information to consider when evaluating or developing your lubrication program. In the paragraphs that follow, we provide a general overview of the types of oils, process methods, and additive technologies employes to produce formulated lubricants. However, a detailed, chemical view of these topics is beyond the scope of this catalogue. Most lubricant base oils can be placed into three general catogories: Mineral, Synthetic or Vegetable. Mineral and synthetic base oils are most common to the hydrocarbon processing and power generation industries. Vegetable base oils are used in applications where food contact and environmental impact are a consideration and will not be discussed here. Mineral base oils can be further classified as paraffinic or napthenic. Each type has its relative advantages and disadvantages. In general, paraffinic oils will have a more stable viscosity response to changing temperatures (high viscosity indes, VI). Paraffinic oils also have excellent oxidation stability and are rekatuvekt bib-reactive. By contrast, napthenic oils perform better at low temperatures (low pour point) and have better solvency (low aniline point). Most mineral oils used in industry are paraffinic. A formulated lubricant may be a blend of paraffinics and napthenics to achieve the desired balance of properties in the final product.
Some of these lubricants may be part of larger categories and others can be broken down into further sub-catagories. Those listed are the most commonly encountered synthetics. A variety of processes are used in the manufacture of mineral-based lubricating base oils. These may be employed individually or in combination, and there may be variations within each basic type according to the desiged goal. The basic processes include:
While lubricant base oils have inherently good properties, they may need to be enhanced to sufficiently meet the challenges of the application. Additionally, the base oil may have some undesirable properties that must be suppressed. Additives can be used to maximize the base oil’s good properties and minimize its undesirable properties. A multitude of chemical compounds are used as additives and they can typically be classifed as :
Additives can comprise anywhere from less than 1% to over 25% of the composition of a formulated lubricant. A typical turbine oil may have only 1% additive while automotive engine oil may have around 25% additive. In general, lubricants for internal combustion applications will have higher additive content than those for industrial applications. These additives are expensive and can contribute to much of the final cost of a lubricant. Additionally, while additives are used to enhance the performance of a lubricant, they can also impart undesirable side effects if used in the wrong concentration or in conjunction with other additives. It is important to note that additives will have varying miscibility in different base oils and proper procedures must be used to insure that they can be completely dissolved into the base oil and not separate out. Lubricant and additive comapnies must look at all of these issues when they formulate a lubricant for a particular application. So how do these campanies figure out how to accomplish this? R & DThe answer is research and development. A review or industry trade journals quickly provides a brief glimpse into the thousands of hours and millions of dollars spent each year researching friction and wear as well as base oils and additives to minimize wear and maximize machine and lubricant life. Many articles also deal with the issues of minimizing contaminant ingression and technologies used to reclaim lubricants, while in use, to extend their useful life. There is also much written about the development of new techniques to lubrication analysis and enhancing the ability to determine machine lubricant and contaminant condition from the oil. |
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