Is Synthetic Oil Better?

Jarrod Potteiger, Noria Corporation

Hmmm. That’s a tough question. The answer is not as simple as “yes” or “no”. A better question would be: Is synthetic oil the best choice for this application? All types of synthetic base oils can be the best choice for certain situations. The trick is identifying those situations where they make sense or provide value.

There are plenty of potential benefits to using synthetic oil vs. mineral oil, but that doesn’t mean that synthetics are necessarily better. In order to get value from using a higher-priced synthetic oil, you must ensure that you are utilizing the potential improved performance of those products; and to make those determinations, you need to understand the conditions that allow synthetics to provide that value.

To more fully understand this issue, first consider the major advantages of common types of synthetic base oils and then identify the conditions for which these advantages become benefits.

For the sake of brevity, I will not discuss all synthetics, but rather focus on the most common ones – PAOs (polyalphaolefins), PAGs (polyalkaline glycol), diester and polyol ester.

Polyalphaolefins (PAOs)
PAOs, often called synthetic hydrocarbons, are probably the most common type of synthetic base oil used today. They are moderately priced, provide excellent performance and have few negative attributes.
PAO base oil is actually similar to mineral oil. The advantage comes from the fact that it is built, rather than extracted and modified, making it more pure. Practically all of the oil molecules are the same shape and size and are completely saturated.

The potential benefits of PAOs are improved oxidative and thermal stability, excellent demulsibility and hydrolytic stability, a high VI, and very low pour point. Most of the properties make PAOs a good selection for temperature extremes – both high operating temperatures and low start-up temperatures. In my opinion, those are the conditions that favor PAO selection. Typical applications for PAOs are engine oils, gear oils and compressor oils.

The negative attributes of PAOs are the price and poor solubility. The low inherent solubility of PAOs creates problems for formulators when it comes to dissolving additives. Likewise, PAOs cannot suspend potential varnish-forming degradation by-products, although they are less prone to create such material.

For the most part, this issue of solubility can be addressed through the addition of other base oils such as diester. The cost issue is really about whether or not you actually get value by utilizing the performance.

Polyalkaline glycols (PAGs or PGs)
PAG base oils have several unique properties that allow them to work very well in certain applications. In general, they have excellent oxidative and thermal stability, very high VI, excellent film strength and an extremely low tendency to leave deposits on machine surfaces. The low deposit-forming tendency is really due to two properties – the oil’s ability to dissolve deposits and the fact that the oil burns clean. So when they are exposed to a very hot surface or subjected to micro-dieseling by entrained air, PAGs are less likely to leave residue that will form deposits. PAGs may also be the only type of base oil with significantly lower fluid friction, which may allow for energy savings. The other unique property of PAGs is the ability to absorb a great deal of water and maintain lubricity.
There are actually two different types of PAGs – one demulisifies and the other absorbs water. The latter can be very useful if you have a compressor that cannot be stopped that is continually contaminated with large amounts of water. The most common applications for PAGs are compressors and critical gearing applications.

The negatives of PAGs are their very high cost and the potential to be somewhat hydrolytically unstable.

Dibasic Acid Ester (Diester)
The properties of diester are somewhat similar to that of PGs. It has excellent oxidative and thermal stability, very high VI and excellent solubility. This excellent solubility makes it a good choice for reciprocating compressors, where valve deposits can be a huge problem. Another common application for diester is in synthetic engine oil. It is often used as an additive with PAO basestocks to provide the necessary solvency for the engine oil’s large additive package. As a side effect, the synthetic engine oil will have excellent detergency. The negative attributes of diester are the high price and poor hydrolytic stability.

Polyol Ester
Polyol ester basestocks have several excellent performance properties, including thermal stability, super-high VI and fire resistance. Of the base oils mentioned in this column, it is probably the best choice for very high-temperature applications. The two most common applications for polyol ester are fire-resistant hydraulic fluids and jet engine oils. They can be used in engine oils and compressor applications, as well. The negative attributes are the same as those for diester.

Go for ‘Right’ Quality
There are many applications for which synthetic oils provide solutions to tough operating conditions. I have mentioned a few of those here, but there are others. To me, it is not so important to use the “best” quality lubricant in every application, but rather to use the “right” quality.

Many people waste money on expensive products that for a number of reasons don’t improve reliability or anything else. One other important thing to remember is that I am discussing the properties of base oils, not finished lubricants. It is quite possible for a finished lubricant using a mineral basestock to offer better performance than a similar product utilizing a synthetic.

So, back to the original question, is synthetic oil better? The answer is yes … and no … or maybe. You’ll have to decide.

About the Author

Jarrod Potteiger has vast experience in industrial and marine lubricant sales, where he designed lubrication and oil analysis programs and implemented contamination control strategies. He has performed machinery failure analysis for numerous clients. As technical services director for Noria, his primary responsibilities include lubrication program design, benchmark surveys, on-site training and Noria Field Services support.

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Diesel Fuel – Costs, Safety and Concerns

Clean fuels production is a worldwide initiative with some regions ahead of the United States in implementation, and still others are behind U.S. initiatives.

The worldwide refining community recognizes the key role clean fuels play in the improvement of the environment. The refining industry has successfully faced many such challenges by delivering continually cleaner, low cost transportation fuels to the consuming public.

The “clean fuels” title is used to cover a wide range of fuel characterizations for different initiatives: reduce sulphur levels, add oxygenates, reduce aromatics, increase octane or cetane and meet additive package requirements. Selected from this wide-ranging criterion are the specific issues and factors surrounding the refinery requirements to produce 100% highway ULSD according to U.S.A. regulations. Several options exist for the refiner to produce ULSD.

Lubricity (or boundary lubricity) has been defined as “a liquid’s intrinsic ability to prevent wear on contacting solid surfaces in the absence of any hydrodynamic lubricating films”. With only 15-ppm sulphur in our future, this may mean more downtime issues within your fuel system. This property has been a concern due to problems experienced with accelerated jet engine failures for low sulphur jet fuels.

The problems were linked to severely hydro treated jet fuels having both low sulphur and low aromatics contents. Sulphur is the main factor of lubrication in today’s diesel fuels and with tighter guidelines and pressures within the fuel system… these will create component failures in many applications that are using newly designed diesel fuels.

The ASTM standard for diesel fuel, ASTM D-975 is being modified to include a specification on diesel fuel lubricity. Lubricity is determined in the fuel quality to prevent or minimizes wear in a diesel fuel system from trucks, busses and stationary equipment. Trace levels of naturally occurring polar compounds which form a protective layer on metal surfaces with in the fuel system largely provide Diesel lubricity.

A refinery hydro treating processes, which reduces the sulfur content of a diesel fuel blend, can also remove these polar compounds. As a result, most of the diesels produced by refineries to meet January 1, 2006 ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) sulfur specifications will not have adequate lubricating properties to meet the new ASTM lubricity specification.

When you take out the sulfur, you also take out lubricity and reduce antioxidancy and other valuable properties — not well for a diesel engine. The likely result: wear leading to failed injectors. And that translates into breakdowns and repair expenses. What is the standard needed from most OEM’s to determine if fuel is safe to use? This is a good question. Most OEM’s require that diesel fuels be tested using the ASTM D6078 method for lubricity and that the results be greater than 3100 PSI. Most low sulfur diesel fuels run an average of 2850 psi to 2900 psi, so some sort of additive would be required to meet OEM specification.

In diesel fuel systems, the fuel provides lubrication for the fuel pump and injectors. A fuel with poor lubricity can cause excessive wear and premature failure of these components. With reductions in fuel sulfur level, lubricity is becoming a larger concern. Many refiners are using lubricity-improver additives to restore the lubricating properties of the fuel.

Fuel Additives to Increase Lubricity
In 2004, some major U.S. finished fuel common carrier pipeline companies… announced that they would not allow the transport of diesel fuels already treated with lubricity improvers. This is due to their concerns about “trail back” of the lubricity additive into jet fuel tenders following the additive diesel, which are not allowed to contain these additives. As a result, most lubricity additive usage in the U.S. will take place at fuel terminals.

There are many fuel additives on the market that say they increase lubricity and help lubricate all the components of the fuel system, however, don’t be too easily swayed. Most fuel additives are made up of the same five constituents of diesel fuel, which in the end, really do not change any values of the diesel fuel. We recommend asking for the manufacture testing of the additive and to make sure they have tested their product using the ASTM D-6078 standard. This will give you and your equipment the assurance that improved lubricity can be achieved and that your diesel fuel is helping protect the fuel system components.

With new standards of fuel systems, we also recommend that you are using a premium fuel filter. Newer and tighter clearances require cleaner fuels with lower micron filters. The price of new injectors has risen over the years because of technology and most injector’s start out at $325.00 each and go up from there. So assure your filters are of high quality and when possible, run a water separator filter to guarantee the cleanest fuel possible. Also, get your fuel tested today… it could mean significant savings down the road.

Cold Weather Equipment Blues…

The winter months can be the worst time on your equipment because of the cold weather and of course, extended idling times that equipment sees during warm up and operational time periods.

When it comes to preventive maintenance and a more proactive approach to maintenance, we test our lubricating oils… why not test our fuels and coolants?

The answer to that question is a resounding yes; you should test fuels and coolants as well… especially in colder weather. It is very important to test oils, fuels and coolants to assure extended equipment life and reduced maintenance budgets in the future.

Here are some of the testing procedures that can be performed on Diesel Fuels:

* Flash Point, PMCC, ASTM D93
* Carbon Residue, 10% Bottoms, ASTM D189
* Viscosity@ 40 C cST, ASTM D445
* Sulfur, Mass% ASTM D4294
* Cetane Index, Calculated Cetane, includes distillation and * API gravity ASTM D4736
* Water and Sediment Volume % ASTM D2709
* Distillation 90% recovery ASTM D86
* Distillation
* BS&W
* Gravity
* Sulfur

Diesel fuels come in many grade qualities from 1 to 8 depending on the application.

Having seen many dirty fuels in the mining industry, it’s a very good idea to run a pre-filter assembly to help remove the large particles and keep your fuel clean and clear of debris.

Diesel fuels can also contain algae and bacteria, so assure you have clean storage and know where your fuels are being processed. The simple test above will determine the quality of fuel you are using.

Your maintenance personnel should set guidelines for testing all equipments fluids to extend equipment life, reduce equipment downtime and move your maintenance program to a truly proactive level.

Please give us your feedback today and your thoughts on testing fuel and glycol.

Gasoline Prices and Hybrid Technologies

We have all been shocked by the high prices at the pump lately. As the pump clicks past $60 or $70… maybe you entertain the thought about trading in your car for something that gets better mileage. Or maybe you’re worried that your car is contributing to the greenhouse effect.

The automotive industry is moving technology ahead to address these concerns. It’s the hybrid car. You’re probably aware of hybrid cars because they’ve been in the news recently. Most automobile manufacturers have announced plans to manufacture their own versions.

How does a hybrid automobile work? What goes on under the hood to give you 20 or 30 more miles per gallon than the standard automobile? And does it pollute less just because it gets better gas mileage? In this article, we’ll help you understand how this amazing technology works, and we’ll even give you some tips on how to drive a hybrid car for maximum efficiency.

What Makes it a “Hybrid”?
Any vehicle is a hybrid when it combines two or more sources of power. In fact, many people have probably owned a hybrid vehicle at some point. For example, a mo-ped (a motorized pedal bike) is a type of hybrid because it combines the power of a gasoline engine with the pedal power of its rider.

Hybrid vehicles are all around us. Most of the locomotives we see pulling trains are diesel-electric hybrids. Cities like Seattle have diesel-electric buses — these can draw electric power from overhead wires or run on diesel when they are away from the wires. Giant mining trucks are often diesel-electric hybrids. Submarines are also hybrid vehicles — some are nuclear-electric and some are diesel-electric. Any vehicle that combines two or more sources of power that can directly or indirectly provide propulsion power is a hybrid.

The gasoline-electric hybrid car is just that — a cross between a gasoline-powered car and an electric car. Let’s begin by explaining the differences.

Hybrid Structure
You can combine the two power sources found in a hybrid car in different ways. One way, known as a parallel hybrid, has a fuel tank, which supplies gasoline to the engine. But it also has a set of batteries that supplies power to an electric motor. Both the engine and the electric motor can turn the transmission at the same time, and the transmission then turns the wheels.

Hybrid Components
Hybrid cars contain the following parts:

• Gasoline engine – The hybrid car has a gasoline engine much like the one you will find on most cars. However, the engine on a hybrid is smaller and uses advanced technologies to reduce emissions and increase efficiency.
• Fuel tank – The fuel tank in a hybrid is the energy storage device for the gasoline engine. Gasoline has a much higher energy density than batteries do. For example, it takes about 1,000 pounds of batteries to store as much energy as 1 gallon (7 pounds) of gasoline.
• Electric motor – The electric motor on a hybrid car is very sophisticated. Advanced electronics allow it to act as a motor as well as a generator. For example, when it needs to, it can draw energy from the batteries to accelerate the car. But acting as a generator, it can slow the car down and return energy to the batteries.
• Generator – The generator is similar to an electric motor, but it acts only to produce electrical power. It is used mostly on series hybrids.
• Batteries – The batteries in a hybrid car are the energy storage devices for the electric motor. Unlike the gasoline in the fuel tank, which can only power the gasoline engine, the electric motor on a hybrid car can put energy into the batteries as well as draw energy from them.
• Transmission – The transmission on a hybrid car performs the same basic function as the transmission on a conventional car. Some hybrids, like the Honda Insight, have conventional transmissions.

Why Build Such a Complex Car?
You might wonder why anyone would build such a complicated machine when most people are perfectly happy with their gasoline-powered cars. The reason is twofold: to reduce tailpipe emissions and to improve mileage. These goals are actually tightly interwoven.

California (USA) emissions standards dictate how much of each type of pollution a car is allowed to emit in California. The amount is usually specified in grams per mile (g/mi). For example, the low emissions vehicle (LEV) standard allows 3.4 g/mi of carbon monoxide.

The key thing here is that the amount of pollution allowed does not depend on the mileage your car gets. But a car that burns twice as much gas to go a mile will generate approximately twice as much pollution. That pollution will have to be removed by the emissions control equipment on the car. So decreasing the fuel consumption of the car is one of the surest ways to decrease emissions.

Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is another type of pollution a car produces. The U.S. government does not regulate it, but scientists suspect that it contributes to global warming. Since it is not regulated, a car has no devices for removing CO 2 from the exhaust, so a car that burns twice as much gas adds twice as much CO 2 to the atmosphere.

Automakers around the world have another strong incentive to improve mileage. They are required by law to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. The current standards require that the average mileage of all the new cars sold by an automaker should be 27.5 mpg (8.55 liters per 100 km). This means that if an automaker sells one hybrid car that gets 60 mpg (3.92 liters per 100 km), it can then sell four big, expensive luxury cars that only get 20 mpg (11.76 liters per 100 km)!

References:

• How Stuff Works Inc.
• Multi Media HSW