Executive Summary
What can we do to improve the environment? The lubricants industry is working hard to figure out solutions to answer this question every day. Some TLT readers believe companies need to improve efficiency and extend oil drain intervals. One reader said, “The industry is continuously researching and improving base oils to increase oxidative and thermal stability to extend the lubricant life cycle and drain intervals.” Many readers also believe more research needs to be done on biodegradable materials so we are more environmentally friendly.
Q.1 Oil-related industries are often viewed negatively by the public and portrayed negatively by the media. Discuss things being done by STLE-member companies to improve the environment that make you proud to be a member of the lubricants industry.
Our contribution to making so many other industries and applications possible and the potential we have to further improve efficiency and extend machine life.
Recirculation of oil by methods of oil reconditioning and filtration.
Strive to improve longevity of the lubricants, creating less waste or go ecofriendly by mandates.
My company markets vegetable oils into various industrial applications such as lubricants and process oils. It is interesting to learn the value-added properties these products can provide outside of being environmentally acceptable and renewable. This helps overcome their additional cost.
Producing synthetic fluids from natural sources in a manner that reduces emissions compared to oil refineries.
We work closely with our large mining companies to extend oil drain intervals in engines, hydraulics, steering and differential/final drive applications. This is done by utilizing condition-based oil monitoring, kidney loop/bypass filtration and closely monitored projects to determine optimal oil change frequencies. We also help them report potential fuel economy savings and GHG reductions related to using synthetic fluids as compared to mineral products.
“Environmentally friendly” is something of a deceiving term to begin with. Any substance that acts like oil will affect the environment (in the immediate term) like traditional petroleum oil will. The benefit of biodegradability is only experienced over many years. Having said that, the improvements in lubricants in terms of service life have a bigger positive impact than any “environmentally friendliness.” Increased service life leads to less consumption, leading to a lower environmental impact.
Improving the health and food safety in relevant industries—pharmacy, food and beverages, as well as some family restaurants are getting stricter in using food-grade lubricants in their food processing. Lubricant technology toward metalworking and mining and energy (power plants, HVAC, solar) have been improving to reduce carbon footprints. Through energy consumption savings, lesser lubricant-related waste (disposal costs), clean and green byproducts reduce cleanup costs and regulations/registrations conformance (dependent on country regulations).
The industry is continuously researching and improving base oils to increase oxidative and thermal stability to extend the lubricant life cycle and drain intervals.
Lubricants, modern lubricants and correctly selected lubricants are key to energy and resource conservation. All things that move are lubricated, and most have at least one aspect of friction control. So lubricants, lubrication science and technology and tribology itself give us many reasons to be proud of our industry.
Trying to create lubricants that improve efficiency, therefore requiring less fuel. Creating lubricants that extend the life of things like windmills, decreasing the need for maintenance, improving their energy recovery, therefore decreasing the demand for fossil fuels and plastic materials.
The oil manufacturers are working with and looking for more sustainable energy solutions such as solar, wind, algae and natural gas. Those efforts, along with the advancement of electric vehicle fluids, shine a different light on major oil than the press or public would like to admit. I work for a major oil brand who has committed to a zero emissions footprint by 2025.
The innovation and growth in environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) and their displacement of non-EALs in some key industries and systems.
We are using more vegetable-derived oils while reducing our petroleum needs. We don’t use any additives that are carcinogenic or mutagenic. It makes it harder and more expensive to formulate, but our conscience is clear.
Emission reduction projects at plants. Waste reduction projects at all locations. Energy conservation efforts at all locations. Products that improve energy efficiency in all lubricant applications.
Given the very good tribological performance of petroleum-based products, it’s encouraging to see continued efforts to implement replacement products from renewable sources despite the challenges in doing so successfully. Work to minimize VOCs and amounts of liquid/solid waste is ongoing. Work on minimum quantity lubrication and dry machining hold the potential to reduce environmental impact.
Production of environmentally friendly lubricants and fuel economy lubricants.
My company has changed production of its core products to make isopropyl alcohol to help produce disinfectant toward use for the COVID-19 response.
Introduction of more biofriendly and premium products and handling techniques to extend lubricant life to reduce waste. Increased re-refining capabilities as well.
STLE-member companies are producing longer life fluids that reduce waste and environmental impact.
Development of bio-based lubricants that are cost-performance effective.
Companies put much greater emphasis on preventing oils from contaminating the environment than was done in the past. Recycling has really caught on, and even though it might cost more in labor to comply with recycling requirements than will ever be received for used lubricants, many companies have recycling programs. These companies range from small farms to large corporations with multiple factories.
Reduce usage and improve efficiencies, thereby reducing total cost of operation.
Knowledge sharing on a continuous basis with fellow industry members and thereby their approach to change their existing norms and, in turn, benefit the society for the mitigation of the negative image.
Green topics, sustainability work.
Increase component life and lower energy consumption by applying tribology knowledge.
Reduced pollution and emissions from operation manufacturer.
Best performance fluids for saving energy, eco-friendly products, biodegradable.
Q.2 If you had the funds to spend on any area, what research would you launch to make lubricants and other fluids more environmentally friendly? Which areas would you be most inclined to investigate?
Better energy efficiency and reduced lubricant consumption.
Finding ways to make vegetable base oils both more robust and with a greater useful viscosity range. Both improved additives and genetic modification of the source plants are important.
Research on decreasing the friction of environmentally friendly fluids. Without an incentive of less friction, the OEMs will not go for environmentally friendly lubricants.
We are planning R&D projects now. It is the benefits and limitations of the products in the specific applications that must be confirmed. This is tedious and costly, so tackling larger volume applications is the place to start.
Formulating lubricants that last longer and provide longer equipment life and reduced energy requirements. Result is reducing the amount of base fluids and lubricant required to be manufactured, reduced disposal and less use of fossil fuels.
More emphasis on friction reduction of finished products (base oil and additive technology), lower viscosities, more multigrade products, improved OEM filtration to help keep oil in use clean.
Realistically, functional lubricants might never be environmentally friendly.
I do not think enough has been done to investigate the safety of nanoparticles before incorporating this technology across a broad spectrum of products. We are now aware of all the small plastic particulate contamination in our oceans and still do not know the possible bio-accumulation consequences of nanoparticles that need further investigation.
A holistic sustainability approach. I believe we could do much more in the way of good examples of recycled and recyclable products. It has a tremendous communications impact, and by showing off our skills in cradle-to-cradle thinking and by correctly utilizing LCA and other modern methods, we can position the industry to be a future-proof part of the solution and not be forever tied to the sinking ship of fossil fuel burning.
Work on developing biodegradable materials that improve lubricant properties.
Improvements in functional additives for EALs. Achieving performance parity/improvement versus non-EALs in a greater number of systems is crucial to further growth in this area.
Energy efficiency.
I would tend to focus on the generation of products from renewable sources that duplicate as much as possible the chemistry of petroleum-derived products while keeping costs competitive. In addition, liquid oleochemicals with improved oxidation/polymerization resistance continue to be attractive.
Biodegradable base oil with high hydrolysis stability and oxidation resistance.
New technologies that reduce waste and emissions, enhance fuel efficiency and improve equipment/fleet durability that translates to longer uptimes and saving time, resources and money for industries and fleet owners.
Construction, mining and marine lubricants that are environmentally friendly.
Crankcase engine oils make up the largest portion of lubricants, and typically they have the shortest drain interval of most lubricants. A mandate to utilize 60%- 70% re-refined used oil blended with a synthetic component to make crankcase engine oils would result in a more environmentally friendly solution to our used oil dilemma. Marine lubricants also could be added to this mandate.
To what extent do you think human activity contributes to long-term climate change on Earth?
None
4%
Less than 25%
20%
25%-50%
16%
51%-75%
20%
More than 75%
40%
Based on responses sent to 15,000 TLT readers.
Green lubrication. Biodegradability. Clean production and exploitation. Information and training on the domain and the field.
Seals, particularly in forestry, mining and marine applications. The less lubricant that leaks out, the better.
Seasonal variability in biofeedstocks and how to either flatten or predict it better.
Vegetable oil-based products.
Responsible used lubricant management and recovery, as well as the possibility of filled-for-life equipment, components and products.
Natural products as replacement additives.
The rheology behavior of grease in relation to friction and fluid film creation.
Cost-effective recycling.
Research in developing higher performance of vegetable oil to use as lubricating oil by focusing product use in marine and underground mining applications.