“Moving Forward … Can Lubricating Grease Be Produced in a More … · 2021. 5. 11. · The use...

Mehdi Fathi-Najafi – NYNAS ABJohn S. Kay – STRATCO, Inc.

“Moving Forward … Can Lubricating Grease Be Produced in a More Efficient Way?”

Outline

© 2017 Nynas. All rights reserved.2

Base Oils - IntroductionGrease production overviewProduction energy requirementsHypotheses for improvementsLaboratory scale metrics studyExperimental work performedConclusions drawn from study

3 © 2017 Nynas. All rights reserved.

VI = 80-119Sats. <90% and/or S>0.03%

VI = 80-119Sats. >90% and S<0.03%

VI > 120Sats. >90% and S<0.03%

Group I

Group II

Group III

Poly-alpha-olefin (PAO)

All Other Oils: Naphthenic OilsVegetable Oils,

Polyglycols And Other Oils Group V

Group IV

PARAFFINIC OILS

Base oils Classification (API)


§ Solvency = The ability to solvate other molecules§Oil’s properties to characterise solvency

üAniline pointüViscosity Gravity Constant (VGC)

Solvent molecule

Solute molecule

Solvency


§ Lowest temperature at which equal volumes of aniline and oil are miscible

§ Aniline is a polar solvent§ The lower the temperature, the more

”polar” the oil, the higher the solvency

Aromatic oils

Naphthenic oils

Paraffinic oils

— 140ºC

— 130ºC

— 120ºC

— 110ºC

— 100ºC

— 90ºC

— 80ºC

— 70ºC

— 60ºC

— 50ºC

— 40ºC

— 30ºC

— 20ºC

Aniline Point


Properties affected by Solvency of the Oil

§Soap fibers generally more uniform in shape and size when high solvency oils are used.

§A homogeneous soap structure confers the grease with a smooth appearance.

§An oil with higher solvency results to a lower soap content.

§High solvency oils dissolve additives more easily

Global Grease Production (2016) by Thickener Type

5/10/217

Sodium0.49 %

Others2.15%

Polyurea6.14% Organo clay

1.90 %Calcium3.38’%

Calcium Complex1.21%

Calcium Anhydrous

3.91%

Calcium Sulfonate2.20%

Lithium55.35%

Lithium complex20.04%

Source: NLGI


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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

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ric T

onne

s pe

r Yea

r

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Global Lithium Grease Production

Simple Lithium Lithium Complex Total Lithium

Lithium based greases - Background

9

Globally predominant thickenerWide variety of applicationsWell-established processWell-formulated additivesLithium cost rising due to competing markets

Target Process Improvements

Potential improvements for Lithium grease production:

Use naphthenic oil solvency to reduce soap content and lower heating energy requirements.

Use Contactor™ efficiency to reduce heating energy requirements.

Use Contactor™ high shear mixing and dispersion to reduce soap content.



Manufacturing Cost Comparison – Contactor™ vs. Kettle

Category Description Contactor™ Process Kettle ProcessAnnual Process Electrical Cost $48,499.02 $70,833.81Annual Heating Fuel Cost $8,766.40 $16,595.20Annual Manufacturing Labor Cost $252,000.00 $477,000.00Annual Raw Material Cost $2,551,666.23 $2,894,218.93Totals $2,860,931.65 $3,458,647.94Annual Production (kg) 5,104,356 5,104,356Unit Manufacturing Costs ($/kg) $0.560 $0.678Potential Annual Cost Savings $597,716.29

Source: STRATCO Contactor Reactor Economic Analysis (presented at NLGI Annual Meeting 2002)

Goals of the study

Verify soap content saving using naphthenic base oils on a lab scale.

Verify electrical energy savings can be measured and are significant on a lab scale.

Provide baseline data for more extensive laboratory study of energy savings and raw material cost savings.


Experimental Work

Equipment used in the study

6-gallon (22 L) STRATCO pilot plant Contactor reactor

10-gallon (38 L) finishing kettle

Charlotte G-5 colloid mill

Greases to be attempted

Conventional lithium using 100% naphthenic base oil

Conventional lithium using 100% paraffinic base oil

Conventional lithium using 50% naphthenic and 50% paraffinic base oils


The Grease Pilot Plant


Pilot Plant Control

Conventional Lithium Grease – Components

16

Remarks Test method ASTM SN 525 T 110

Base oil type - Paraffinic Gr I Naphthenic

Viscosity @ 40 °C, mm2/s D 445 97.8 (525) 108 (582)

Viscosity @ 100 °C, mm2/s D 445 10.9 (64.3) 8.8 (56)Flash point,°C (F) PM N/A 222 (432)Flash point,°C (F) COC 274 (525) N/APour point °C (F) D5950 -15 (+5) N/APour point,°C (F D 97 N/A -30 (-22) Aniline point,°C (F) D 611 119 (246) 87 (189)

q12-Hydroxystearic Acid ; Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate

qTypical Characteristics of the base oils:

© 2017 Nynas. All rights reserved.

Lithium based greases - Manufacturing


Add base oil to STRATCO Contactor and commence circulationAdd acid and heat to 170°F (77°C) to melt acid.Add LiOH and seal lid.Heat to 392°F (200°C); control pressure between 85 and 95 psi (~ 6 and 6.5 bar).Vent reactor to atmospheric pressure.Add small quantity of base oil to cool to 350°F (177°C).Material is then transferred into finishing kettle.Agitate in Kettle, recirculate through colloid mill for 30 minutes.


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Tem

pera

ture

(°C

)

Time - Temperature Profile

T110/SN525 (7%)

T110/SN525 (7%) HOS

SN 525 (8%)

SN 525 (8%) HOS

T110 (7%)

T110 (7%) HOS

Procuct & Heating Fluid Supply Temperatures

Conventional Lithium Grease – Test results

19

Property Test Method Grease A Grease B Grease CPen (60), mm -1 ASTM D 217 239 (NLGI 3) 258 (NLGI 25) 272 (NLGI 2)

Dropping point, °C ASTM D 2265 206 207 209

Soap (wet), wt% - 7.92 9.02 7.82

Soap (dry), wt% - 7.06 8.04 6.97

Grease A: Based on T 110Grease B: Based on SN525Grease C: based on 50% T 110 and 50 % SN525

Remarks Grease A Grease B Grease CPen (60), mm-1 239 (NLGI 3) 258 (NLGI 25) 272 (NLGI 2)

Soap Content, wt% 7.92 9.02 7.82

Production size, kg 30 30 35

Total Energy Consumption, Kwh 15 17 15

Energy Consumption & Saving Potential

20 © 2017 Nynas. All rights reserved.

The Industrial Electrical Utility Rates in Three Locations:1) Houston: 5.57 ¢/kWh; 2) Kansas City: 6.43 ¢/kWh3) Los Angeles : 11.73: ¢/kWh

Saving in the Three Locations for 30 kg finished grease:1) Houston: 5.57 ¢/kWh x 2 kWh = 11.14 ¢2) Kansas City: 6.43 ¢/kWh x 2 kWh = 12.86 ¢3) Los Angeles: 11.73 ¢/kWh x 2 kWh = 23.46 ¢

2 kwh

Potential saving for a plant with an annual production of 5 000 MT:1) Houston: $0.1114 X 5,000,000/30 = $18,567 USD2) Kansas City: $0.1286 X 5,000,000/30 = $21,433 USD3) Los Angeles: $0.2346 X 5,000,000/30 = $39,100 USD

Summary

The use of naphthenic base oil (NYNAS® T 110) reduces soap content.

The use of naphthenic base oil (NYNAS® T 110) reduces energy requirements.

The use of Contactor™ reactor technology contributes to reduced energy requirements by reducing processing time.

The use of Contactor™ reactor technology contributes to reduced soap content using naphthenic base oils.


Future Investigations


Quantify soap content savings with more data:

Adjust formulations to achieve identical NLGI grade

Adjust formulations to achieve identical product volumes

Quantify energy savings with more data

Adjust formulations to achieve identical product volumes to harmonize mass for pumping and heating requirements

Thank You for Your Attention!

[email protected]

[email protected]


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mailto:[email protected]

Date post:	13-Aug-2021
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“Moving Forward … Can Lubricating Grease Be Produced in a More … · 2021. 5. 11. · The use...

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