Drain Intervals Research Articles

Contribution to the analysis of the physico-chemical and rheological degradation of 15w40 lubricating oils for the optimization of drain intervals

Degradation of engine oil can lead to a reduction in its effectiveness in reducing friction, which has a negative impact on engine durability and performance. This research examined in detail the physico-chemical and rheological properties of new and used motor oils, divided into three groups (A, B and C) and subjected to different driving distances (0 km, 4000 km and 7000 km). The main findings include: Progressive degradation of kinematic viscosity at 40°C with increasing distance travelled, with greater degradation in group A. A similar degradation in kinematic viscosity at 100°C, with Group A showing the greatest degradation, suggesting a loss of efficiency at higher temperatures. A progressive decrease in viscosity index with increasing distance travelled. Significant changes in the total acid number (TAN) and total base number (TBN) of the oil with increasing distance travelled, with the greatest decrease in TBN observed in group C, suggesting acidification of the used oil. A progressive decrease in the sulfur content of used oil compared to new oil, mainly in group C. A progressive deterioration in dynamic viscosity with increasing distance travelled, particularly at higher temperatures. These results highlight the importance of regular maintenance and servicing of thermal engine lubricating oils particularly in an urban driving. future work Develop a predictive model using neural networks to analyze physical, chemical, and rheological properties, and monitor it online.

Experimental Comparison of the Effect of Using Synthetic, Semi-Synthetic, and Mineral Engine Oil on Gasoline Engine Parts Wear

This paper includes the laboratory and experimental methodology used to compare the effect of using mineral, semi-synthetic, and synthetic engine oil on the parts wear of a four-stroke gasoline internal composition engine (ICE). Three test platforms included three engines with identical, technical, and design specifications. They were operated under the same investment, ambient, and climatic conditions. The first engine was equipped with synthetic oil, the second with semi-synthetic oil, and the third with mineral engine oil. All of them had (SAE10W40 API: SL/CF). All test platforms were operated through three stages with variable loads for up to 1,500 operating hours (hr). Oil drain intervals (ODI) were every 100 operating hours. Used oil samples were taken to analyze the physical and chemical characteristics of viscosity, total base number TBN, flash point, metals wear Irion (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), and wear index (WI) to investigate the effect of all oils on the wear of engine parts and by comparing the changes in wear. The used oil analysis (UOA) results were drawn that showed the superiority of the use of synthetic oil over semi-synthetic and mineral. It prolonged the technical engine’s lifetime.

Impact of oil ageing on gear scuffing in hybrid dual-clutch transmissions

As the clutch friction stability in dual-clutch transmissions has been continuously improved over the last decade, wear protection of high loaded mechanical contacts has become increasingly important and mechanical failures have been observed at the end of extended oil drain intervals. A test method was established based on standard equipment already used for transmission fluid development. A modified FZG four-square test rig allows ageing a reduced oil volume to not decelerate development times. Applicability was demonstrated by ageing four full formulated transmission fluids using the new approach and comparing the results to aged transmission fluids sampled from durability testing. The oils aged with the FZG rig exhibit the same characteristics of scuffing load capacity degradation as observed in full transmission systems. However, in the full transmission system, the degradation starts at lower applied specific work, most likely due to the different system complexity. It is pointed out that not only the thermal load but also the tribological stresses have to be considered to mimic oil ageing.

Large-Strain Consolidation of Sludge in Multiple-Drainage Geotextile Tubes

This paper presents a profound solution for a novel method of dewatering dredged sludge using a combined geotextile tube and vacuum-assisted prefabricated horizontal drains. Firstly, an analytical model was proposed to provide a basis for the design of the proposed approach. This two-dimensional plane-strain consolidation model was based on Gibson’s large-strain theory, incorporating the horizontal and vertical flows with consideration of the self-weight, nonlinear compressibility, and hydraulic conductivity of soil. Secondly, the numerical solution obtained using the alternative direction implicit method was compared with the existing one-dimensional model for verification. Thirdly, a field trial was carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach and analytical model. Finally, the effects of various major design parameters on the consolidation efficiency of the tube system were also investigated through a parametric study to establish an optimal design. This study showed that a higher consolidation efficiency and an earlier optimal efficiency point could be achieved when decreasing the horizontal drain interval and increasing the tube height. Furthermore, surcharge preloading induces a more significant effective stress increment in soil than vacuum preloading of the same magnitude.

Analysis of The Influences of Biodiesel On Performance and Emissions of a Diesel Engine

Biodiesel remains an alternative fuel of interest for use in diesel engines. A common characteristic of biodiesel relative to petroleum diesel, is a lowered heating value (or energy content of the fuel). This review paper discusses the characteristics of biodiesel that has a great influenceon the performance and emission of diesel engine. A lower heating value of the fuel, assuming all other parameters are equal would result in decreased engine torque. Since engine torque is often user-demanded, the lower heating value of the fuel generally translates into increased brake specific fuel consumption.The biodiesel from edible oils isnon-toxic, biodegradable and renewable alternate fuel that can be used as a substitute for diesel in diesel engines. There is some indication that the use of biodiesel fuel can degrade diesel engine oil performance to such an extent that shortening of oil drain intervals is required. Oil, which is fuel-diluted with biodiesel, which is also known to contain unsaturated hydrocarbon bonds would be expected to be more prone to oxidation. Besides, the use of biodiesel leads to the substantial reduction in PM, HC and CO emissions accompanying with the imperceptible power loss, the increase in fuel consumption and the increase in NOx emission on conventional diesel engines with no or fewer modification. Plus, it favors to reduce carbon deposit and wear of the key engine parts. Therefore, the blends of biodiesel, with small content in place of petroleum diesel, can help in controlling air pollution and easing the pressure on scarce resources without significantly sacrificing engine power and economy. However, many further researches on optimization and modification of engine, low temperature performances of engine, new instrumentation, methodology for measurements and etc., should be performed when petroleum diesel is substituted completely by biodiesel. In this study, reports about biodiesel engine performances and emissions, published by highly rated journals in scientific indexes were cited preferentially since the year 2000. From these reports, the effect of biodiesel on engine power, economy, durability, emissions including regulated and non-regulated emissions and the corresponding effect factors are surveyed and analyzed in detail.

Effect of Zinc Dialkyl Dithiophosphate Replenishment on Tribological Performance of Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine Oil

Soot is the main contamination that affects oil performance and increases the frequency of oil changes in heavy-duty engine oil. Several studies discussed that additive concentration in engine oil can be influenced due to additive depletion over time and additive adsorption on soot particles. To extend oil drain intervals and improve oil performance, filter manufactures explore removing the soot to a certain level and replenishing the consumed additives. Zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP) is one of the most favored antiwear additives that react very rapidly with rubbing surfaces to form tribofilm that reduces wear. In this study, the experimental work aims to investigate the effect of ZDDP replenishment on tribological performance in the existence of soot and after removing soot from heavy-duty used oil. The study reveals that reclaiming the used oil can be achieved by removing the soot to a certain level. The results demonstrate that the reclaimed oil after removing soot is still not as good as the fresh oil. This study proves that additive depletion, additive adsorption on soot, and the decomposition of antiwear additive adversely influence the reclaimed oil performance. However, replenishing the consumed additive by adding a small amount of ZDDP helps to improve the reclaimed oil performance compared to a large amount of ZDDP which is required to re-gain the oil performance in the existence of soot.

Fuel-Lubricant Interactions: Critical Review of Recent Work

A critical review of recent work on fuel lubricant interactions is undertaken. The work focusses on liquid fuels used in diesel and gasoline vehicles. The amount of fuel that contaminates the lubricant depends on driving conditions, engine design, fuel type, and lubricant type. When fuel contaminates a lubricant, the viscosity of the lubricant will change (it will usually decrease), the sump oil level may increase, there may be a tendency for more sludge formation, there may be an impact on friction and wear, and low speed pre-ignition could occur. The increased use of biofuels (particularly biodiesel) may require a reduction in oil drain intervals, and fuel borne additives could contaminate the lubricant. The move towards the active regeneration of particulate filters by delayed fuel post-injection and the move towards hybrid electric vehicles and vehicles equipped with stop-start systems will lead to increased fuel dilution. This will be of more concern in diesel engines, since significant fuel dilution could persist at sump oil temperatures in the range of 100–150 °C (whereas in gasoline engines the more volatile gasoline fuel will have substantially evaporated at these temperatures). It is anticipated that more research into fuel lubricant interactions, particularly for diesel engines, will be needed in the near future.

Extension of lubricant drain interval by modified pure biomass oil filter

AbstractWith the extensive use of internal combustion engines, the large volume of lubricant consumption has become an urgent problem. In this study, a new adsorbent of modified sawdust (MS) was used to clean the waste diesel engine lubricant and prepared into a pure biomass oil filter (PBF) for the actual operation of buses. The characterization results of sawdust showed that the crystallinity index of MS enhanced 19.26%, and MS had smoother morphology, obvious pores than raw sawdust (RS). In on‐road tests, both total acid number (1 mg KOH·g−1) and total base number (9 mg KOH·g−1) were within the permitted range of the standard, and the kinematic viscosity showed a decreasing trend. In addition, the concentration of metals and insoluble colloids (<0.2%) in the lubricant was far below the oil change limit, which made the oil drain interval of the two vehicles extended from 15 000 km (recommended by manufacture) to 60 500 and 71 500 km, respectively. Conclusively, it is believed that PBF is efficient to alleviate lubricant deterioration and prolong the oil drain interval.

Effect of Dispersant Concentration With Friction Modifiers and Anti-Wear Additives on the Tribofilm Composition and Boundary Friction

Abstract To extend drain intervals and improve efficiency, new engine oils with increased dispersant concentration and reduced viscosity are required. Low viscosity engine oils can increase the prevalence of boundary friction at low temperature and increase its severity at higher temperatures. As a result, combinations of organic and inorganic friction modifiers (FM) will be used to reduce boundary friction across a range of temperatures, also preventing damage to vehicle catalysts. This paper presents an experimental case study of such a new generation of fully formulated engine lubricants with varying concentrations of polyisobutylene succinimide dispersant, organic, and inorganic FM. Representative conditions pertaining to those encountered at the top dead center reversal of the piston compression ring-cylinder liner contact are created, and the generated friction measured through use of a sliding-strip tribometry. Subsequently, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is used to determine the composition of the formed surface tribofilms in order to explain the observed frictional characteristics. The key interactions and frictional behavior of the dispersant and friction modifiers are highlighted across a range of operating temperatures.

Theoretical study of motor oil chromatogram in express diagnostics using the drop test

The quality and compliance with the requirements of motor oils used in operation is one of the key factors determining durability and reliability of the internal combustion engine (ICE). The operating conditions of motor oils in ICE have changed significantly with an improvement in the design of the engine, the increase in power, the increase in pressure in cylinders and the change in the torque of the crankshaft. The requirements to motor oils during operation are constantly increasing, the specified terms of oil drain interval are increased. The composition of motor oils has also changed, and the technologists are adjusting their finished oil compositions to increasing requirements. Thus, it is necessary to constantly monitor the state of oil during ICE operation, the use of traditional express methods of oil quality verification is not always possible for new brands. The study considers the theoretical justification for the application of the drop test for the brands of strongly alkaline oils – Vanellus C6 Global “BP” (U) 15W-40 and Neste Tyrbo LXE.

Beyond Noack Volatility: New Perspective for Engine Lubricant Oil and Particle Emissions

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Reduction of fuel consumption and pollutant emissions are key factors in the current development of powertrains. Engine oil has proven to be an efficient lever for improving fuel economy. The full potential of a low viscosity lubricant could be achieved by a shift towards formulations with low viscosity, high volatility base oils. However, there is a concern that this might increase oil consumption and limit long oil drain intervals.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">This article deals with the engine lubricant contribution to oil and particle emissions. A series of 0W-12 oil prototypes have been evaluated both within laboratory measurements and on a modern turbocharged direct injection gasoline engine. Correlation between oil emission and engine oil properties will be presented.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The impact of engine oil on particle emissions has also been investigated under different engine operating conditions. A focus on particle size distribution demonstrates the relevance of transient driving conditions to the formation of unregulated emissions. Time-resolved measurement of a dynamic driving cycle provides a valuable insight to achieving additional emission reduction under real drive conditions.</div></div>

Multiscale characterization of exhaust and crankcase soot extracted from heavy-duty diesel engine and implications for DPF ash

Engine-dynamometer bench tests were performed to evaluate the severity of engine operation resulting in oil degradation, set limits for drain intervals and provide recommendations for oil formulators to develop an additive package offering enhanced engine hardware protection. Engine oil was sampled at specified intervals to monitor depletion of additives, changes in viscosity, soot agglomerates and wear elements. A myriad of characterization techniques such as temperature resolved XRD, TEM, EDS, BET, Raman, DLS, TGA and ICP-OES are employed to develop a holistic understanding of crankcase soot interaction with lubricant additives influencing soot-induced wear, and oxidative properties of exhaust soot trapped in the DPF. XRD phase analysis of residue left behind after crankcase soot oxidation showed the presence of crystalline compounds embedded in the soot structure (CaSO4, Ca3(PO4)2, and Zn3(PO4)2); exhaust soot showed no crystalline compounds and had 85 wt% less residue after oxidation compared to crankcase soot. The residue inevitably forms ash precursors that are trapped in the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) affecting the filtration performance and fuel efficiency of the vehicle in the longer run. The turbostratic structure of both soot samples remains the same prior to oxidation; however, the embedded crystalline and amorphous species in the crankcase soot structure are different compared to exhaust soot. Ex-situ experiments were performed on soot-ash mixture with heated microscopy stage to allow for better visualization of ash formation, sintering and transport properties in the DPF channels. Findings in the study help in developing a comprehensive insight into ‘soot ecosystem’ in diesel engine vehicles.

Poprawa efektywności eksploatacji floty dzięki zastosowaniu olejów silnikowych o niskiej lepkości: oszczędność paliwa i wydajność oleju

For heavy-duty vehicles and road transportation, fuel consumption and associated CO2 emissions have been of great concern, which has led to the development and implementation of technologies to reduce their impact on the environment. Low viscosity engine oils have arisen as one proven cost-effective solution to increase the engine efficiency; however, for the heavy-duty vehicle segment, engine protection against wear is a priority for end-users, and therefore there is some reluctance to the use of that new oil formulations. In this study, eight lubricant oils, representative of the HTHS viscosity reduction that heavy-duty oils have been undergoing and new API CK-4 and FA-4 categories, were evaluated for fuel economy, oil performance and engine wear, in a long-term test involving a fleet of 49 heavy-duty vehicles of four different engine technologies, some of them with diesel fuel and others with compressed natural gas. Results of fuel economy were positive for most of the buses’ models. Regarding oil performance and wear, most of the formulations were found to be suitable for extended oil drain intervals (ODI); and although no alarming results were found, overall performance of the formulations of the fourth stage could lead to significant wear if the oil drain interval is extended. In this study, it should be noted that some of the information has been presented by the authors in other publications, here they are presented with the purpose of complementing the new results and summarize the entire test.

Многофункциональное масло для наземной военной техники армии США

The U.S. Army has a desire to consolidate multiple MIL specification fluids into a single specification, or Single Common Powertrain Lubricant (SCPL) program. This program is seeking to develop an all-season (arctic to desert), fuel-efficient, multi-functional powertrain fluid with extended drain capabilities and designed to consolidate multiple military lubricant specifications into a single product, or single specification. This paper covers the long term field demonstration programs of the SCPL conducted three locations, representing basic, arctic, and desert climate conditions respectively. Overall the field demonstration for all three locations was considered successful. Real world military vehicle operation using SCPL did not show any differences from currently fielded MIL-PRF-2104 and MIL-PRF-46167 products. In addition, the durability of the SCPL over the one and two year test durations showed that the SCPL is capable of extended drain intervals than the current annual oil change recommendations. These results confirms that the SCPL is a drop in replacement, and is providing improved overall performance compared to currently fielded products. The use of low viscosity engine oil was shown to have a significant impact on fuel consumption: the difference between the current MIL-PRF-2104H SAE 15W-40 grade and the best experimental fluid had an improvement of 1.66% over the test cycle.

Unapređenje metoda vibro-akustične kontrole mehanizma za distribuciju gasa kod SUS motora

A modern vehicle is a system of high-precision systems. In particular, over the past 20 years, the gas distribution mechanism (GRM) has been structurally released from any adjustments. However, alongside with that, the elimination of the adjustments did not entail a decrease in the number of GDM failures. The analysis of a number of works shows that the GDM mechanism accounts for more than 30% of ICE failures. The problem lies in the high sensitivity of modern engine systems to the oil drain interval, fuel quality, timeliness of maintenance, etc., i.e. to carrying out of routine activities. According to the analysis of the operating conditions of modern vehicles, the regulations are significantly violated in more than 50% of cases, which results is a considerable reduction in the service life of vehicles. In this connection, it is relevant to develop diagnostic methods allowing us to determine the degree of wear of engine components at all vehicle operation stages. One of such methods is the vibro-acoustic method. The research aims to develop a methodology and method for diagnosing GRM by analyzing vibration parameters together with a pressure signal in the cylinder, the angle of the ICE crankshaft. As a result, the mechanism for recognizing the fault conditions of individual GRM valves is determined. A set of diagnostic tools for the selective diagnosis of GRM elements has been developed. A methodology for determining the GRM phases and thermal clearances in the valve drive using the nondemountable method has been created.

Improving the heat transfer capability and thermal stability of vehicle engine oils using Al2O3/TiO2 nanomaterials

ABSTRACT One of the key reasons for the failure of lube oils is their thermal degradation owing to elevated heat conditions in vehicle engines. In this study, the thermal degradation studies of the lube oils were performed using a simultaneous thermal analyzer (TGA/DTG/DSC). Furthermore, the engine thermal efficiency was determined experimentally using an AVL dynamometer under different operating conditions. TGA results showed that the oxidation onset temperature and burnout temperature of Al2O3/TiO2 hybrid nanolubricants could be delayed by 54.9 °C and 38.7 °C, respectively, as compared with the reference oil (5W-30). Comparing the engine results, the Al2O3/TiO2 nanolubricants presented enhancement of heat transport characteristics and brake thermal efficiency by 9–14% and 3.9–8.6%, respectively, compared with the reference oil. Hence, the high thermal stability of Al2O3/TiO2 nanolubricants allows to be used in a wide temperatures range with a higher fuel economy, optimize lube oil drain intervals and reduce maintenance costs in vehicles.

Reduction of CO2 Emissions and Cost Analysis of Ultra-Low Viscosity Engine Oil

This study is focused on the reduction of CO2 emissions and costs associated with ultra-low viscosity (ULV) engine oils for passenger vehicles. Specifically, the reduction in life cycle CO2 (LCCO2) emissions from lower-viscosity engine oil and the oil drain interval (ODI) extension were estimated taking into account both mineral engine oil and synthetic engine oil. Furthermore, the cost-effectiveness of ULV engine oils were investigated by performing base-stock cost analysis. When the volatility limit of the Noack test (American Society for testing and materials (ASTM) D5800) was set to 15 wt %, the results indicated that the lower limit of kinematic viscosity at 100 °C (KV100) for mineral engine oil (with Group-III base-stock) and synthetic engine oil (with polyalphaolefin (PAO) base-stock) were approximately 5.3 and 4.5 mm2/s, respectively. Compared to conventional 0W-16 mineral engine oil (KV100 6.2 mm2/s), the effect of reducing LCCO2 emissions on ULV mineral engine oil (ULV-Mineral, KV100 5.3 mm2/s) was estimated at 0.6%, considering 1.5–1.8 L gasoline engines in New European Driving Cycles (NEDC) mode. ULV-Mineral, which continues to use a mineral base-stock, is considered highly cost-effective since its cost is similar to the conventional 0W-16 mineral engine oil. On the other hand, compared with ULV-Mineral, the vehicle fuel efficiency improvement from the use of ULV synthetic engine oil (ULV-PAO, KV100 4.5 mm2/s) was estimated to be 0.5%. However, considering CO2 emissions during engine oil production, the reduction of LCCO2 emission from ULV-PAO compared with ULV-Mineral was estimated to be only 0.1% or less using 2030 standards (assuming a vehicle fuel efficiency of 66.5 g-CO2/km) when ODI is set equivalent (7500 km) to mineral engine oil. As a result, ULV-PAO’s cost-effectiveness, considering the cost increase of PAO base-stock, was found to be nominal. Contrariwise, when the characteristics of PAO base-stock with higher oxidation stability are used comparatively with the mineral base-stock while extending the ODI to 15,000 km, the effect of reducing LCCO2 emissions of ULV-PAO was estimated to be 0.7% in 2030, making ULV-PAO a competitive and cost-effective alternative. In other words, the popularization of synthetic engine oil toward 2030 will require the consideration of both viscosity reduction and ODI extension.

Influence of Dispersant and ZDDP on Soot Wear

Diesel engines and gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines both produce soot due to incomplete combustion of the fuel and some enters the lubricant where it accumulates between drain intervals, promoting wear of rubbing engine components. Currently the most favoured mechanism for this wear is that the anti-wear additives present in engine oils, primarily zinc dialkyldithiophosphates (ZDDPs), react very rapidly with rubbing surfaces to form relatively soft reaction products. These are easily abraded by soot, resulting in a corrosive-abrasive wear mechanism. This study has explored the impact of engine oil dispersant additives on this type of wear using combinations of dispersant, ZDDP and carbon black, a soot surrogate. It has been found that both the concentration and type of dispersant are critical in influencing wear. With most dispersants studied, wear becomes very high over an intermediate dispersant concentration range of ca 0.1–0.4 wt% N, with both lower and higher dispersant levels showing much less wear. However a few dispersants appear able to suppress high wear by ZDDP and carbon black over the whole concentration range. A series of experiments have been carried out to determine the origin of this behaviour and it is believed that high levels of dispersant, and, for a few dispersants, all concentration levels, protect the iron sulphide tribofilm initially formed by ZDDP from abrasion by carbon black.

Zinc Dialkyldithiophosphate Additive Adsorption on Carbon Black Particles

Soot is known to cause high wear in engine components and this is a problem with engine oils between extended drain intervals. Although several wear mechanisms have been suggested, exact soot-induced wear mechanisms are still not fully understood. This study aims to investigate the additive adsorption mechanism (specifically anti-wear additive) on carbon black (CB) particles (as a soot surrogate). This mechanism is one of the main mechanisms responsible for high wear. Base oil (BO) was used to exclude the effect of other additives that are present in fully formulated oil. Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) anti-wear additive was added to the BO and then the mixture, which will be referred to as the model oil, was aged with CB particles. The resulting oils were then chemically characterised by using ICP and FTIR analysis techniques. Finally, the CB particles were filtered out and analysed using EDX. The results showed that both zinc and phosphorous which are chemical elements from ZDDP anti-wear additive were adsorbed on CB particles in the oil phase. This additive adsorption mechanism can lead to increased wear in the engine components due to lack of additives in the oil. This study highlights the importance of understanding the additive adsorption on soot particles since this mechanism will reduce the engine oil life and increase frequency of oil changes.

Discussion on the influence of driving parameters of civilian cars on motor oil degradation

Although the reason is not clear, mileage is commonly recommended as an indicator to evaluate the oil drain interval of a car. This paper tries to investigate whether the mileage is the most suitable indicator to evaluate the oil drain interval based on scientific experiments and data analysis method. Three civilian cars and motor oils (contained mineral oil, semisynthetic oil, and synthetic oil) were subjected to road tests under urban traffic condition. The real-time driving parameters comprising speed, mileage, idle time, engine operation time, and number of starts were obtained by on-board diagnostic system. Synchronous oil samples were collected about every 30 days. The physicochemical properties and component changes of experimental oils were analyzed in laboratory. The effects of driving parameters on oil properties were studied with the improved grey relational analysis method. The results show that the influencing factors of driving parameters on motor oil degradation were different in different experimental cars. The influence of mileage on oil degradation was not obvious. The idle time of engine, engine operation time, and number of starts were the three most significantly influential factors on oil deterioration after comprehensive analysis of the three experimental cars.