so there will be greater collection of used lubricants and more re-refining. However, lubricant formulators and blenders are likely to require good consistency in re-refined base oil supply and quality. They have become accustomed to consistent quality and supply of all types of base oils. This could cause problems in some countries, but is certainly not a problem in Western Europe or North America.
Base oils made from renewable resources will need to have performance properties at least as good as those of Group II or Group III base oils. Neste, for example, recently launched a bio-based 4 cSt base oil with performance properties similar to those of a Group III+ base oil. Unfortunately, the volumes of these base oils could be limited by the availability of land to grow crops, particularly if more countries plant more trees and try to reverse deforestation so as to combat the effects of climate change. Feedstocks for bio-based base oils may need to be derived only from agricultural wastes, such as sugar cane bagasse or sunflower stalks. Bio-based base oils may need to become more widely available as virgin mineral base oils become less available in future.
In the automotive lubricants market, Group II, II+, III and III+ base oils are currently used in almost all low viscosity, higher performance, gasoline and diesel engine oils. In these applications in many countries, Group III base oils are beginning to supplant some Group II base oils. Group I base oils have continued to decline in many countries in automotive engine oils, although they continue to be used in automotive gear oils and greases. Group II and II+ base oils are also widely used in automatic transmission fluids. The use of Group II, II+, III and III+ base oils in these applications will continue in the future.
In future, Group II, II+ and III base oils are likely to be used in combined cooling and driveline fluids for electric and hybrid vehicles, as a consequence of their lower viscosities, so better heat transfer properties and their better oxidative and thermal stabilities. They could also be used in low noise greases for electric and hybrid vehicles.
Group II base oils are used currently in higher performance steam and industrial gas turbine oils, replacing Group I base oils. Group III base oils are used currently in multi-grade hydraulic oils which have superior shear stability performance. Group II,
II+ and III base oils are also used in high performance air compressor oils, particularly in rotary screw air compressors, again as a consequence of their superior oxidative and thermal stability properties. The use of these base oils in these industrial lubricant applications will continue in the future.
Also in the future, Group II, II+ and III base oils are likely to be used in improved performance wind turbine gear oils and bearing oils and greases. This is a result of their superior viscosity-pressure and anti-fatigue performance properties, compared to many other base oils.
Group II, II+ and III base oils are also used currently in non-lubricant applications, including low viscosity heat transfer fluids, transformer and electrical cable oils in warmer climates, in pharmaceutical lotions and food grade preparations. These uses are likely to continue in the future. They could also be used in cooling systems for large scale electricity storage systems, particularly large battery packs. Storage systems for electricity produced using photovoltaic and wind turbine sources is likely to become very important in the future.
In summary, Group II, II+, III and III+ base oils are likely to continue to be used in a wide range of automotive, industrial, mining and marine application in the future, gradually replacing Group I base oils. A number of other uses for these base oils are likely to emerge in the future. However, future prices and availability of mineral base oils could be very volatile and dependent on the speed of global adaption to climate change. Greater production of re-refined base oils having Group II, Group II+ or Group III properties is likely to be required in future. Also, base oils from renewable resources may not be available in sufficient volumes to compensate for longer term reductions in feedstocks for mineral base oils.
Based on a presentation given at the 10th edition of the ACI Online Series, Feb 2022.
LINK
pathmaster.marketing@
yahoo.co.uk
LUBE MAGAZINE NO.169 JUNE 2022
17
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57
