Can lubricants really save fuel and energy?
author: Leila
2024-07-30
The impact of lubricants on equipment energy consumption is often overlooked. The components of the entire equipment are rubbing against each other during operation. The role of lubricants is to prevent direct dry friction between components. Friction not only causes equipment wear, but also friction generates resistance. If there is no lubrication, the equipment will not only wear, but the resistance generated by friction will also consume more operating energy.
The key to the problem is: we often ignore the lubrication of equipment, and even do not understand how to use lubricants correctly, and do not know the relationship between it and energy saving.
1. The relationship between lubrication and energy saving:
Below, we use simple physical principles to understand the role of lubricants in energy saving. When we consume fuel and electricity to drive vehicles or other industrial equipment, we convert fuel and electricity into kinetic energy of the equipment. If fuel and electricity are 100% converted into kinetic energy, that is the most ideal state, but it is impossible in reality. Due to friction, part of the energy is lost through friction. When working, the energy E consumed by the equipment is divided into two parts:
E=W(k)+W(f), where W(k) is the kinetic energy of the equipment, and W (f) is the work done to overcome friction during operation
The energy consumed to overcome friction in motion W(f)=f*S, where S is the change in displacement,
Friction force in object motion f=μFN
where is the positive pressure, and μ is the friction coefficient of the contact surface. Obviously, the larger the friction coefficient, the greater the friction force, and more energy is required to overcome the friction force. The friction coefficient is related to the roughness of the surface. Through lubrication, the friction coefficient of the contact surface is reduced, thus playing a role in reducing wear and energy saving.
Below, we use simple physical principles to understand the role of lubricants in energy saving. When we consume fuel and electricity to drive vehicles or other industrial equipment, we convert fuel and electricity into kinetic energy of the equipment. If fuel and electricity are 100% converted into kinetic energy, that is the most ideal state, but it is impossible in reality. Due to friction, part of the energy is lost through friction. When working, the energy E consumed by the equipment is divided into two parts:
E=W(k)+W(f), where W(k) is the kinetic energy of the equipment, and W (f) is the work done to overcome friction during operation
The energy consumed to overcome friction in motion W(f)=f*S, where S is the change in displacement,
Friction force in object motion f=μFN
where is the positive pressure, and μ is the friction coefficient of the contact surface. Obviously, the larger the friction coefficient, the greater the friction force, and more energy is required to overcome the friction force. The friction coefficient is related to the roughness of the surface. Through lubrication, the friction coefficient of the contact surface is reduced, thus playing a role in reducing wear and energy saving.
In the 1960s, the British Jost Report made a calculation. For many countries, about 10% of the gross national product (GNP) was consumed on how to overcome friction, and a large number of equipment failed or even scrapped due to wear. Jost Report also estimated that 1.3% to 1.6% of GNP can be saved through the scientific application of tribology, and the scientific application of tribology includes the use of appropriate lubricants in practice.
2. The relationship between lubricant selection and energy saving:
Obviously, lubricants can reduce the roughness of friction surfaces, but lubricants are a chemical product with complex ingredients. Let's take a look at the ingredients of lubricants:
Lubricants: base oil + additives
Grease: base oil + thickener + additives
Obviously, lubricants can reduce the roughness of friction surfaces, but lubricants are a chemical product with complex ingredients. Let's take a look at the ingredients of lubricants:
Lubricants: base oil + additives
Grease: base oil + thickener + additives
Among them, base oils can be divided into mineral oils and synthetic oils, and mineral oils are divided into API Class I oils, API Class II oils, and API Class III oils. Synthetic oils include many types, the most common ones are PAO/SHC, GTL, PIB, PAG, ester oils (diester, polyester oil POE,), silicone oil, PFPE.
There are more types of additives. Take engine oil as an example, including detergent dispersants, anti-wear agents, antioxidants, rust inhibitors, viscosity index improvers, anti-foaming agents, etc., and different manufacturers have different choices for the types of additives. For example, there are many types of viscosity index improvers.
It can be seen that lubricating oil is not as simple as we think. Due to the complex chemical composition, the gap in composition and formulation technology will lead to differences in the performance of lubricating oil. Therefore, the quality of lubricating oil is different. It is not enough to use it casually. We need to choose it with a discerning eye. High-quality lubricating oil can not only resist wear and prevent equipment wear, but also help save energy to a certain extent.
3. Lubricating oil only accounts for 1%~3% of the total equipment maintenance expenditure!
The investment in lubricating oil is only about 1%~3% of the total maintenance investment. The impact of this 1%~3% is related to many aspects: the long-term service life of the equipment, the failure rate, the failure rate affects the downtime and productivity, the corresponding maintenance expenditure, energy consumption and other issues. Lubrication problems not only cause component damage, but also increase maintenance personnel expenses. In addition, downtime or equipment failure and unstable operation caused by failures will cause losses to materials and products. Therefore, investing in this 1% can help companies save other production-related equipment, employees, energy consumption, maintenance costs and material expenses.
The investment in lubricating oil is only about 1%~3% of the total maintenance investment. The impact of this 1%~3% is related to many aspects: the long-term service life of the equipment, the failure rate, the failure rate affects the downtime and productivity, the corresponding maintenance expenditure, energy consumption and other issues. Lubrication problems not only cause component damage, but also increase maintenance personnel expenses. In addition, downtime or equipment failure and unstable operation caused by failures will cause losses to materials and products. Therefore, investing in this 1% can help companies save other production-related equipment, employees, energy consumption, maintenance costs and material expenses.
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