Lube-Tech
increased risk of global warming-induced climate change and with reduced quality of the air that we breathe leading to health problems [11].
Such figures have prompted legislators to promote climate change legislation in hopes of reducing emissions. Also, citizens have protested over seemingly light regulations, further pushing lawmakers for stricter solutions. The growth experienced by the U.S. energy industry as renewable energy sources used in transportation will only be strengthened by the impact of increased environmental regulations [12]. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are the repercussions brought by the combustion process in ICEs, which significantly contribute to global warming [13]. Accordingly, legislators will have no choice but to place strict financial burdens on oil and gas for their carbon emissions, creating a pressing need for cheaper and cleaner alternative fuels [14]. The environmental, economic, and political variables surrounding the fuel economy necessitate a need to improve ICE efficiency [13].
3.2 Viscosity In response to these challenges, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have spent decades examining and improving upon techniques to reduce fuel consumption. Automobile and lubricant manufacturers developed a standard procedure to measure the energy conservation properties of ICEs–classified by the American Petroleum Institute (API). In the early beginnings, the tribology of oil was mainly focused on improving engine efficiency based on oil conditions. These conditions were assessed via technology that evaluated the oil stress and performance in different driving parameters are considered–such as the distance traveled since the previous oil change, the count of cold starts, the temperature of the oil, and the engine speed [15]. One of the key physical factors that require consideration for assessing the state of engine oil is its viscosity [16], [17].
PUBLISHED BY LUBE: THE EUROPEAN LUBRICANTS INDUSTRY MAGAZINE
No.150 page 3
Viscosity is a lubricant’s most major characteristic [18]. Fluids with low viscosity, such as water, provide minimal resistance to motion, whereas fluids with high viscosity present significant resistance [19]. Low Viscosity Oils (LVOs) have been utilised for more than 40 years, used primarily for improving friction losses [20]. This principle operates on the premise that the lower the viscosity of the lubricating oil, the less engine power is needed to attain specific operational conditions [13]. When reducing the viscosity of oil, resistance to motion is lowered, lowering fuel consumption. Test rig studies show a reduction in fuel consumption between 1% and 4%, with factors such as oil temperature, viscosity grades, and various additives observed as contributors [20]. According to the study’s results, there has been a consistent trend in the industry in reducing the average viscosity of lubricants.
Further, a grading system was implemented by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) to grade motor oils by viscosity through SAE J300. Since 2015, the viscosity grades range from 8, 12, 16, and increments of 10 starting from 20 and ending at 60 [21]. This system requires testing dynamic and kinematic viscosities at various temperatures to categorise winter and non-winter viscosity grades [22]. Table 3 below shows the minimum and maximum viscosities of oils using the SAE J3000 standard as of January 2015 [22].
Table 3: SAE J300 non-winter grades as of January 2015 [22]
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