Tagged: reliability

Oil Properties

Understanding the oil analysis results of Diesel Engine Oil

Having the information above is great to understand how your diesel engine oil degrades, but how will you know that it is degrading? One of the most reputable ways is to submit your oil for testing in the lab. Depending on the type of diesel engine (on-highway, marine or off-highway), different tests will be involved. However, here are the basic ones that you should be familiar with.

When determining the health of your diesel engine oil, the first thing to check is the oil’s viscosity, total base number (TBN), whether all the additives are at the correct levels, if there are any wear metals or contaminants present and finally the presence of water or fuel dilution as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Basic oil analysis tests for your diesel engine
Figure 3: Basic oil analysis tests for your diesel engine

Viscosity (American Society for Testing and Materials D445) – The viscosity levels should ideally fall within ±5% of the original value. If they exceed ±10% of the original value, then the levels will fall out of the classification for that grade of oil.

For instance, Mobil Delvac 15w40’s kinematic viscosity, at 100°C, is 15.6 millimeters squared per second (mm2/s), according to its technical data sheet. If this value drops below 14.04 mm2/s or above 17.16 mm2/s then it can no longer be classed as a 15w40 oil and will not be able to properly lubricate the engine. These values vary depending on the manufacturer, application of the oil and the lab being used. These are a guideline in this example.

TBN– This is the amount of alkalinity remaining in the oil. The oil’s alkalinity helps neutralize the acids formed in a diesel engine. This value is always depleting as acids are continuously forming in an engine. However, if the TBN value drops below 40% to 50%, then there isn’t much reserve left to continue to protect the oil. This is the threshold limit, which can vary depending on the application, but this is a good guide to follow.

Additives – All finished lubricants have additive packages. These will vary depending on the oil producer. However, a few additives should be on your radar when trending their depletion in diesel engine oils. These include zinc, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium. These additives typically form parts of the dispersant, corrosion and antiwear additives that protect the oil. Ideally trending the decline of these may be helpful but your lab would have reference values (based on the type of oil) and can advise on concerning levels.

Wear metals – During the engine's lifetime, components will wear. Depending on the engine’s manufacturer, the warning limits will also vary (this also differs depending on the application). Iron, aluminum, chromium, copper, lead, molybdenum and tin are some metals to trend. If other special metals are in your engine, then you can ask your lab to include them in the oil analysis report. Typically, if there is an upward trend, this indicates wear/damage of specific components.

Operators can perform a simple test to determine if metal filings are in their oil (indicating some form of wear). They can place the oil in a shallow container and then place a magnet below the container or place the magnet in a sealed plastic bag and immerse it into the container. When the magnet is removed, if there are metal filings on the magnet, then this indicates the presence of wear metals, and the mechanic should begin investigating for damaged components.

Contaminants– These include any material which is foreign to the lubricant. Typically, labs test for the presence of sodium and silicon. Depending on the application’s environment, these values can increase indicating that they are entering the system somehow. Usually, this can occur during lubricant top-ups or improper storage and handling practices.

Presence of water – This is never a good sign because water can affect the lubricant by changing its overall viscosity, bleaching out some of the additives and even acting as a catalyst. Many labs perform a crackle test (where the oil is heated and if it produces a “pop” sound, then that confirms water in the lubricant. In certain instances, it is obvious that there is water present because it settles out in the sump/container. Labs can also perform a test to quantify the volume of water present. Typically, 2,000 ppm to 5,000 ppm is too much for most applications but this varies depending on the manufacturer.

Operators can perform their version of the crackle test by placing some of the oil in a metal spoon and heating it with a flame. If it produces a pop, then they can confirm that the oil has too much water in it before sending it off to the lab. Note: This should not be done in a highly flammable environment!

Fuel dilution – This occurs in most diesel engines due to the nature of the engine. However, limits need to be adhered to because too much fuel in the oil can lead to drastic changes in its viscosity. Usually, this value should not exceed 6%, but this can vary depending on the application and the manufacturer.

One way that operators can find out if there is fuel in their oil is to place a small drop of the oil on a coffee filter and leave it to “dry” for some time. The oil will spread out in concentric rings and if there is fuel present, there will be a rainbow ring. This means that the mechanics need to figure out if there is an issue with any of the injectors or seals in the diesel engine.

Ideally, the main idea with oil analysis is to develop a trend for your equipment and understand how the values align over time. This can help operators spot if an inaccurate sample was taken (possibly after a top-up, directly after an oil change or even from the bottom of the sump). An analysis also assists in planning the maintenance of components. For instance, if the value of iron in the oil analysis report keeps increasing then there is a strong possibility that some iron component is wearing. This can give the mechanic the time they need to investigate the engine and replace the component before it causes unscheduled downtime.

Protect One of Your Greatest Assets

Your diesel engine oil is one of the greatest assets in your fleet. You should be able to use an oil that aligns with your application while slowing its degradation rate with good practices and managing its health. Diesel engine oils form a critical part of your operation and deserve attention.

References

American Petroleum Institute. (November 18, 2016). New API Certified CK-4 and FA-4 Diesel Engine Oils are Available Beginning December 1. Retrieved from API: https://www.api.org/news-policy-and-issues/news/2016/11/18/new-api-certified-diesel-engine-oils-are

American Petroleum Institute. (February 19, 2024). API's Motor Oil Guide. Retrieved from API: https://www.api.org/-/media/files/certification/engine-oil-diesel/publications/motor%20oil%20guide%201020.pdf

The International Council on Combustion Engines. (2004). Guidelines for diesel engines lubrication - Oil Degradation | Number 22. CIMAC.

Want to read the entire article? Find it here in Equipment Today Magazine.

Oil Properties

Why Does My Diesel Engine Oil Degrade?

All oils degrade over time. They can be considered consumable items as they must be replaced over time. Diesel engine oils are no different except that they may be susceptible to certain mechanisms that turbine oils are not. The diesel engine is often placed under a lot of pressure to deliver power while keeping cool and managing emissions.

The critical areas for lubricant performance in a diesel engine usually include:

  • Viscosity control
  • Alkalinity retention, base number (BN)
  • Engine cleanliness control
  • Insoluble control
  • Wear protection
  • Oxidation stability
  • Nitration

Typically, these factors are monitored in these types of oils to ensure that they remain in a healthy condition.

Several factors affect oil degradation in a diesel engine. According to The International Council on Combustion Engines (The International Council on Combustion Engines, 2004), these include specific lube oil consumption; specific lube oil capacity; system oil circulation speed; NOx content in the crankcase atmosphere; and influence on the lubricant, fuel contamination in trunk piston engines, deposition tendency on the cylinder liner wall, metals in lubricant systems, and oil top-up intervals. These can further be divided into systemic conditions (which cannot be easily altered) and environmental conditions (because of processes occurring within or to the system) as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Systemic & Environmental Conditions which affect degradation of diesel engine oil
Figure 2: Systemic & Environmental Conditions which affect degradation of diesel engine oil

Systemic Conditions

While lubricant degradation can be caused by environmental strains being placed on the lubricant, there are times when the operating design of the system also encourages degradation. Three such cases for diesel engine oils are specific lube oil consumption, specific lube oil capacity and system oil circulation speed.

Specific lube oil consumption (SLOC, g/kWh) is defined as the oil consumption in grams per hour per unit of output in kilowatts (kW) of the engine (The International Council on Combustion Engines, 2004). Over the years, there has been a reduction in the SLOC for engines with special rings inset into the upper part of the cylinder liner. These reduce the rubbing of the crown land against the cylinder liner surface.

With reduced oil consumption, oil top-ups, which would have introduced fresh oil into the system, are consequently reduced. This fresh oil would have increased the presence of additives and helped in maintaining the required viscosity of the current oil. However, since the SLOC is reduced, the oil does not get a “boost” during its lifespan and will continue to degrade at its current rate. Hence, a lower SLOC may encourage the degradation of diesel engine oil.

Specific lube oil capacity, also known as the sump size, which is the nominal quantity in kilograms (kg) of lubricant circulated in the engine per unit of output in kW. According to The International Council on Combustion Engines, the specific oil capacity does not directly affect the equilibrium level of degradation. However, it can influence the rate at which deterioration occurs as smaller sump sizes can increase the rate at which degradation achieves an equilibrium level. Typically for dry sump designs, the specific oil capacity is around 0.5 kg/kW to 1.5 kg/kW. These values are closer to 0.1 kg/kW to 1.0 kg/kW for wet sumps.

System oil circulation speed refers to the time taken for one circulation of the total bulk oil. In diesel engines, lubricants are usually subjected to blow-by gas (including soot and NOx) during their time in the crankcase. If the lubricant spends a longer time in the crankcase, it can become degraded at a faster rate. Typically, the time required for one circulation of bulk oil averages between 1.5 minutes to 6 minutes. However, we have seen the trend toward smaller sump sizes and, by extension, shorter circulation times, which should reduce the degradation rate.

Environmental Conditions

The environmental conditions that lubricants must endure can also influence their degradation. These conditions can either be enforced through the system, its operating conditions or from conditions outside the system. There are a few environmental conditions which must be addressed (The International Council on Combustion Engines, 2004).

Why Does My Diesel Engine Oil Degrade

NOx content in the crankcase atmosphere and influence on the lubricant has more applicability to gasoline engines compared to diesel engines but they should not be fully ruled out. Diesel engines are more susceptible to sulfur-derived acids (caused by the burning of diesel fuel). However, NOx can be produced by the oxidation of atmospheric nitrogen during combustion, which can affect degradation.

Field studies show a correlation between nitration levels, an increase in viscosity and an increase in acid in the oil. NOx can also behave as a precursor and catalyst that promotes oxidation through the formation of free radicals in the lubricant. On the other hand, there can be direct nitration of the lubricant and its oxidation products to produce soluble nitrates and nitro compounds. These can eventually polymerize to form similar by-products of oxidation. This can lead to increased acidity (lowering the BN) and increased viscosity of the lubricant.

Fuel contamination in trunk piston engines happens quite often in diesel engines. If the fuel injectors are defective or the seals do not effectively seal to keep fuel out, fuel enters the oil. When fuel is in the oil, oil can become degraded quickly, often causing the viscosity to reduce to a value that compromises the ability of the oil to form a protective layer inside the component. The fuel dilution test can quantify the content of fuel in the oil. Depending on the type of engine, the tolerance levels will differ.

Deposition tendency on the cylinder liner wall is usually caused by unburnt fuel or excess oil in this area or the chamber. Typically, the piston rings scrape these deposits back into the oil, leading to an increase in the volume of insolubles. This also increases the viscosity of the oil, and it appears a darker color.

Reducing the SLOC also decreases the deposits on the liner wall because special rings (near the top of the liner) are installed to have controlled clearance of the piston crown. This reduces the crown land deposit which can also minimize bore polish and hot carbon wiping.

In addition, with a reduction in SLOC, the number of oil top ups is also reduced. As such, the replenishment rate of additives (in particular the BN) is not as frequent. Therefore, the degradation of the oil will advance at a slightly faster rate due to the lower SLOC which affects the rate of top up.

Metals in lubricant systems can also act as a catalyst for the degradation of the oil. During the oxidation process, copper is one of the most common catalysts in addition to other wear metals (such as iron) which can increase the rates of oxidation. As such, the presence of these metals increases the degradation rate as well.

Oil top-up intervals must be managed in such a way that it does not disturb the balance of the system. Typically, when the sump level falls below 90% to 95% (depending on the manufacturer), a top-up is needed. When fresh oil enters the system, it replenishes some additives and breathes new life into the oil. However, with this change in temperature of new oil coming into the system (especially in large quantities of about 15%), the deposits held in suspension tend to precipitate.

Additionally, foaming (caused by the increased concentration of some additives) can occur if too much fresh oil is added at once. As such, oil top-up intervals must be managed to avoid further degradation.

Want to read the entire article? Find it here in Equipment Today Magazine.

Oil Properties

The Evolution of Diesel Engine oil CK4 vs FA4

As engines have evolved, the lubricants that keep them running have changed with them.

Diesel engines have been around for more than half a century. Chances are that if you are around fleets or equipment, you have encountered a diesel engine. They have been described as the workhorses of the industry, and they provide users across industries with the power they need. Whether it’s in the form of a generator for a medical facility, a tractor engine on a farm or an engine on a school bus, diesel engines are everywhere.

Diesel engines have evolved, and a diesel engine today may not exactly line up with the diesel engines of the past. However, their evolution has been slower than that of the gasoline engine. For instance, many diesel engines today still use a 40-weight oil (albeit multigrade or semi-synthetic) which can tell us about the changes in the viscosity requirements over the years.

This column explores how the specifications changed to get a better idea of:

  • The evolution of diesel engine oils
  • Some reasons behind its degradation
  • Ways that degradation sources can be identified through oil analysis

Understanding Diesel Engine Oil Specifications

As per the American Petroleum Institute (API), the standards governing Diesel Engine oils began with the CA spec which became obsolete in 1959. The latest diesel engine oil standards were upgraded to CK4 and FA4 in December 2016. On the other hand, the gasoline spec entered its latest standard, the SP spec which includes 0w16 and 5w16, in May 2020.

What Does This Mean for Your Fleet?

Most API standards are backward compatible. This means that an engine that requires a CJ4 spec oil can still use a CK4 spec oil, but the reverse is not true.

For more modern engines, oils have been engineered following environmental regulations that did not exist 50 years ago. Additionally, these newer engines now have more demand compared to older engines.

As such, the oil is under more duress and must perform under these conditions. Newer oils are formulated with this in mind.

CK4 oils provide enhanced protection against oil oxidation and viscosity loss caused by shear and oil aeration, catalyst poisoning, particulate filter blocking, engine wear, piston deposits, degradation of low- and high-temperature properties, and soot-related viscosity increase compared to the CJ4 oils (API, 2024). It must be noted that FA4 oils are not backward compatible with the CJ4 oils nor are they intended for on- or off-highway applications which require CJ4 oils.

The Evolution of Diesel Engine oil CK4 vs FA4

The FA4 oils are blended to a high-temperature, high-shear (HTHS) viscosity range of 2.9 centipoise (cP) to 3.2 cP to assist in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They are especially effective at sustaining emission control system durability where particulate filters and other advanced aftertreatment systems are used.

These oils also provide enhanced protection against oil oxidation and viscosity loss caused by shear and oil aeration. In addition, they protect against catalyst poisoning, particulate filter blocking, engine wear, piston deposits, degradation of low and high-temperature properties, and soot-related viscosity increase.

What’s the Difference Between CK4 & FA4 oils?

CK4 oils are specifically designed for use in high-speed, four-stroke-cycle diesel engines designed to meet the 2017 model year, on-highway and tier 4, non-road exhaust emission standards and for previous model year diesel engines. However, these are also formulated for diesel engines using diesel fuel ranging in sulfur content up to 500 parts per million (ppm) (0.05% by weight). Diesel fuels that contain more than 15 ppm (0.0015%) may impact the exhaust aftertreatment system’s durability and/or the oil drain interval.

On the other hand, FA4 oils are xW30 oils specifically designed for use in select high-speed, four-stroke-cycle diesel engines designed to meet 2017 model year, on-highway greenhouse gas emission standards. These are particularly formulated for diesel fuels with a sulfur content up to 15 ppm (0.0015% by weight).

API FA-4 oils are not interchangeable or backward compatible with API CK-4, CJ-4, CI-4, CI-4+ and CH-4 oils. Additionally, these oils cannot be used with diesel fuel containing between 500 ppm to 15 ppm of sulfur.

Figure 1 shows the API donut for both specifications as detailed by (API, 2016). This API donut typically appears on every diesel engine oil that is sold (those that are original and not counterfeit).

Figure 1: API donut. Source: American Petroleum Institute
Figure 1: API donut. Source: American Petroleum Institute

Want to read the entire article? Find it here in Equipment Today Magazine.

Uncategorized

Why are there so few Registered Female Engineers in Trinidad & Tobago?

sanya in front of factory copy

Sanya Mathura, explores the question of why there are so few Registered Female Engineers in Trinidad & Tobago with the Board of Engineering Trinidad & Tobago

 

Engineer Sanya Mathura, BSc. MSc. MLE, FLCAT I, MAPETT, R.Eng.

 

For more info on the BOETT check out their website: www.boett.org

As International Women in Engineering Day approaches, we reflect on the number of female registered engineers in Trinidad & Tobago, what may hamper their decision to move forward with this registration and ways to get more women involved in this industry.

With the recent announcement of the expected 11-year lifespan of the oil & gas sector in Trinidad and Tobago, there is a looming question of what the economy will look like in the next two decades. Trinidad and Tobago is not a newcomer to this sector and in fact has over 100 years’ experience in this space. However, with the reserves dwindling and the job security of thousands of people at risk, it is important to plan for the future where all of our citizens can contribute to, and enjoy the benefits of, a thriving economy.

Engineering plays a critical role in the economic development of any country. It underpins the public infrastructure that we utilize daily: roads, water, the Internet and more. It is also the means by which medical and other instrumentation is designed, built and maintained. Engineering can be viewed as one of the foundational pillars of a society. Without a doubt, the integrity of the engineering profession and engineers themselves is therefore critical to our safety and well-being.

Registration with a certifying body, in the case of Trinidad and Tobago, the Board of Engineering, BOETT, validates claims made by engineers regarding their credentials, and that they have satisfied a rigorous assessment of professional commitment as well as competency in accordance with recognized professional standards. Engineers registered with the Board of Engineering of Trinidad & Tobago are accountable to conform to a legislated Code of Ethics in their interactions with the public, employers, and clients; are obliged to protect the public health, safety and welfare; and are called to demonstrate competency, objectivity and confidentiality in all of their professional work.

According to the BOETT, as of 2024, there are 1026 registered engineers, 16% of whom are female. This low percentage is not an anomaly, as there are countless studies which have demonstrated the critical need for gender balance in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). In this article, we will examine the potential sources of the marked gender imbalance among registered engineers in Trinidad and Tobago, as well as strategies that can be employed to encourage greater levels of registration.

Figure 1: Snapshot of the percentage of overall Registered Female Engineers by discipline as per the BOETT (2024)
Figure 1: Snapshot of the percentage of overall Registered Female Engineers by discipline as per the BOETT (2024)

A closer look at the BOETT registration gender split by engineering discipline shows how that 16% or 166 female registered engineers have been distributed.

While the highest number of female registered engineers reside in the Civil Engineering discipline (83), this only accounts for 19% females in that field. On the other hand, Chemical engineering shows a higher percentage of female registered engineers at 37% but this translates to 26 female engineers as shown in Figure 1.

Engineering has been a traditionally male populated industry globally and this trend is also seen in our twin island country. Since the BOETT registration requires 4 years of engineering experience and evidence of further learning equivalent to a Master’s degree, it is critical to examine the trends in propagation from the Bachelor’s to Master’s Degrees.

According to The University of the West Indies[1], the Engineering Faculty has seen a steady instream of undergraduate enrolments over the last five years averaging around 1100 students.

However, not all these students go on to the postgraduate level. In fact, the enrolment values of postgraduates are almost half of the undergraduate students. This trend is evident for the year 2023 where only 31% of the number of undergraduate students who leave the University pursue and attain a postgraduate degree in Engineering as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Propagation rate of Undergraduate to Postgraduate Engineering students at The University of the West Indies
Figure 2: Propagation rate of Undergraduate to Postgraduate Engineering students at The University of the West Indies

Upon a deeper dive into the data for the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, we notice that the number of female undergraduate students generally remains above a 15% threshold for the past 5 years. This is particularly interesting as the percentage of female students continually increases and almost doubles (except for the year in which COVID commenced) as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Overview of the percentage of female vs male undergraduate students in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, The University of the West Indies over a five year period (2018-2023)
Figure 3: Overview of the percentage of female vs male undergraduate students in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, The University of the West Indies over a five year period (2018-2023)

Interestingly enough, when we look at the data for the enrolment of students into Postgraduate Engineering programs it is encouraging to see that there is a higher percentage of women enrolling into these postgraduate programs compared to the undergraduate level as shown in Figure 4 below. Unfortunately, the percentage declines as the postgraduate program continues resulting in a lower overall number of students (both male and female).

Figure 4: Enrolment of Female vs Male Postgraduate Engineering students for the period 2018-2023 in The University of the West Indies
Figure 4: Enrolment of Female vs Male Postgraduate Engineering students for the period 2018-2023 in The University of the West Indies

There are similar trends in UK and US based Universities. As per the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)[2] there has been an increase in female students pursuing Engineering degrees in the last 10 years at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in the United States of America as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5: Comparison of female students at undergraduate and postgraduate engineering degrees from 2011 to 2020 in the United States
Figure 5: Comparison of female students at undergraduate and postgraduate engineering degrees from 2011 to 2020 in the United States
Figure 6: Comparison of female students at Undergraduate vs Postgraduate Engineering degrees in the United Kingdom for 2020-2023
Figure 6: Comparison of female students at Undergraduate vs Postgraduate Engineering degrees in the United Kingdom for 2020-2023

In the United Kingdom according to the Higher Education Student Statistics[3] the percentage of female undergraduate engineering students remained around the same for the last three years (2020-2023), averaging around 17% while the postgraduate female engineering students increased to roughly 27% as shown in Figure 6.

When looking at the actual numbers for the UK, it is quite surprising that the number of undergraduates remains fairly constant with a typical drop off around 300-500 female engineering students to postgraduate studies. However, there is a larger drop with the male students pursuing their postgraduate engineering degrees as per Figure 7 below.

Figure 7: Number of female vs male students in the UK for undergraduate and postgraduate engineering degrees
Figure 7: Number of female vs male students in the UK for undergraduate and postgraduate engineering degrees

What are some of the challenges faced by women in engineering?

While the numbers for registered female engineers may seem a bit dismal, we need to examine why there’s such a drop off between obtaining an undergraduate degree and becoming a registered engineer. Typically, one qualifies to become a registered engineer only after they have gained an evidential level of engineering competency through work experience in the field. Is this the area where we are losing our female engineers?

 

Globally, it has been observed that after 5 years within the industry, female engineers usually either leave the discipline entirely or transfer to another non-technical role. There are a number of reasons why this occurs. Based on interviews with many female engineers some of the reasons cited include; lack of basic needs (such as clean bathroom facilities, lactating rooms for new mothers), the presence of microaggressions, lack of safety (especially regarding ill-fitting PPE) and even the basic concept of remaining unheard or unrecognized for their contributions.

Figure 8: Some main challenges faced by women in male populated environments
Figure 8: Some main challenges faced by women in male populated environments

Figure 8 shows an overview of some of the main challenges for women in male populated workplaces. This includes:

•Societal expectations and beliefs about women’s leadership abilities – in these scenarios, women’s voices are almost left unheard, and their contributions are ignored. When trying to lead a team, it may be difficult for them to gain respect of the other team members if the team members do not fully believe in their leadership strategies.

•Pervasive stereotypes, such as that of the “caring mother” or office housekeeper – often, women are assigned these duties in addition to their own job responsibilities which detracts from their time to perform the work assigned to them. Due to these “stereotypes”, they are also not taken seriously in their roles as leaders or when they try to add value to the team as their team members only perceive that they can add value in the stereotypical roles.

•Higher stress and anxiety compared to women working in other fields – women constantly feel the need to always be at their best in these industries. They spend more time working on projects to ensure that they are familiar with every detail as they will be questioned on it and may even have to do the “prove it again” concept where they are asked to prove their findings multiple times before they are believed. In non-male populated environments, women can freely assume leadership roles without the stress or anxiety of whether their work will be questioned.

•Lack of mentoring and career development opportunities – women are often passed over for promotions without the help of sponsors in their organizations. Mentors can also help in creating introductions for women in these fields and aid in their networking to help them in their career development. Mentors play a critical role for women in these fields as they can establish bonds and stronger networks to be considered for other opportunities (within and outside of the organization).

•Sexual harassment – unfortunately, this occurs in the workplace too often especially for women and depending on the circumstances of its occurrence, it can leave the victims fearful of coming to work, which negatively impacts on their performance in the workplace. Additionally, there is also the fear of reporting a senior manager or supervisor for their inappropriate behaviour. The women in these situations may be victimized and even have trouble in reporting the incident as the report would not be taken seriously.

While the list above is not exhaustive, these are just scratching the surface of some of the issues women face in such a male populated discipline.

Coping mechanisms

Quite often this leads to women finding coping mechanisms to deal with some of the challenges listed above. As shown in Figure 9, these include:

•Distancing themselves from colleagues, especially other women – if you realize that this is occurring with one of your female or male colleagues, then check in on them. Find out what you can do to support. Very often, they just need to be supported or not to feel alone in the situation they are facing. Your support could mean the difference between them leaving the industry entirely.

•Accepting masculine cultural norms and acting like “one of the boys,” which exacerbates the problem by contributing to the normalization of this culture – becoming part of the “boys’ club” is not the answer when trying to fit in. Eventually, women lose their authenticity and the unique perspective that they can bring to different situations. It is very important for women in these fields to remain true to themselves and bring their personality to work, that’s what will help us to evolve. This change in the “norm” will help to bring a diverse sense of thinking to create more solutions.

•Leaving the industry - Women sexually harassed at work are 6.5 times as likely to change jobs[4] often to one with lower pay. We are losing our workforce because we’re not standing up for our women who have had this experience. These women feel that they need to leave the industry to be in a safe environment where they are not harassed. We should not have such an unwelcoming environment for women or men.

Figure 8: Some main challenges faced by women in male populated environments
Figure 8: Some main challenges faced by women in male populated environments

The aforementioned list is just a few of the coping mechanisms that women have used over time to handle challenges within this industry. If you see one of these mechanisms being used, then take some time to chat with the person.

These coping mechanisms are not just strategies that women use; they can also be used by men. As our brother’s / sister’s keeper, we should look out for each other and continue to support each other.

Finding solutions

Women are entering these male populated fields and changing them for the better. We cannot continue to do things the same way and expect different results. Evolution can only occur if there are significant changes.

Traditionally, jobs were associated with particular genders as these required certain characteristics. For instance, some jobs required physical strength which assumed a male candidate. However, with the advent of technology and tools which can be used by both men and women, many of these jobs now have level playing fields because of these. But society has not caught up with these changes.

As such, women are still faced with challenges in these male populated environments. It is our duty to all work together to create safer environments for women, recognize when there is an issue and come together to solve the issue as a team. This is the only way we can all move forward in these industries.

Currently, we are on the brink of having a major skills gap shortage that the future generation will be responsible for filling. How are we preparing them for these roles? We need to be the change that the future generation sees. If they can “see” more registered female engineers, we can have more female engineers in the future.

Board certification is the only legislated professional credential for engineers practicing in Trinidad and Tobago. For that reason, this credential is most valuable in that it represents, among other things, a commitment to a legislated code of ethics which serves to protect the public interest, elevate the level of professionalism in engineering practice and brings more value and benefits to engineering stakeholders, including the public, clients, employers, and practicing engineers themselves.[5] 

The accreditation and verification of experience, knowledge and skills which accompanies registration with the BOETT has the potential to reduce some of the barriers faced by women in these fields.

Generally, with more female engineers, we can expect more inclusive workplaces and an increase in the diversity of thought to create better solutions. Registration strengthens the credibility of practicing engineers especially female engineers.

It is important to the profession and to enable the growth of a community where registration is encouraged, and its value emphasized. Various strategies are required to purposefully empower more women to allow them to drive change in our workplaces and by extension, our lives.

We need to change the conversation towards having a more inclusive workplace for both men and women in engineering. This is the only way we can truly move forward with developing our country and ensuring that our greatest resource (our people) can be a part of that. Let’s get more women and men to become registered engineers in our country.

Download the article here

End notes

[1] (The University of the West Indies | St Augustine Campus, 2023)

[2] (National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), 2023)

[3] (Higher Education Statistics Agency, 2023)

[4] (Blackstone, McLaughin, & Uggen, 2017)

[5] (Lezama, 2024)

 

References

Blackstone, A., McLaughin, H., & Uggen, C. (2017). The Economic and Career Effects of Sexual Harassment on Working Women. Sage Journals. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0891243217704631

Higher Education Statistics Agency. (2023). Higher Education Student Statistics: UK, 2021/2022 - Subjects Studied SB265. Cheltenham, GL50 1HZ: HSEA.

Lezama, V. (2024, June 04). Are you a Board-Registered Engineer? Your career success may depend on it. Trinidad & Tobago.

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). (2023). Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities 2023, Special Report NSF 23-315. Alexandria, VA: National Science Foundation. Retrieved from https://ncses.nsf.gov/wmpd

The University of the West Indies | St Augustine Campus. (2023). Student Statistical Digest 2018/2019 to 2022/2023. St Augustine: Prepared by the Campus Office of Planning and Institutional Research.

 

About the author

Sanya Mathura is the Founder of Strategic Reliability Solutions Ltd based in Trinidad & Tobago and operates in the capacity of Managing Director and Senior Consultant. She works with global affiliates in the areas of Reliability and Asset Management to bring these specialty niches to her clients. She holds her BSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering, MSc in Engineering Asset Management and is an ICML certified MLE (Machinery Lubrication Engineer) – the first person in the Caribbean. Sanya was also the first female in the world to achieve the ICML Varnish badges (VIM & VPR) and again the first female globally to attain the Mobius FL CAT I certification (as per their public records). She is also the first engineer to be registered with the Board of Engineering of Trinidad and Tobago in the specialist category of Machinery Lubrication Engineer.

She sits on the Editorial board for Precision Lubrication Magazine and is a digital editor for Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE)’s TLT Magazine for 2024 and columnist for Equipment Today Magazine. She also sits on the board for the Lubricant Expo North America.

She is the author and co-author of six books; Lubrication Degradation Mechanisms, A Complete Guide, Lubrication Degradation – Getting into the Root Causes, Machinery Lubrication Technician (MLT) I & II Certification Exam Guide and “Preventing Turbomachinery ‘Cholesterol’ – The Story of Varnish.” She has also been assigned the Series Editor of the book series, “Empowering women in STEM” with the first book being launched in Dec 2022, Empowering Women in STEM – Personal Stories and Career Journeys from Around the World and the second in March 2024 called, Empowering Women in STEM – Working Together to Inspire the Future. When not writing or managing the business, you can find her supporting projects to advocate for women in STEM.

Uncategorized

An Engineer, Entrepreneur, Author and Activist: – Expertise in reliability and lubrication engineering and advocacy for women in STEM

sanya in front of factory copy

A Chat with Engineer Sanya Mathura, one of the New Faces of Engineering in Trinidad and Tobago with the Board of Engineering Trinidad & Tobago

 

Engineer Sanya Mathura, BSc. MSc. MLE, FLCAT I, MAPETT, R.Eng.

 

For more info on the BOETT check out their website: www.boett.org

Sanya is a young Engineer, entrepreneur and author with a distinguished record of achievement and with many first associated with her accomplishments. She is the first engineer to be registered with the Board of Engineering of Trinidad and Tobago in the specialist category of Machinery Lubrication Engineer and before that, the first female in the Caribbean to become an ICML certified Machinery Lubrication Engineer (MLE) and sits on the board for this exam. Sanya was also the first female in the world to achieve the ICML Varnish badges (VIM & VPR), and again, she was the first female in the world to achieve the Mobius Institute FL CAT I (Field Lubrication Analyst) certification. Sanya is the Managing Director of Strategic Reliability Solutions Ltd, a consulting firm which she founded and which specializes in helping clients improve their asset reliability and maintenance practices across a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, manufacturing and transportation, locally and across the globe.

 

Sanya holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering as well as a Masters in Engineering Asset Management and has over 15 years’ experience in industry. She has been recognized for her exceptional work in the field of reliability and lubrication engineering and her expertise in developing and implementing asset management strategies, risk assessments, and root cause analysis has earned her a reputation as a subject matter expert. Apart from being the author and co-author of six technical books in her area of specialty, when not writing or managing her business, she is an activist supporting projects for women in STEM and has been assigned the Series Editor of the book series by CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, “Empowering women in STEM”.

 

Sanya is an active member of several professional organizations, including the International Council for Machinery Lubrication and writes technical papers for several organizations. She is also a sought-after speaker and has presented at various conferences and seminars on the topics of reliability engineering and lubrication. She is part of the editorial board for Precision Lubrication Magazine and writes a lot of technical articles on various platforms. She is also part of the Advisory board for the Lubricant Expo North America & The Bearing Show North America. Sanya is also a digital editor for the STLE (Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers) TLT magazine and writes a column for the Equipment Today magazine.

 

Sanya's passion for excellence, coupled with her expertise in the field of engineering and reliability, has made her a respected and highly sought-after professional in the industry. Her dedication to providing exceptional service to clients and her commitment to staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends has earned her the respect of her peers and the admiration of her clients.

Q1. Can you provide an overview of your academic and professional background, including relevant training related to machinery lubrication engineering?

I am a proud graduate of the University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus where I completed my BSc in Electrical & Computer Engineering and afterwards, my MSc in Engineering Asset Management. After getting my Bachelors, I worked in the industry for 2 years before joining Shell Lubricants as their Technical Advisor for Trinidad & Tobago. This is when I fell in love with reliability as I realized that lubrication is the lifeblood of machines and essentially affects every part of the operation.

It was during my time with Shell that I decided to pursue my MSc and wrote my thesis on lubricant degradation. While writing my thesis, I realized that I wasn’t producing the quality of work that I should be and decided to quit my job (with no back up plan!).

During that time, I reached out to several global experts to assist with some research that I was doing for my thesis, and they all knew someone who knew something. Then I thought, wouldn’t it be great, if there was a hub in Trinidad & Tobago where people could go to for Reliability Solutions from trusted experts…but it had to be Strategic. That’s how Strategic Reliability Solutions was formed, and the vision has never strayed.

We continue to provide quality information, consulting, and training services globally with trusted affiliates in the USA, Canada, Australia and the UK to our clients within the Caribbean and across the globe.

Q2. As a newly Registered Engineer in the specialist category of Machinery Lubrication Engineering, what motivated you to pursue a career in this field, and what specific skills or experiences do you bring to this role?

While I’m newly registered with the BOETT, I’ve been in machinery lubrication for the past decade. I’ve received training in Houston, the Caribbean and got to work with globally recognized product application specialists in this field for several years. After writing my first book, “Lubrication Degradation Mechanisms – A Complete Guide” published by CRC Press, Taylor and Francis, I decided to earn my MLE (Machinery Lubrication Engineer) certification from ICML (International Council for Machinery Lubrication).

This is one of the highest levels of certifications that they offer and while it is advised to build your way up to this badge by earning the other badges (MLT, MLA, LLA) because of my extensive work with supporting customers in lubrication related issues globally, I was sufficiently prepared to pursue this certification and got it.

Afterwards, I wrote a couple more internationally published technical books such as:

With my background in engineering and extensive knowledge of machinery lubrication, I am equipped to help customers with their challenges in this arena.

Q3. Could you discuss a challenging lubrication problem you encountered in your work experience? How did you approach and solve it?

We had a client in Qatar who began experiencing some issues with their hydraulic lifters for a particular machine. These lifters got jammed at an ad-hoc rate and caused a lot of unplanned downtime for them. They had to keep stopping the equipment, cleaning the system, and then restarting the equipment which caused some losses in production. They were not performing oil analysis as they did not recognize this component as being critical to their operation hence they did not monitor it.

We worked with them to re-evaluate all their components throughout the plant (determining which ones were critical, semi-critical and non-critical). Then, evaluated the lubricants being used, ensured that they were all meeting the required standards and specifications. Next, with the information gathered, we curated an oil analysis program which aligned with their plant and all its equipment.

From the data collected through oil analysis, we were able to spot when the issue with the hydraulic system began to appear again. The condition of the oil drastically changed after their technician performed a top up. The results also revealed that there were some additives specific to gear oil which were appearing in the hydraulic oil samples.

Apparently, the technician kept topping up the hydraulic systems with gear oil (used in another area of the plant). They thought that any oil should work and used the closest oil to their location (which in this case was the gear oil). We did some training and reorganization of their storage and handling practices, so now, their system is working without any more delays due to the incorrect oil being used.

Q4. In your opinion, what are the most important properties or characteristics to consider when formulating a lubricant for a specific application? How do you prioritize these factors?

There are a lot of things to consider when formulating a lubricant. The most important characteristic is viscosity. One of the main purposes of a lubricant is to reduce friction between two surfaces. It can only do so if it provides an adequate reduction in the coefficient of friction. When formulating lubricants, it’s all about balance.

There should be enough additives to enhance, suppress or add new properties to the base oil. Various types of oils have different ratios of additives to base oil, for example turbine oils usually have only 1% additives while motor oils have 30% additives. That means 1% of additives in turbine oils need to be formulated to have the right amount of oxidation resistance, wear protection, viscosity index improvers and many more which do not counteract each other.

When formulating oils, we must look at the application, the load, the speed, and the environment before even thinking about the formulation. There are complex calculations to determine the correct viscosity (largely based on the load, speed and in some cases temperature).

Understanding the metallurgy of the components is also helpful in the formulation of the lubricant as this can dictate which additives can and cannot be used.

Lubricant formulators also work alongside OEMs to ensure that the lubricant is meeting their specifications as it relates to the efficiency of the machine as well as any regulatory standards.

Q5. How do you stay updated on advancements in lubricant technology and industry best practices? Can you provide examples of any recent developments or trends that have caught your attention?

I read a lot, especially content from OEMs, Global lubricant suppliers and attend a lot of webinars where experts are sharing their knowledge. Being a part of the Precision Lubrication Magazine Board, STLE (Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers) Digital TLT magazine and a columnist for Equipment Today magazine also mean that I have access to this type of content.

I am also the co-chairperson for the Lubrication & Reliability Virtual Summit which features speakers from across the globe within this area. I help to organize and facilitate and participate in some of the discussions for the various regions, AMER (Americas), APAC (Asia-Pacific) and EMEA (Europe- Middle East & Africa).

I was also on the advisory board for the Lubricant Expo North America and facilitate workshops across the globe especially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UK, USA and other regions.

Additionally, I work with a global group of consultants specific to the lubrication industry with its headquarters in Australia. We all work together on challenges from our customers and have knowledge sharing sessions which helps to keep each other informed about the latest trends.

Q6. Describe your experience with conducting tribological testing and analysis. What methods or techniques have you used to evaluate the performance of lubricants under different operating conditions?

I am not a lab personnel nor do I have access to a lab. My expertise lies in interpreting the reports and relaying this information to the customer along with recommendations on how to solve some of the challenges they may be experiencing. I work with global labs to help my customers to understand what is happening inside their equipment and develop a solution for these challenges.

Q7. Lubricant selection is critical for maximizing equipment performance and lifespan. How do you approach the process of selecting the most suitable lubricant for a given application?

This varies for every piece of equipment. The first part is to understand what the OEM requires of the lubricant, what the lubricant should be able to tolerate before pushing it outside of its operating envelope.

Most OEMs have tolerance limits based on environmental and/or operating conditions as well as industry standards. For instance, if we’re looking at turbine oils, many people make a comparison of their spec sheets (TDS – Technical Data Sheet) with the values given.

Often, they look at the RPVOT value (Rotating Pressure Vessel Oxidation Test) which gives a value in minutes (estimating the lifespan of the turbine oil). This should not be done, especially since the RPVOT is not a repeatable test in that, if it is performed 10 times, it will yield 10 different results.

Additionally, the result is given in minutes (the length of time for the oil to attain a particular characteristic in the test) which is not easily related to the field. Instead, for a better comparison of oils (in particular turbine oils), it may be a wise decision to perform the TOPP (Turbine Oil Performance Prediction) test where the oil is stressed for 4-6 weeks (with catalysts for oxidation such as heat, temperature, oxygen) and then their characteristics are compared. This is one of the best ways to compare oils before determining which of them to purchase in the turbine oil realm.

When evaluating oils for maximizing your equipment performance, most OEMs suggest a range of oils both mineral and synthetic and provide the operating characteristics in which these perform best. Depending on your environment, the oil can be selected accordingly.

For instance, there may be no critical applications which require the components to keep moving with minimal stressors or extra loads. In those cases, mineral oils would be the most effective and possibly last longer just because of the application.

In other instances, such as a harsh environment or high temperatures, synthetics may perform better but may still not have a longer lifespan because they can degrade quickly because of the environment. Essentially, it all depends on the application being evaluated.

Q8. Can you discuss a situation where you had to troubleshoot lubrication-related issues in machinery and the steps you took to resolve them?

We had a customer in Italy who was having some issues with the cranes on their ship. The oil was degrading quickly and continuously causing them lots of downtime. We ran the oil analysis for the oil and discovered that the viscosity was breaking down too quickly and there were lots of deposits being produced.

The crew were able to remove one of the filters and we sent it for testing but upon removal, they noticed that there were areas of the filter membrane which were burnt. This is one of the effects of ESD (Electrostatic Spark Discharge).

We were able to immediately identify this and worked with them on finding a solution to this issue. They could not make any adjustments to their current operations, so we decided to change their filters to antistatic filters. This dramatically helped to reduce the buildup of static in the oil and they do not have deposits in their oils anymore.

Q9. Effective communication and collaboration are essential in lubrication engineering, especially when working with cross-functional teams or external stakeholders. Can you provide any example of how you've successfully communicated technical concepts or recommendations to non-technical stakeholders?

Typically, when I get called into an organization it’s because something went wrong. This means that I need to be able to communicate with all the stakeholders from the CEO to the people working at the plant. I remember one high-level meeting where both the technical and C-suite members were present.

The trick to being able to deliver technical information to a mixed audience is to find common ground, for everyone. For this meeting, I started off with using an analogy of the human body to the manufacturing plant and then proceeded to explain the importance of the oil, its functions as likened to the blood in our bodies.

Then, for explaining the oil analysis results (which the technical team needed to see but the non-technical team did not fully understand), this was likened to performing blood tests and the results that we got were likened to tests for diabetes, either you are pre-, post or need to monitor.

This was a great way to get everyone in the room to understand what went wrong, and how we intended to fix it. Although, some have now referred to the plant as having type II diabetes after the meeting, they still got the message.

Q10. Finally, where do you see opportunities for innovation and improvement in the field of lubrication engineering in Trinidad and Tobago? How do you envision contributing to advancements in this area in T&T?

Trinidad & Tobago has a rich history of Oil & Gas and manufacturing. Nothing moves in these industries (or any other industry) without proper lubrication. I think it’s a concept that not many are familiar with as they are in other parts of the world. But this is where we can grow and evolve.

It’s been my mission to bring Trinidad & Tobago to the forefront in this industry. Through my internationally published technical books, presence on technical boards, articles and certifications, we are showing other Caribbean islands that we are not “too small” to partake in the conversations happening in this industry. Just recently I attained my FL CAT I (Field Lubrication – Category I) from the Mobius Institute becoming the only female in the world to attain this (as per their published records).

This is not a new accolade as I was also the first person in the Caribbean to attain the ICML MLE certification and the first female in the world to attain the ICML VIM & VPR badges.

I’m bringing the T&T name to the forefront and letting others know that we have talented people here who are willing to do the work and advance the industry through their insights.

I may write a couple more technical books in the future (having already published 4 technical books and 2 non-technical), I can safely say that it is a strong possibility. I will continue my work in advocating for more women in STEM (especially in this industry) and though my series of books, “Empowering Women in STEM” published by CRC Press, Taylor and Francis.

The first two books are already out and feature women from various parts of the globe in different industries in STEM. The third book will be out before the end of the year and the fourth is already in progress.

I firmly believe that if we all work together that we can create more opportunities for others to also shine brightly in this space and inspire the future generations.

Oil Properties

What Happens When Defoamants, Dispersants & Detergents Are Used Up?

For the three additives we spoke about earlier, each of them is sacrificial in one way or another.

Defoamants get used up when they are called upon to reduce the foam in the oil. On the other hand, detergents and dispersants use their characteristics to suspend contaminants in the oil.

In all of these scenarios, each of these additives can be considered to become depleted over time. While performing their functions, they will undergo reactions that reduce their capability to perform them more than once.

Hence, it can be concluded that these additives become depleted over time even though they may not have physically left the oil but now exist in a different form.

The air release property of the oil is affected by the loss of defoamants. This value will see a significant rise, indicating that it takes longer for air to be released from the oil. As such, air remains in the oil in either a free, dissolved, entrained, or foam state.

Consequently, this impacts the ability of the oil to lubricate the components properly and can even result in microdieseling and increased oil temperatures in the sump.

On the other hand, as the detergents and dispersants are reduced, the capacity of the oil to hold contaminants also decreases.

Therefore, one will begin noticing that deposits may start forming on the equipment’s insides, leading to valves sticking (especially in hydraulic systems) or a general increase in the system’s temperature as these deposits can trap heat.

With the introduction of an increased temperature, the oil can begin oxidizing, leading to more deposits being formed and possibly even varnish.

Essentially, these additives are essential to the health of the oil in your system. The detergents and dispersants can help to keep your system clean (free from contaminants such as soot).

The defoamants can even reduce the risk of wear, increased temperatures to the lube system, the potential to form varnish, or the possibility of succumbing to microdieseling.

References

1 Bruce, R. W. (2012). Handbook of Lubrication and Tribology – Volume II Theory and Design – Second Edition. Boca Raton: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis.

2 Mang, P., & Dresel, D. (2007). Lubricants and Lubrication – Second Edition. Weinheim: WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co KGaA.

4 Mang, P.-I., Bobzin, P.-I., & Bartels, D.-I. (2011). Industrial Tribology Tribosystems, Friction, Wear and Surface Engineering, Lubrication. Weinheim: WILEY-VCH Verlag & Co KGaA.

3 Mortier, D. M., Fox, P. F., & Orszulik, D. T. (2010). Chemistry and Technology of Lubricants – Third Edition. Dordrecht Heidelberg: Springer.

Want to read the entire article? Find it here in Precision Lubrication Magazine!

Oil Properties

Do Detergents Really Clean?

Traditionally, detergents were given their name as it was assumed that they provided cleaning properties to the oil, similar to laundry detergents. However, these metal-containing compounds also provide an alkaline reserve used to neutralize acidic combustion and oxidation by-products.

Due to their nature, these compounds disperse particulate matter, such as abrasive wear and soot particles, rather than removing them (in a cleaning action). There are four main types of detergents: phenates, salicylates, thiophosphate, and sulfonates4.

Calcium phenates are the most common type of phenate. They are formed by synthesizing alkylated phenols with elemental sulphur or sulphur chloride, followed by neutralization with metal oxides or hydroxides. These calcium phenates have good dispersant properties and possess a greater acid-neutralization potential.

Salicylates have additional antioxidant properties and a proven efficacy in diesel engine oil formulations. They are prepared through the carboxylation of alkylated phenols with subsequent metathesis into divalent metal salts. These products are then overbased with excess metal carbonate to form highly basic detergents.

Thiophosphonates are rarely used today as they are an overbased product.

Sulfonates generally have excellent anticorrosion properties. The neutral (or over-based) sulfonates have excellent detergent and neutralization potential. These neutral sulfonates are typically formed with colloidally dispersed metal oxides or hydroxides.

Calcium sulfonates are relatively cheap and have good performance. On the other hand, magnesium sulfonates exhibit excellent anticorrosion properties but can form hard ash deposits after thermal degradation, leading to bore polishing in engines. Barium sulfonates are not used due to their toxic properties.

Detergents in ATFs are used in concentrations of 0.1-1.0% for cleanliness, friction, corrosion inhibition, and reduction of wear3. However, these values are a bit higher in manual transmission fluids, at 0.0 – 3.0%. On the other hand, no detergents are required for axle lubricants!

Want to read the entire article? Find it here in Precision Lubrication Magazine!

Oil Properties

Why Are Dispersants Important?

Quite often, detergents and dispersants are grouped together mainly because their functions can complement each other. As noted above, the significant difference is that dispersants are ashless, while detergents are more metal-containing compounds.

However, some ashless dispersants also offer “cleaning” properties, so the two are not mutually exclusive.

A large oleophilic hydrocarbon tail and a polar hydrophilic head group can categorize detergents and dispersants. Typically, the tail solubilizes in the base fluid while the head is attracted to the contaminants in the lubricant.

Dispersant molecules envelop the solid contaminants to form micelles, and the non-polar tails prevent the adhesion of these particles onto the metal surfaces so that they agglomerate into larger particles and appear suspended.

Ashless dispersants are, by definition, those that do not contain metal and are typically derived from hydrocarbon polymers, with the most popular being polybutenes (PIBs).

For example, dispersants are typically required in concentrations of 2-6% in ATFs and are used to maintain cleanliness, disperse sludge, and reduce friction and wear3. These values in manual transmission fluids and axle lubricants vary from 1-4%.

Want to read the entire article? Find it here in Precision Lubrication Magazine!

Oil Properties

Are Defoamants Necessary?

Defoamants, also called antifoam additives, are found in many oils. Most oils need to keep foam levels to a minimum, and it is very easy for foam to form in lube systems due to their design and flow throughout the equipment.

When foam enters the oil, it can affect its ability to provide adequate surface lubrication. This can lead to wear occurring at the surface level, damaging the equipment.
Many oils require defoamants to provide various functions and in differing ratios depending on their application. In automatic transmission fluids (ATFs), defoamants are usually needed in concentrations of 50-400ppm to prevent excessive foaming and air entrainment3. On the other hand, for manual transmission fluids and axle lubricants, defoamants are required in slightly lower concentrations, between 50 and 300 ppm.

However, OEMs must verify these concentrations. If the concentration of defoamants is too high, this can actually increase foaming. Additionally, defoamants must be properly balanced with the other additive packages to ensure they do not negatively counteract another additive.

There are two main types of defoamants: silicone defoamers and silicone-free defoamers. Silicone defoamers are considered the most efficient defoamants, especially at low concentrations of around 1%. These defoamants are typically pre-dissolved in aromatic solvents to provide a stable dispersion.

However, there are two significant disadvantages associated with silicone defoamers. Due to their insolubility, they can easily transition out of the oil and have a powerful affinity to polar metal surfaces.

On the other hand, silicone-free defoamers are another alternative, especially for applications that require silicone-free lubricants. Such applications include metal-working fluids and hydraulics, which are used close to silicone-free ones, and even those involved in applying paints or lacquers to these pieces.

Some silicone-free defoamers include poly(ethylene glycol)s (PEG), polyethers, polymethacrylates, and organic copolymers. Tributylphosphate is also another option for defoamers4.

Want to read the entire article? Find it here in Precision Lubrication Magazine!

Oil Properties

Defoamants, Dispersants, and Detergents in Lubricants – What’s the Difference?

Additives can enhance, suppress, or add new properties to oils. Defoamants, dispersants, and detergents are no exceptions. This trio of additives can be found in most finished lubricants, albeit in varying ratios.

Let’s discuss the main differences among these three, why each is so important, and ways to confirm their presence.

What’s the Difference?

While they are all additives (which begin with the letter D), their functions are distinctively different. They all work to protect the oil from various types of contaminants.

For instance, defoamants reduce the air bubbles in the oil. At the same time, detergents keep the metal surfaces clean, and dispersants encapsulate the contaminants so they are suspended in the lubricant.1 This is illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Defoamants, detergents and dispersants explained.
Figure 1: Defoamants, detergents and dispersants explained.

From our last article on Lubricant Additives – A Comprehensive Guide, here are some detailed descriptions of how each of these additives functions.

Defoamants

When foam forms in the lubricant, tiny air bubbles become trapped either at the surface or on the inside (called inner foam). Defoamants work by adsorbing on the foam bubble and affecting the bubble surface tension. This causes coalescence and breaks the bubble on the lubricant’s surface1.

For the foam that forms at the surface, called surface foam, defoamants with a lower surface tension are used. They are usually not soluble in base oil and must be finely dispersed to be sufficiently stable even after long-term storage or use.

On the other hand, inner foam, which is finely dispersed air bubbles in the lubricant, can form stable dispersions. Common defoamants are designed to control surface foam but stabilize inner foam2.

Dispersants

On the other hand, dispersants are also polar, and they keep contaminants and insoluble oil components suspended in the lubricant. They minimize particle agglomeration, which in turn maintains the oil’s viscosity (compared to particle coalescing, which leads to thickening). Unlike detergents, dispersants are considered ashless. They typically work at low operating temperatures.

Detergents

Detergents are polar molecules that remove substances from the metal surface, similar to a cleaning action. However, some detergents also provide antioxidant properties. The nature of a detergent is essential, as metal-containing detergents produce ash (typically calcium, lithium, potassium, and sodium)1.

Want to read the entire article? Find it here in Precision Lubrication Magazine!