Today, the need for high-quality lubricating oil in industries is increasing due to the need for reliable products. In the oil and gas industry (for instance), lubricants help support the operation of machinery, such as in the construction industry in the UAE. They also perform well in extreme temperatures, producing heat and generating massive amounts of stress on equipment. Because of these conditions, lubricants and their additives can help keep equipment running smoothly, maximising the operational potential of equipment and minimising the wear to equipment caused by friction and other factors.
This blog discusses what lubricant additives are, why they are important for enhancing the performance of lubricants, and how they can help improve the reliability, efficiency, and productivity of a business.
Lubricant Additives: Performance Enhancers
Lubricant additives are chemicals added to base oils to either enhance the performance of the lubricant or improve a performance characteristic of the lubricant. The base oil makes up the majority of the lubricant (typically 70% to 95%), but the additive package is usually responsible for how well it performs in real-world applications.
Additives can be compared to "performance enhancers" for a lubricant. Additives are used in oil to help the oil resist breakdown, protect metals, keep the oil clean, and adapt to extreme temperature changes and high loads.
In modern lubricant formulations, there can be a minimum of 5% to a maximum of 30% additives, depending on what the application and performance requirements are.
Base oils are not enough by themselves.
Base oils provide basic lubrication but also have their limitations. Exposure to heat, pressure, moisture and contamination causes oils to degrade over time.
Some typical poor conditions for the operation of industrial equipment in the United Arab Emirates include:
Without lubricant additives, oils become oxidised faster, lose viscosity, form sludge/deposits, and do not provide adequate protection.
This is why additive technology is considered a critical part of modern lubrication systems.Key Types of Lubricant Additives and Their FunctionsAnti-Wear Additives
There are many functions performed by lubricant additives, one of which is preventing excessive wear of the surfaces of moving metal objects. Anti-wear additives do this by creating a barrier between two pieces of metal, thus preventing them from coming into contact with one another, especially during periods when they start or are under a heavy load.
Advantages of using anti-wear additives:
Industries such as mining, construction and manufacturing use anti-wear additives in order to protect their valuable assets.
Antioxidants
One of the biggest enemies of lubrication oil is heat. When heat is applied to lubrication oils, oxidation occurs at an accelerated rate, resulting in the thickening of oil, the formation of sludge, or both, thus impacting performance.
Antioxidant additives help to delay the process of oxidation and thus help to keep lubrication oils working effectively for longer periods of time.
Research conducted in the industry indicates that the oxidation rate for every 10-degree increase in operating temperature is almost doubled, making antioxidant protection extremely valuable in the hot climate of the UAE.
Cleansing agents and Dispersing Agents
Having clean oil means having a good performing engine, plus it will last longer.
Detergents prevent harmful deposits from forming on engine/machine parts, while dispersing agents hold the contaminants in suspension within the oil until they can be filtered out.
They help to:
This is especially true in industries where equipment operates continuously for long periods of time.
Corrosion and rust inhibitors
Corrosion and rust inhibitors create a barrier between the metal surface and the moisture in the air (wherever there is water, corrosion will develop). If you are in the UAE coastal region, these additive lubricants are extremely important in protecting your valuable machinery from the environment.
Viscosity index improvers
Viscosity index improvers will help lubricants maintain their flow characteristics (that is, viscosity) over extreme temperature changes. This keeps the lubricants at an adequate level of lubrication when the equipment is first started in cold temperatures and after it has been run at high temperatures or under stress. Therefore, increasing overall equipment usability and performance.
Advanced lubricant additives have more than just a part in protecting machinery; they are also factors of business success.
Organisations using quality lubricants with high-quality additive content generally experience the following:
Industry estimates show that faulty lubrication accounts for about 40% of the mechanical breakdowns. By investing in advanced lubricant formulations, operations' costs can be reduced significantly.
Lubricant Additives and Sustainability
Today, the UAE has seen an increase in the importance of environmentally responsible practices across industries. Today’s advanced lubricants are environmentally friendly because they increase the life expectancy of lubricants, use fewer resources, generate less waste, and provide energy savings.
Longer-lasting lubricants result in fewer changes of oil, less waste produced from the disposal of oil, and less use of natural resources. Additionally, friction-reducing additives improve the efficiency with which equipment operates, resulting in decreased energy consumption and costs associated with heating or keeping equipment warm.
As organisations continue to focus on becoming more sustainable and efficient, additive technologies will become increasingly important.
Choosing the Right Additive Package
When selecting the right additive package for a lubricant, it is important to be aware that not all lubricant additives provide the same kind of performance. Each industry and application will have its own specific additive combinations that work properly for them.
When selecting the right additive combination, there are several things to take into account, such as:
Advising with lubrication specialists can help companies make the best selection of products available to them that will give them the best combination of protection, performance, and cost-effectiveness.
Conclusion
Lubricants are enhanced by their additive packages. Effective additive packages prevent wear and oxidation of lubrication and improve cleanliness and corrosion resistance – all vital to achieving the high level of performance required by today's (and tomorrow's) industrial environments.
Companies in the UAE can expect to see an increase in the life of their equipment, improved reliability, reduced maintenance costs and increased operational efficiency when using lubricants that contain advanced additive packages.