Modification of lubricant properties in an operating all loss lubricating system

• US 20030159672A1
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Crouthamel, Kevin L., Carey, Vincent M., Kelly, Kevin John, Saddler, Keith P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,874,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/196R
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 9/02 having means for introducing additives to lubricant
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 39/08 by diluting, e.g. by addition of fuel lubrication of machines or engines in general, of internal-combustion engines F01M

Abstract

A device and a method for the modification of an operating all-loss engine lubricant'"'"'s properties in response to actual engine operating conditions. The present invention is a method that comprises (1) monitoring the specific engine parameter(s) of interest, or in the alternative, predicting those parameter(s) from other engine inputs for a crosshead diesel engine; (2) calculating from said parameter(s) or input(s) the amount of performance enhancer(s), base lubricant or alternatively formulated lubricant that need be added to the engine'"'"'s base lubricant; and (3) modifying said base lubricant with said performance enhancers, additional base lubricant or alternatively formulated lubricant before introduction the combination into said monitored part or location.

Claims

1. A process for the modification of a system'"'"'s base lubricant'"'"'s properties during engine operations comprising:

a) regularly monitoring, directly or indirectly, one or more engine condition parameters in an engine with an all-loss lubricating system,

b) calculating from said engine condition parameters an amount of a secondary fluid to add to said base lubricant, said secondary fluid being one or more fluids selected from the group comprising performance enhancers, base stocks or additional formulated lubricants,

c) mixing said base lubricant with said secondary fluid creating a modified base lubricant,

d) applying said modified base lubricant to said engine during engine operations.

2. A process as in claim 1 where said engine is a two-stroke diesel engine.

3. A process as in claim 2 wherein the engine condition parameter is monitored at a pre-selected engine part or location of interest.

4. A process as in claim 3 where said engine part of interest is a cylinder liner.

5. A process as in claim 3 where said engine part of interest is a piston ring.

6. A process for the on-line modification of a two-stroke crosshead diesel engine'"'"'s lubricant'"'"'s properties during engine use comprising:

a) regularly measuring one or more of said engine'"'"'s condition parameters, directly or indirectly, at one or more of said engine'"'"'s cylinders, cylinder liners or piston rings, by measuring one or more item selected from a group consisting of

metal wear, deposit formation, blow-by, heat transfer, corrosion, the scrape-down oil'"'"'s metal content, scrape-down oil'"'"'s metal oxide content, scrape-down oil'"'"'s acidity, the scrape-down oil'"'"'s TBN, scrape-down oil'"'"'s capacitance, scrape-down oil'"'"'s film thickness, scrape-down oil'"'"'s viscosity, the scrape down oil'"'"'s water content, the scrape down oil'"'"'s oxidation, the scrape down oil'"'"'s nitration, the scrape down oil'"'"'s soot content, the scrape down oil'"'"'s carbonate content, the scrape down oil'"'"'s sulfate content, the scrape down oil'"'"'s surface tension, the fuel sulfur content, exhaust SO_x content, exhaust NO_x content, exhaust gas temperature, cylinder liner temperature, coolant temperature, engine r.p.m. and engine load;

b) calculating from said engine condition parameters an amount of secondary fluid to be added to said base lubricant,

said secondary fluid being one or more fluids selected from the group consisting of performance enhancers, base stocks, and additional formulated lubricants,

said performance enhancers being one or more items selected from a group consisting of detergents, dispersants, antioxidants, antiwear agents, friction-reducing agents and viscosity improvers, viscosity thickeners, extreme pressure additive, metal passivators, acid sequestering agents or a mixture thereof;

c) mixing said base lubricant with said calculated amount of said secondary fluid creating a modified base lubricant;

d) introducing said modified base lubricant to said cylinder, cylinder liner or piston ring during engine operations.

7. An apparatus for the on-line modification of base lubricant properties comprising:

a) an engine employing one or more base lubricants in an all loss lubrication system,

b) at least one secondary fluid selected from a group consisting of performance enhancers, base lubricants or additional formulated lubricants,

c) a measuring device to determine, directly or indirectly, the value of at least one engine condition parameter,

d) a calculating device operating on one or more of said value of said engine condition parameters that determines the amount of said secondary fluid to add to said base lubricant, and

e) a blending means to mix said base lubricant and said secondary fluid into a mixture prior to said mixture'"'"'s introduction to said engine part or engine area of interest.

8. An apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said engine is a two-stroke diesel engine.

9. An apparatus as in either claim 8 wherein said engine condition parameter is determined by measuring one or more items selected from the group consisting of

metal wear, deposit formation, blow-by, heat transfer, corrosion, the scrapedown oil'"'"'s metal content, scrape-down oil'"'"'s metal oxide content, scrape-down oil'"'"'s acidity, the scrape-down oil'"'"'s TBN, scrape-down oil'"'"'s capacitance, scrape-down oil'"'"'s film thickness, scrape-down oil'"'"'s viscosity, the scrape down oil'"'"'s water content, the scrape down oil'"'"'s oxidation, the scrape down oil'"'"'s nitration, the scrape down oil'"'"'s soot content, the scrape down oil'"'"'s carbonate content, the scrape down oil'"'"'s sulfate content, the scrape down oil'"'"'s surface tension, the fuel sulfur content, exhaust SO_x content, exhaust NO_x content, exhaust gas temperature, cylinder liner temperature, coolant temperature, engine r.p.m. and engine load.

10. An apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said secondary fluid being one or more fluids selected from the group consisting of

performance enhancers, base stocks, or additional formulated lubricants or a mixture thereof,

wherein said performance enhancers being one or more items selected from a group consisting of detergents, dispersants, antioxidants, antiwear agents, friction-reducing agents and viscosity improvers, viscosity thickeners, extreme pressure additive, metal passivators, acid sequestering agents or a mixture thereof.

11. An apparatus that modifies the lubricant properties of one or more base lubricants in an operating engine comprising

a) a two-stroke crosshead diesel engine with an all-loss lubricating system utilizing said base lubricant;

b) at least one secondary fluid selected from a group consisting of performance enhancers, base stocks or additional formulated lubricants,

wherein said performance enhancers being one or more fluids selected from a group consisting of detergents, dispersants, antioxidants, antiwear agents, friction-reducing agents and viscosity improvers, viscosity thickeners, extreme pressure additive, metal passivators, acid sequestering agents or a mixture thereof;

c) at least one measuring device to determine, directly or indirectly, the value of an engine condition parameter by measuring an item selected from a group consisting of

metal wear, deposit formation, blow-by, heat transfer, corrosion, the scrape-down oil'"'"'s metal content, scrape-down oil'"'"'s metal oxide content, scrape-down oil'"'"'s acidity, the scrape-down oil'"'"'s TBN, scrape-down oil'"'"'s capacitance, scrape-down oil'"'"'s film thickness, scrape-down oil'"'"'s viscosity, the scrape down oil'"'"'s water content, the scrape down oil'"'"'s oxidation, the scrape down oil'"'"'s nitration, the scrape down oil'"'"'s soot content, the scrape down oil'"'"'s carbonate content, the scrape down oil'"'"'s sulfate content, the scrape down oil'"'"'s surface tension, the fuel-sulfur content, exhaust SO_x content, exhaust NO_x content, exhaust gas temperature, cylinder liner temperature, coolant temperature, engine r.p.m. and engine load;

said engine part or area of interest being selected from a group consisting of the cylinder, the cylinder sleeve, scavenge space or the piston rings;

d) a calculating device operating on an algorithm operating on one or more of said value of said engine condition parameters that determines the amount of said secondary fluid to add to said base lubricant;

e) a blending means to mix said base lubricant with said secondary fluid prior to the resultant mixture'"'"'s introduction into said engine part or engine area of interest.