fuels & emissions building confidence in marine lubricants · 2020. 3. 10. · building...

FUELS & EMISSIONS

April 2017 www.motorship.com 35

Lubrizol’s new product development cycle involvesfour steps: formulation, bench testing, fired enginetesting, and field trial assessments. Product managersdefine the performance targets while consideringfeedback from customers, engine manufacturers andusers in the field. Highly skilled marine lubricantformulators then draw on extensive knowledge ofadditive performance characteristics to design alubricant that meets those requirements. In addition toexisting additive technologies, new and innovativeadditives are developed in conjunction with Lubrizol'sworld class research scientists.

Bench testing is designed to examine a number ofkey performance characteristics. In the laboratory,these short-duration tests offer essential screening to confirm the formulators’ data, but do not reflect real-world engine conditions.

Fired engine testing follows and is whatdifferentiates Lubrizol’s testing protocols from all of its competitors. “If the bench trials suggest that a new formulation has merit, it then goes through our world-class fired engine testing protocol,” remarks Bown.

Brice adds: “While bench tests are directionalperformance indicators, the capability of the lubricantto address today’s shifting targets can only be

truly evaluated in a fired engine utilizing changingoperating conditions and fuels. It is this capability that gives us the confidence to move swiftly to fieldtrials knowing we have the right lubricant for the right application.”

Field trial assessments are the actual sea trials andrepresent the ultimate test of a new lubricant. Chiefengineers and superintendents then provide feedbackto Bown about the efficacy of the tested products forfurther evaluation.

As legislation in the shipping industry quicklycontinues to evolve, coupled with increased efforts formore engine efficiency, the role of lubricants and theirrequirements to perform under a wide range ofconditions is increasing.

Technical manager Ian Bown thinks the Lubrizolmethodology is well suited for these changing times.“Because of our effective development and testingcycle, we can respond to a problem and bring thesolution to market quicker than our competitors. Thebottom line means Lubrizol can get the right productto the marketplace faster with a higher level ofconfidence for the ship manager. In the case of oneproduct, we were able to develop, test, assess andbring to market a new additive package in under a year.”

The good news for container ships, cargo ships, oiltankers and the other diesel-powered behemoths of the sea: there’s now one less operational matter to worry about.

34 www.motorship.com April 2017

FOR AS LONG as diesel engines have propelled theglobal shipping industry, the development process formarine diesel lubricants has remained unchanged.Given the dynamic nature of the industry, as well as evolving regulatory demands, it's a perplexingshortcoming.

But Lubrizol, a global developer and manufacturerof marine lubricant additives, claims to be changingthe paradigm. In contrast with what it argues are the current industry’s inefficient development process,Lubrizol says it has substantially improved testingprotocols in order to bring new products to marketmore quickly and with performance confidence. Thecompany believes that its advanced fired enginetesting protocols bring that confidence to vesselowners, operators, and lubricant manufacturers.

For its testing, Lubrizol uses a modern, two-strokeengine that is representative of the engines poweringtoday's vessels. “From approaching and leaving portto the high seas and then to berthing, our fired enginetesting simulates real world engine load conditions,”says Ian Bown, technical manager – marine dieselengine oils.

“This advanced level of real-life testing gives shipoperators a much greater level of confidence in thelubricants that contain our additives. They know theproduct is proven before it even hits the field and thisgives chief engineers less to worry about.”

Lubricating oils perform a number of importantfunctions in a marine diesel engine. They reduce wear on bearings, piston rings, cylinder liners andrelated parts; reduce friction of boundary and hydro-dynamically lubricated components; help cool andclean pistons while preventing deposit build-up;prevent corrosion caused by acids and moisture; andserve as a hydraulic media in components such as fuelinjection system.

Marine engine lubricants consist of a base oil andan additive package. A base oil alone cannot provideall the required functions in today’s modern dieselengines. Additive packages have evolved to play anincreasingly important role to protect those engines.

New International Maritime Organisation regulations,as well as uncertain economic conditions, are affectingengines and their operational profiles. Among theissues causing change are:

● Regulations regarding sulphur and nitrogen oxideemissions;

● New engine designs for improved efficiency;● Lower-load operations (e.g., slow steaming);● Use of alternative marine fuels instead of heavy fuel

oil;● Use of fuels with a wide variation of sulphur content;● Emission abatement technology (e.g., exhaust gas

recirculation and selective catalytic reduction).

Some of the recent regulations require a reduction inthe concentration of sulphur in marine fuels. Fuelchanges require lubricant changes for maximumengine protection. During combustion, the sulphur inthe fuel is subject to oxidation generatingpredominantly sulphur dioxide but also sulphurtrioxide. Sulphur trioxide readily combines withmoisture in the air to produce sulphuric acid that cancorrode critical engine parts. The lubricant, blendedwith an appropriate additive package, acts as aneutralizing agent to minimize the corrosion.

All of these factors create a variety of engineoperational issues – all requiring specially formulatedlubricant and additives. New developments areconstantly occurring in the changing seascape for ship operators, requiring new products and solutionsgeared to solving existing, and preventing new engine problems.

Failure to match a thoroughly tested lubricant to theengine, fuel, and operating conditions can have severecost implications including significant machinerydamage and even catastrophic engine failure.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTCreating solutions for the complex changes in theindustry requires not only engine hardware modifica-tions and operating protocols, but also new lubricants.Harriet Brice, marine diesel engine oils technologymanager, explains: “New lubricant formulations areneeded to deal with these emerging issues.

The lead-time for a new lubricant introduction canbe lengthy in this industry, but our engine facilityenables us to shorten the time from the creation of anew formulation to the actual sea trials, which isadvantageous in these times of change. Demonstrationof lubricant performance in a modern fired enginepresents a higher degree of performance assurance tothe ship manager before it is trialled in the engine.”

Building confidence in marine lubricantsMarine diesel lubricant supplier Lubrizol is applying advancedtesting techniques to simulate real-world challenges and accelerate the pace of product development.

MS

Fired engine testing gives Lubrizol the confidence to movenew products swiftly to field trials

A Lubrizol engineer inspecting a test engine during a trial

From approaching and leaving port to thehigh seas and then to berthing, our fired engine testing simulatesreal world engine loadconditions’

‘

Using operational data from real world voyages, Lubrizol has developed a range of profiles simulatingsuch activities as ocean going, port approach and berthing

FUELS & EMISSIONS

April 2017 www.motorship.com 35

Lubrizol’s new product development cycle involvesfour steps: formulation, bench testing, fired enginetesting, and field trial assessments. Product managersdefine the performance targets while consideringfeedback from customers, engine manufacturers andusers in the field. Highly skilled marine lubricantformulators then draw on extensive knowledge ofadditive performance characteristics to design alubricant that meets those requirements. In addition toexisting additive technologies, new and innovativeadditives are developed in conjunction with Lubrizol'sworld class research scientists.

Bench testing is designed to examine a number ofkey performance characteristics. In the laboratory,these short-duration tests offer essential screening to confirm the formulators’ data, but do not reflect real-world engine conditions.

Fired engine testing follows and is whatdifferentiates Lubrizol’s testing protocols from all of its competitors. “If the bench trials suggest that a new formulation has merit, it then goes through our world-class fired engine testing protocol,” remarks Bown.

Brice adds: “While bench tests are directionalperformance indicators, the capability of the lubricantto address today’s shifting targets can only be

truly evaluated in a fired engine utilizing changingoperating conditions and fuels. It is this capability that gives us the confidence to move swiftly to fieldtrials knowing we have the right lubricant for the right application.”

Field trial assessments are the actual sea trials andrepresent the ultimate test of a new lubricant. Chiefengineers and superintendents then provide feedbackto Bown about the efficacy of the tested products forfurther evaluation.

As legislation in the shipping industry quicklycontinues to evolve, coupled with increased efforts formore engine efficiency, the role of lubricants and theirrequirements to perform under a wide range ofconditions is increasing.

Technical manager Ian Bown thinks the Lubrizolmethodology is well suited for these changing times.“Because of our effective development and testingcycle, we can respond to a problem and bring thesolution to market quicker than our competitors. Thebottom line means Lubrizol can get the right productto the marketplace faster with a higher level ofconfidence for the ship manager. In the case of oneproduct, we were able to develop, test, assess andbring to market a new additive package in under a year.”

The good news for container ships, cargo ships, oiltankers and the other diesel-powered behemoths of the sea: there’s now one less operational matter to worry about.

FUELS & EMISSIONS

34 www.motorship.com April 2017

FOR AS LONG as diesel engines have propelled theglobal shipping industry, the development process formarine diesel lubricants has remained unchanged.Given the dynamic nature of the industry, as well as evolving regulatory demands, it's a perplexingshortcoming.

But Lubrizol, a global developer and manufacturerof marine lubricant additives, claims to be changingthe paradigm. In contrast with what it argues are the current industry’s inefficient development process,Lubrizol says it has substantially improved testingprotocols in order to bring new products to marketmore quickly and with performance confidence. Thecompany believes that its advanced fired enginetesting protocols bring that confidence to vesselowners, operators, and lubricant manufacturers.

For its testing, Lubrizol uses a modern, two-strokeengine that is representative of the engines poweringtoday's vessels. “From approaching and leaving portto the high seas and then to berthing, our fired enginetesting simulates real world engine load conditions,”says Ian Bown, technical manager – marine dieselengine oils.

“This advanced level of real-life testing gives shipoperators a much greater level of confidence in thelubricants that contain our additives. They know theproduct is proven before it even hits the field and thisgives chief engineers less to worry about.”

Lubricating oils perform a number of importantfunctions in a marine diesel engine. They reduce wear on bearings, piston rings, cylinder liners andrelated parts; reduce friction of boundary and hydro-dynamically lubricated components; help cool andclean pistons while preventing deposit build-up;prevent corrosion caused by acids and moisture; andserve as a hydraulic media in components such as fuelinjection system.

Marine engine lubricants consist of a base oil andan additive package. A base oil alone cannot provideall the required functions in today’s modern dieselengines. Additive packages have evolved to play anincreasingly important role to protect those engines.

New International Maritime Organisation regulations,as well as uncertain economic conditions, are affectingengines and their operational profiles. Among theissues causing change are:

● Regulations regarding sulphur and nitrogen oxideemissions;

● New engine designs for improved efficiency;● Lower-load operations (e.g., slow steaming);● Use of alternative marine fuels instead of heavy fuel

oil;● Use of fuels with a wide variation of sulphur content;● Emission abatement technology (e.g., exhaust gas

recirculation and selective catalytic reduction).

Some of the recent regulations require a reduction inthe concentration of sulphur in marine fuels. Fuelchanges require lubricant changes for maximumengine protection. During combustion, the sulphur inthe fuel is subject to oxidation generatingpredominantly sulphur dioxide but also sulphurtrioxide. Sulphur trioxide readily combines withmoisture in the air to produce sulphuric acid that cancorrode critical engine parts. The lubricant, blendedwith an appropriate additive package, acts as aneutralizing agent to minimize the corrosion.

All of these factors create a variety of engineoperational issues – all requiring specially formulatedlubricant and additives. New developments areconstantly occurring in the changing seascape for ship operators, requiring new products and solutionsgeared to solving existing, and preventing new engine problems.

Failure to match a thoroughly tested lubricant to theengine, fuel, and operating conditions can have severecost implications including significant machinerydamage and even catastrophic engine failure.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTCreating solutions for the complex changes in theindustry requires not only engine hardware modifica-tions and operating protocols, but also new lubricants.Harriet Brice, marine diesel engine oils technologymanager, explains: “New lubricant formulations areneeded to deal with these emerging issues.

The lead-time for a new lubricant introduction canbe lengthy in this industry, but our engine facilityenables us to shorten the time from the creation of anew formulation to the actual sea trials, which isadvantageous in these times of change. Demonstrationof lubricant performance in a modern fired enginepresents a higher degree of performance assurance tothe ship manager before it is trialled in the engine.”

Building confidence in marine lubricantsMarine diesel lubricant supplier Lubrizol is applying advancedtesting techniques to simulate real-world challenges and accelerate the pace of product development.

MS

Fired engine testing gives Lubrizol the confidence to movenew products swiftly to field trials

A Lubrizol engineer inspecting a test engine during a trial

From approaching and leaving port to thehigh seas and then to berthing, our fired engine testing simulatesreal world engine loadconditions’

‘

Using operational data from real world voyages, Lubrizol has developed a range of profiles simulatingsuch activities as ocean going, port approach and berthing