The Compatibility of Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil with Conventional Diesel and Biodiesel Fuels
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THE COMPATIBILITY OF SEMI-SYNTHETIC ENGINE OIL WITH CONVENTIONAL DIESEL AND BIODIESEL FUELS by JOSHUA ARIEH SHENKER A thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY School of Mechanical Engineering The University of Birmingham June 2014 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT Recent trends to downsize diesel engines have increased the stress on lubricants. Engine oils naturally degrade during operation, undergoing continual reactions, changing both chemically and physically, detracting in performance from its initial specifications. This thesis investigates the role of fuel in the ageing of diesel engine oils, specifically Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD) and Rapeseed Methyl Ester (RME – a common European biodiesel). Oil ageing is assessed distinctly with fuel dilution; the entrainment of exhaust gases; and the effects of soot loading. Results show fuel dilution has the greatest influence on oil performance. Effects are seen with an instant blending of properties, with the resultant fluid performing as an amalgam of the oil and fuel. This can be both positive and negative, depending on the property being measured, with the entrainment of biodiesel generally being beneficial. The entrainment of exhaust gases in the oil leads to increased unburnt hydrocarbons and fuel content, with similar dilution effects. Soot loaded oil performance is heavily dependent on the respective fuel content. RME contamination has a positive influence which far outweighs its negligible soot production, whereas ULSD detracts from oil performance, and also produces more soot. During an equivalent timeframe, the influence of RME is seen to be less detrimental than ULSD on overall engine oil performance. P a g e |i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those that have helped me to achieve this thesis. Firstly, my supervisors; Drs. Karl Dearn and Athanasios Tsolakis, without your guidance and support none of this would have been possible. I gratefully thank The University of Birmingham for the provision of a PhD scholarship and maintenance grant for the duration of my study. To the many members of the University’s technical staff who helped me at different stages with testing and training, specifically from the schools of Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, and Metallurgy and Materials. A special thanks goes to those I have gotten to know as both colleagues and friends from the Future Power System Group. Post Docs Drs. Jose Martin Herreros, Jakub Piaszyk, and Dale Turner. My contemporaries whom graduated before me, Drs. Ekarong Sukjit, Simaranjit Gill, Hendry Tira and Chia Lau. To those whom are soon to graduate with or after me; Tom Hoskins, Wentao Wang, Isaline Lefort, Danny Fennell and David Eckold. And lastly, to one whom shall sadly never get to graduate, Umar Musbahu, may his memory and work live on. Lastly and most importantly, I would like to thank my family and long term girlfriend Ilana, whose support, encouragement, patience and motivation got me through till the end of my PhD. Without you, I doubt I could have achieved it, Thank you. Joshua Arieh Shenker June 2014 P a g e |ii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 - Background of Tribology .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 - Automotive Tribology ................................................................................................................ 2 1.1.2 - Internal Combustion Engines ..................................................................................................... 3 1.1.3 - Engine Oils .................................................................................................................................. 4 1.1.4 - Engine Fuelling Developments ................................................................................................... 5 1.2 - Research Aims and Objectives ........................................................................................................... 6 1.3 - Thesis Outline ..................................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER 2 - LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................... 8 2.1 - Modern Diesel Fuels .......................................................................................................................... 8 2.1.1 - Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel ............................................................................................................ 8 2.1.2 - Biodiesel ..................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1.3 - Fuel Comparisons ..................................................................................................................... 11 2.2 - Engine Oil Performance ................................................................................................................... 12 2.2.1 - Properties of Engine Oils .......................................................................................................... 13 2.2.2 - Lubrication ............................................................................................................................... 14 2.2.3 - Engine Oil Formulating ............................................................................................................. 17 2.2.4 - Mechanisms of Oil Degradation and Ageing ............................................................................ 21 2.2.5 - Reactors ................................................................................................................................... 25 2.3 - Fuel dilution ..................................................................................................................................... 28 2.3.1 - Mechanisms ............................................................................................................................. 28 2.3.2 - Effects of fuel dilution .............................................................................................................. 31 2.3.3 - Effects of Biodiesel dilution ..................................................................................................... 31 2.4 - Combustion Blowby Gases ............................................................................................................... 34 2.4.1 - Effects of blowby ..................................................................................................................... 35 2.4.2 - Biodiesel blowby gases ............................................................................................................ 41 2.5 - Particulate Matter ............................................................................................................................ 42 2.5.1 - Formation and Microstructure ................................................................................................ 43 2.5.2 - Factors ...................................................................................................................................... 46 2.5.3 - Effects on oil............................................................................................................................. 47 2.5.4 - Effects of Biodiesel PM ............................................................................................................ 53 2.6 - Literature Summary ......................................................................................................................... 55 CHAPTER 3 - EQUIPMENT & METHODS ..................................................................................................... 59 3.1 - Oil Ageing Rig ................................................................................................................................... 59 3.1.1 - Rig Parameters ......................................................................................................................... 61 3.1.2 - Soot Sampling .......................................................................................................................... 63 3.2 - Engine Setup .................................................................................................................................... 65 3.2.1 - Diesel Particulate Filter ............................................................................................................ 66 3.2.2 - Exhaust Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 67 3.3 - High Frequency Reciprocating Rig ..................................................................................................