Additive depletion in engine oil and the effects on tribology performance

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Engine manufacturers are facing a growth in demand on how they can increase and lengthen oil change intervals of lubricants, therefore reducing the total cost for customers over the life of an engine, as well as reducing the impact of waste oil on the environment. However, to improve engine oil properties, several additive elements are added to engine oil, which reduce friction and wear and enhance oil properties during harsh working conditions. Over the lifespan of lubricating oil, additive elements are influenced by oil contaminations such as soot and water. Soot particles and water absorb or deplete lubricating additives, which affect engine oil performance and increase the friction and wear of engine components. Additive depletion is an interesting subject due to improvements of media filtration systems, using centrifugal or ultra-filtration systems. The most commonly asked question when using advanced filtering processes is; does the oil filter have an ability to remove additives from the oil or just remove contaminants? By finding the amount of additives that have been depleted and replenishing them can extend the engine drain intervals, reduce waste oil generation and increase the lifespan of lubricating oil. Aims and Objectives:- Study the effects of water in fresh and ageing oil on tribology performance. - Finding the optimal water level in oil which does not affect engine oil performance. - Remove any extra water over the optimal level and if water is removed how it affects the chemical analysis of oil. - Replenish depleted additives and study the tribology performance before and after additives replenishment. Applications and benefits:- Reduce the effects of water contamination in engine oil which can affect physical and chemical properties of oil. - Increase the lifespan of engine components by reduce the effect of water on the metal surfaces. - Determine depleted additive in engine oil and replenish the additive can increase the oil change intervals especially for heavy vehicles.- Reduce the amount of waste oil generation and the effects on environment.