Synthetic Lubricant Oil Compositions for Internal Combustion Engines
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Europäisches Patentamt *EP001382660A1* (19) European Patent Office Office européen des brevets (11) EP 1 382 660 A1 (12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION (43) Date of publication: (51) Int Cl.7: C10M 169/04 21.01.2004 Bulletin 2004/04 // (C10M169/04, 107:02, 143:04, 129:70, 129:72, 159:22, (21) Application number: 03254520.4 159:24, 155:02), (22) Date of filing: 18.07.2003 (C10N10/04, 20:00, 20:02, 40:25) (84) Designated Contracting States: (72) Inventor: Paul, Edward Alan AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR Bedford, Texas 75229-7235 (US) HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR Designated Extension States: (74) Representative: Senior, Janet et al AL LT LV MK Abel & Imray 20 Red Lion Street (30) Priority: 18.07.2002 US 198527 London WC1R 4PQ (GB) (71) Applicant: Primrose Oil Company Dallas, Texas 75229 (US) (54) Synthetic lubricant oil compositions for internal combustion engines (57) A synthetic lubricant for gasoline and diesel en- A method of use is also provided whereby the subject gines having a viscosity ranging between 14.5 and 16.5 lubricant is recirculated through an operating engine cs at 100°C, the lubricant containing from 55 to 75 vol- while periodically monitoring the total base number and ume percent polyalphaolefin having a viscosity of 6 to 8 adjusting the total base number to a level of about 12.0 cs at 100°C, a sufficient amount of an ethylene-propyl- by the addition of a total base number enhancer such ene copolymer, 5 to 10 volume percent of an ester or as calcium phenate. diester, a packaged additive, a total base number en- hancer and a minor effective amount of an antifoamant. EP 1 382 660 A1 Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR) 1 EP 1 382 660 A1 2 Description blends." Such blends lack many of the improved prop- erties previously associated with full synthetic oils con- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION taining a high percentage of PAO. Also, these lower grade "synthetic" lubricants may produce byproducts 1. Field of the Invention 5 that foul or otherwise inhibit engine performance during use. [0001] This invention relates to engine lubricating oils [0005] Beyond automotive use, the need for effective and, more particularly, to a composition for, and method engine lubricants for diesel engines is also well known. of using, a custom formulated, engineered, full synthetic Large diesel engines are widely used in various oilfield, engine oil having a significantly longer service life, im- 10 industrial and transportation applications. Such engines proved lubricity, lower operating cost, and fewer health, are normally expected to remain in continuous or sub- safety and environmental risks than conventional en- stantially continuous service for long periods, utilize gine lubricants. heavier and more contaminated fuels than gasoline en- gines, and are frequently operated under heavy loads. 2. Description of Related Art 15 In such use environments, lubricating oils that demon- strate great lubricity, long service life, lower oil consump- [0002] The use of engine lubricants in both gasoline tion, better engine protection and overall cost effective- and diesel engines is well known. Historically, virtually ness are often critical to the success of the related ven- all engine lubricants consisted primarily of refined hy- ture. Lubricity is necessary for achieving mechanical ef- drocarbon oils into which additive packages were blend- 20 ficiency, reduced engine wear and longer intervals be- ed to achieve improved properties and service life as tween major overhauls. Extended service life is desira- necessary to achieve certification by organizations such ble to reduce the out-of-service time, labor and material as the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). In recent costs associated with oil changes. Also, by reducing the years, the use of synthetic lubricating oils for gasoline total volume of lubricating oil required to service an en- engines has become more widespread. Generally 25 gine over an extended period, other cost efficiencies speaking, the cost of synthetic oils is greater than for such as lower freight, handling and storage costs are conventional mineral oil lubricants but synthetic oils of- achieved. Furthermore, longer service life, fewer oil fer improved lubricity, lower oil consumption, better en- changes and reduced transportation and handling all gine protection and longer service life for both the lubri- contribute to less worker exposure to health and safety cating oil and the engines in which it is used. With in- 30 risks, and less chance of accidental leakage or spills that creased emphasis on the use of synthetic oils and re- can adversely affect the environment. sultant competition among suppliers, several different [0006] Lubricating oils consisting primarily of petrole- types of synthetic lubricants have emerged, some of um refined mineral oil and various additive packages are which perform only marginally better than conventional normally used in large diesel engines. Some synthetic oils and may not provide long term savings that justify 35 oils have previously been disclosed and certified for die- the higher initial cost. sel engines but their use has not become widespread. [0003] Full synthetic oils consist primarily of high qual- This is believed to be primarily attributable to the rela- ity synthetic polyalphaolefin ("PAO") base stocks and tively large lubricant capacities associated with diesel are typically priced much higher than conventional en- engines that, when coupled with the higher selling price gine lube oils. Synthetic oils are now recommended for 40 of synthetic lubricants, has previously been viewed as use in some automotive engines, particularly in high per- more than offsetting any related cost advantages in formance engines and those in luxury automobiles. service life or performance. Many operators have failed, Generally speaking, synthetic oils are viewed as having however, to fully appreciate all the costs associated with improved lubricity and longer service life when com- using inferior lubricants. pared to conventional motor oils. However, because 45 [0007] Diesel engines such as those used to power PAO base stocks are significantly more expensive than generators on offshore drilling platforms, for example, refined mineral oils, many consumers have resisted often have oil pans or sumps containing more than a switching to synthetic oils because of cost. hundred gallons of lubricating oil. Such engines are [0004] As a result of price sensitivity on the part of sometimes operated for 5,000 to 7,000 hours in a single consumers, many producers of so-called "synthetic" oils 50 year. When using a conventional lubricating oil consist- now manufacture and market blends in which more ing primarily of mineral oil, oil changes may be required highly refined mineral oils are used in place of most, and as often as every 1,000 hours, and even more often in some cases all, of the PAO. The percentage of syn- where the diesel fuel contains more than about 0.5 thetic base stock in blended synthetic oils (sometimes weight percent sulfur or where impurities and additives referred to as "partial" synthetics) can vary, for example, 55 in the oil contribute to the formation of sludge or acidic from as little as about three weight percent in the lower byproducts. grades up to about 30 weight percent in higher grade [0008] The acidity of a lubricating oil generally in- products, sometimes referred to as "engineered creases with extended use over time. As oils become 2 3 EP 1 382 660 A1 4 more acidic, they can corrode engine part, cause loss to achieve the preferred viscosity for the overall product. of power and increased repair costs. Lubricating oils typ- [0012] According to one preferred embodiment of the ically have a total base number ("TBN") in the range of invention, a full PAO synthetic engine lubricant is pro- about 8 to 10 when placed in service and are changed vided that comprises from about 55 to about 75 volume whenever the TBN drops to about 3 or 4. Where oper- 5 percent, and more preferably from about 60 to about 70 ators fail to maintain rigorous maintenance schedules volume percent, PAO having a viscosity that is prefera- and run engines with dirty or ineffective lubricant, signif- bly from about 6 to about 8 centistokes at 100°C; from icant engine wear can occur within relatively short peri- about 5 to about 10 volume percent of a compatible es- ods, necessitating expensive overhauls and associated ter or diester compound, preferably having a viscosity downtime. 10 of at least about 3.5 cs, that will enhance additive solu- [0009] An engineered, full synthetic lubricant is there- bility as well as detergency and seal swell performance fore needed that can be safely and effectively utilized in of the lubricant; a viscosity index improver comprising a either gasoline or diesel-fueled engines and that will sufficient amount of an ethylene-propylene copolymer demonstrate superior performance and service life ben- having a shear stability index of at least about 25, and efits which far surpass and justify any related increase 15 more preferably from about 27 to 29 or greater, to pro- in original purchase costs. duce a viscosity ranging from about 14.5 to about 16.5, and more preferably from about 15 to about 16, in the SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION resultant lubricant; from about 12 to about 15 volume percent of a commercially available lubricant additive [0010] The lubricating oil disclosed herein is an engi- 20 package such as, for example, Chevron Phillips' OLOA neered full PAO synthetic oil specially tailored for use 9061 to insure that the resultant lubricant meets all cer- as a high performance lubricant in gasoline and diesel tification standards for an SAE 5W40 motor oil; sufficient engines.