Computer simulation of turbine oil oxidation. 2: Consumption of a hindered phenol antioxidant in laboratory oxidation tests and in service

Abstract

AbstractThe computer simulation study of consumption of di‐tert‐butyl p‐cresol (DBPC) was extended to the oxidation of hexadecane/tetralin model oils under conditions of laboratory oxidation tests and in service. The oxidation lives of the model oils in the ALCOA oxidation test and the ASTM D2272 rotary bomb and D943 turbine oil oxidation tests were successfully predicted from the simulation study. The oxidation behaviour of the model oils is compared to that of a turbine oil used in actual service units. The model oil having 6 mass % of tetralin showed almost identical oxidation behaviour to the turbine oil when the same amount of DBPC was added (0.6 mass %). The calculation shows that the direct oxidation of antioxidants is the main process of antioxidant consumption in the laboratory oxidation tests as well as in the model oxidation system without metal catalysts. In most of the service units which operated at moderate conditions the calculation shows that the direct oxidation of antioxidants is also the main, process. As a consequence, the rate of antioxidant consumption does not depend much on the tetralin content in the model oils. The oxidation behaviour of the model oils in the service units which operate under severe conditions, such as in the high temperature regions of turbines, is calculated by setting a flow reactor model. The results of this calculation show in this case that the turbine oil degradation occurs mostly in the high temperature regions and that the rate of antioxidant consumption increases with an increased amount of tetralin in the model oils. This strong dependence on base oil composition can be attributed to the increased importance of antioxidant consumption through the inhibition of oxidation.