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Services, Wärtsilä Finland Oy
Engine section Engine type Ref. Date Issue Document No. Page
18 Lubricating oil See below WFI–S 27-Sep-2012 04 WT98Q001 1(8)
Background The lubricating oil in a modern diesel engine has a variety of different
functions, of which the most important in addition to lubrication are to:
Reduce friction.
Prevent metal to metal contact.
Prevent corrosion.
Act as a cooling media.
Improve engine cleanliness.
Act as a sealing media.
Purpose To increase the availability and reliability of the engines and avoid
extraordinary wear and possible failures due to use of inferior quality
lubricating oils.
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Services, Wärtsilä Finland Oy Operating Instruction
Issue Document No. Page
04 WT98Q001 2(8)
Sampling The lubricating oil samples are to be taken from circulating oil with the
engine in operation. The sample should be taken after the separation and
filtration of the oil, before the engine. It is recommended to take lubricating
oil samples before adding (topping up) new oil to the system. Use clean
sample bottles and rinse the sampling line properly before taking the
sample, a suitable sample amount is 0.75 - 1 litres. The background data
needed for evaluating the analysis results should always be provided with
an oil sample, use for example the document WT98V001 Oil analysis
application.
During the first year of operation lubricating oil samples are to be taken at
intervals of 500 operating hours and analysed. Frequent lubricating oil
sampling and analysing every 500 - 1000 hours is also recommendable
after the first year of operation.
Recommended level
Impacts on engine
Property Condemning limit for optimum
function
performance
Base Number (BN) Prevents corrosion. Min. 20 (HFO operation). Min. 25 (HFO
(mg KOH / g) Max. 50% depletion from operation).
ASTM D 2896 fresh oil level (LFO Max. 40% depletion
operation). from fresh oil level
(LFO operation).
Viscosity Provides hydrodynamic Max. –20% or +25% from Max. 15% from fresh
(cSt, at 100 C) lubrication for bearings, etc. fresh oil levels, at 100 C. oil levels, at 100 C.
ASTM D 445 Reduces friction and thus Max. –25% or +45% from Max. 25% from fresh
fuel oil consumption. fresh oil levels, at 40 C. oil levels, at 40 C.
Water Introduces corrosion. Max 0.3 vol-% / w-%. Max 0.3 vol-% / w-%.
(vol-%) or (w-%) Deteriorates the
ASTM D 95 or hydrodynamic properties of
D 6304C the oil.
Affects additive function.
Insolubles Deteriorates the Max. 2.0 w-%, as Max. 1.0 w-%, as
(w-%) hydrodynamic properties of n-pentane insolubles. n-pentane insolubles.
ASTM D 893b the oil.
Affects additive function.
Flash point Risk of crankcase Min. 170 C (PMCC) Min. 170 C (PMCC)
( C) explosion. Min. 190 C (COC) Min. 190 C (COC)
ASTM D 92 or D 93
Analysis The lubricating oil samples should be analysed for example by the oil
supplier or by some other recognised oil analysis laboratory. The preferred
analysis methods are specified in table 1.
Viscosity
Viscosity is the property of a fluid that causes flow resistance. The viscosity
of oils is dependent on temperature, pressure, and shear rate. Viscosity is
one of the most significant properties for establishing the thickness,
pressure, and temperature of an oil film in lubrication. Oil film thickness
increases with viscosity, as does the fluids friction and consequential power
loss. Viscosity is also a significant factor in predicting the performance and
fatigue life of bearings and gears.
The official SI unit of kinematic viscosity is m2/s, but cSt (centistoke) is still
commonly used for expressing lubricating oil viscosity. 1 cSt = 10-6 m2/s
(= 1 mm2/s). Typical viscosity for a fresh SAE 40 grade lubricating oil is
13.5 – 15.0 cSt (at 100 C) and 135 – 150 cSt (at 40 C).
Viscosity Index (VI) is a commonly used expression of an oils change of
viscosity with temperature. The higher the viscosity index the smaller the
relative change in viscosity with temperature. Most medium speed diesel
engine oils have a VI between 95 and 110.
Services, Wärtsilä Finland Oy Operating Instruction
Issue Document No. Page
04 WT98Q001 4(8)
Water
Water in oil is detrimental to lubrication, both physically and chemically.
Water is slightly soluble in base oils and slightly more soluble (a few
hundred ppm) in formulated oils. Generally the solubility of water in
lubricating oils is however, due to the polar characteristics of the water
molecule, low. If increased amounts of water molecules are present the oil
gets saturated and free water appears. Hazy oil is most often a result of not
dissolved water droplets.
Water corrodes many common tribological metals and may thus also
contribute to various forms of corrosive and cavitation damages on bearing
surfaces. Bearings consisting mostly of lead and tin are quite easily oxidised
in the presence of water and oxygen. Corrosion products may also
contribute to the solid debris in the oil and pit formation in the metal
surfaces. Another indication of water contamination in lubricating oils may
be increased sodium and chlorine contents, especially in marine
applications.
Water also catalyses oil oxidation and acid formation and may react with or
precipitate the oil additive compounds, the base oil and with suspended
contaminants. The effects of all these reactions are undesirable by-products
such as varnish, lacquer, sludge, organic and inorganic acids, surface
deposits and lubricant thickening (polymerisation). These reaction products
also consume the oxidation inhibitors of the lubricating oil.
Observe that some water analysis methods may result in higher values than
the recommended distillation (ASTM D 95) method. For example IR
(Infrared spectroscopy) methods used by some laboratories, especially for
so called "fast analyses", have typically been found to result in slightly
higher ( 0.1 – 0.2 vol-%) levels than the distillation method. A simple test
for water in oil is the "crackle test", where a drop of oil is placed onto a hot
surface, if it crackles and sputters too high quantities of water may be
present in the oil.
The maximum allowed water content in the engine lubricating oil is 0.3 vol-
% (or weight-%).
Services, Wärtsilä Finland Oy Operating Instruction
Issue Document No. Page
04 WT98Q001 5(8)
Insolubles
Hard solid particles, which may be present in lubricating oil systems are for
example shop debris such as welding or grinding splatter (in new systems),
sand, clay, etc. earth materials and wear fragments. If their size is close to
the oil film thickness, they may embed or abrade surfaces, thus reducing
component lifetime. Abrasion can be detected on a worn part by observation
of parallel scratches in the direction of sliding or by microchips and abrasive
particles presence in the used oil.
Semi-solid contaminants are generally oxidation and/or thermal
polymerisation products, carbonaceous material, microorganisms and oil/
additive/water reaction products, etc. In lubricated systems, these and other
small particulates contribute to sludge, which collects and plugs pipes,
pumps and orifices possibly resulting in too low oil flow. If there are
oxidation products present, they can be measured by an increase in TAN,
pentane- and toluene insolubles, IR spectrums and the amount of filter
residue.
TAN tests and filter residues do not necessarily measure the actual lubricant
degradation products, but rather the presence of a semi-solid materials, and
the evaluator has to make a judgement on the source.
The maximum allowed insolubles level is 2.0 w-% (as n-pentane insolubles).
The recommended insolubles level for optimum performance of the
lubricating oil in the engine is < 1.0 w-% (as n-pentane insolubles).
Flash point
The flash point analysis is mainly a safety concern. A low flash point
indicates presence of light, easily evaporating hydrocarbon compounds in
the lubricating oil. This increases the risk of crankcase explosions and
engine failures.
The minimum allowed flash point is 170 C for the Pensky-Martens closed
cup (PMCC) analysis method and 190 C for the Cleveland open cup (COC)
analysis method.
Elemental analysis
Elements are here divided into four groups according to their origin.
However, note that some elements belong to several groups and that
different construction materials may be used in different engine types, i.e.
component specifications should be checked in each case, before making
any detailed conclusions.
1. Wear metals
The most common wear metals in lubricating oil analyses are iron (Fe),
chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and tin (Sn). In the engine
components there can also be smaller amounts of aluminium (Al),
molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni) and antimony (Sb) present.
The iron content in lubricating oils reflects mainly piston and cylinder liner
wear. Fresh oil may also contain a small amounts (< 15 ppm) of iron,
originating from transfer pipelines or tanks, if the oil is not delivered as a
bulk. Note that iron may also be used as an additive in some lubricating oil
formulations.
Services, Wärtsilä Finland Oy Operating Instruction
Issue Document No. Page
04 WT98Q001 6(8)
The chromium content in lubricating oils indicates mainly piston ring wear.
Lead can be present in the overlays of gudgeon pin bearing bushings,
camshaft bearings, bearing bushing for camshaft end and thrust washer.
Copper can enter the lubricating oil from lubricating oil pump bearings,
bronze bearings of rocker arms, roller pins for tappets and gudgeon pin
bearing bushings. If the Cu content is abnormally high (> 10 - 15 ppm), the
reason is probably presence of exhaust gas in the inlet air, for example due
to exhaust gas leakage, recirculation or from external sources. If there are
exhaust gases present in the inlet air, the sulphur compounds from the
exhaust gases will gradually corrode the charge air cooler material, which
contains copper. The copper will then enter the lubricant via the combustion
space and blow-by gases to the crankcase. In these cases the Cu content
of the lubricating oil can be even as high as 30 - 50 ppm.
Possible sources for tin are big end bearings, main bearings, gudgeon pin
bearing bushings, camshaft bearings, bearing bushing of camshaft end and
thrust washer.
The most probable source for aluminium and nickel is the fuel (HFO), but
(Al + Si) may also enter the lubricating oil from engine parts.
The phosphorus and zinc contents are depending on the additive chemistry
used in each specific case and can vary significantly. In most lubricating oils
used in the WÄRTSILÄ medium-speed diesel engines the P content of the
fresh oil is 200 - 1000 ppm and the Zn content 200 - 1100 ppm. In used
lubricating oils these values can be somewhat lower.
Silicon, see above.
Fresh lubricating oils normally contain no particular toxic hazard, but all
lubricants should always be handled with great care. Used lubricating oils
may contain significant amounts of harmful metal and PAH (Poly-Aromatic
Hydrocarbon) compounds. Avoid prolonged or repetitive contact with the
skin and breathing of oil fumes. Prevent any risk of splashing and keep
away from heat, ignition sources and oxidising agents. Risk of long term
contamination of the soil and the ground water. Take appropriate measures
to prevent water and soil contamination.
Store in tight and leak proof containers protected from water and
condensation. Avoid increased temperatures and large temperature
fluctuations.