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With Group II base oils in tank, early adopter lubricant blenders realised they could also optimise many industrial oil formulations for performance and blending economics, if they were blended with Group II. This strategy freed-up Group I tankage for Group II base oils while improving the lubricant blender’s marketing competitiveness.
As market forces are rapidly moving the preferred base oils for the majority of automotive and industrial applications in Europe to Group II/III, base oil supply is growing to meet the demand.
Specifications are driving the future of base oil supply In order to meet tightening environmental standards, OEM engine designs and emissions control devices have become very complex, highly engineered systems with very low tolerance for particulates. As engine designs have become more complicated so has the maze of specifications. Many new engine and performance tests will be introduced to evaluate the performance of lubricants in new engine technology, ensuring durability and fuel economy improvements are achieved.
on the market. Full SAPS formulations based on Group II base oils do pass this test. In the next one to two years, the majority of ACEA E7 SAE 15W-40 formulations in Europe, carrying the Daimler approval, will come up for renewal. Given the requirements of the Daimler oxidation test, they will likely have to be reformulated with premium base oils or with substantial increased additive treat costs.
The Daimler test is just one example of how specifications changes are pulling premium base oil supply into the market.
In response to the introduction of Euro V and VI emission regulations, OEMs reduced the level of nitrogen oxides and particulates released into the atmosphere by modifying their engine designs and emission control systems. One solution was to install after treatment devices, such as diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and selective catalytic reduction units (SCRs). Protecting the performance of these devices requires lubricants with ultra low levels of sulphated ash, phosphorous and sulphur (SAPS) in motor oils. Formulating with higher viscosity index, low volatility base oils, also contributed to improving fuel economy and reducing CO2
emissions.
In response to tightening specifications, the number of OEM-specific viscometrics and performance requirements are growing.
More and more, OEMs are establishing their own, unique specifications for lubricant performance. In order for a lubricant to carry the OEM’s approval, it must pass the OEM’s entire schedule of tests. The challenge for lubricant formulators is to optimise performance across the maze of OEM and ACEA specifications. The performance areas targeted for enhancement include improved durability, better fuel economy and reduced exhaust emissions.
A good example of an OEM-specific test is the Daimler oxidation test introduced in 2012. It covers both fresh oils and oils diluted with 5% biofuel B100 on their V2012.1 specifications for Heavy Duty and Passenger Car engine oils. With the exception of some older specifications, every automotive formulation on the global market needs to pass this test if it is to carry the Daimler approval.
This applies to Low and Mid SAPS type lubricants (HDMO: ACEA E9 and E6, PCMO: ACEA C2 and C3) as well as Full SAPS formulations (HDMO: ACEA E7 and E4, PCMO: A3/B4). The Daimler approval has to be renewed every five years with a passing oxidation test result.
Research performed by the additive companies has shown that it is very difficult for Full SAPS formulations based on Group I base oils to pass the test with additive technologies currently
8 PCMO
By 2020, most European OEMs will have changed their engine oil requirements from 5W-30 to a 0W-XX grade with many also moving from 3.5cP HTHS to 2.6cP high temperature high shear (HTHS). This change is being driven by the need to lower CO2
emissions to meet the 2021 target of 95g/km. The push to 0W-30, 0W-20 and ultimately 0W-16 lubricants, is leading a change in base oil demand to higher viscosity index Group III/III+ and PAO base stocks.
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LUBE MAGAZINE NO.131 FEBRUARY 2016
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