Enhanced Engine Lifetime by Use of Premium Fuel

20 July 2022 | 10:00 AM ET

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Webinar Description:

This study elaborated how wear formation during engine bench tests can be differentiated when engines were operated by fuels with different levels of friction modifier (FM) additives. For this purpose, wear behavior of conventional fuel, i.e., without FM, was compared to the anti-wear performance of premium fuels containing elevated levels of FM. To simulate the condition of a used engine oil after 25,000 km of operation, all engine bench tests were carried out with an artificially aged engine oil. To ensure the conformity of the artificially aged oil with the used oil, conventional oil parameters as well as the chemical composition by high-resolution mass spectrometry were assessed. Wear formed during the engine bench test was determined by detection of wear particle concentration in the oil. This was achieved by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spec- troscopy as well as by radio isotope concentration method via suitable activation of the piston rings. Findings of both analytical methods proved a significantly lower wear formation during engine bench tests carried out with premium fuel containing FM compared to tests with conventional fuel. Furthermore, oil aliquots sampled after engine bench tests were analyzed regarding chemical changes during operation. By mass spectrometry, a transfer of FM from the fuel into the engine oil could be detected by increasing FM concentration with proceeding engine operation time. Thus, it could be proven that the application of premium fuels may lead to enhanced engine lifetime.

In addition, it was possible to simulate the decreasing wear behavior of premium fuels in subsequent SRV® tribometer experiments. The ability of reproducing trends achieved in time- and cost- intensive engine bench tests in simple and short-term laboratory methods opens the opportunity to compare the performance of future fuel formulations in a significantly more efficient and economical manner.

Presenter: Marcella Frauscher, PhD. MSc., AC2T research GmbH

Marcella is working at AC2T research GmbH in the field of lubricants and interface mechanisms. Since 2017 she is a leader of the research area "Sustainable Lubrication." In 2019, she finished her PhD at TU Wien. Her research is focused on alternative fuels and lubricants, the identification of fuel and lubricant degradation mechanisms and their impact on performance and stability.