Functions And Properties of Ship Engine Oil


Whether it is a ship or an automobile, engine oil has these five functions:
  • While the engine is the heart of a ship or a vehicle, it is the parts within the engine that have the biggest role to play in the smooth running of the ship. These parts, however, rub against each other, and the oil helps reduce the resultant fiction that arises when the engine works.
  • The oil is filled with properties that help dissipate the heat that is generated when the engine works. 
  • The oil also has properties that help the parts from corrosion and wear and tear. It also prevents rusting of different parts of the engine.
  • The oil also helps reduce noise and helps fill or seal gaps.

Properties of engine oil
  • The viscosity of the oil is an important parameter. It is the ability of the oil to flow. With a rise in temperature, the viscosity reduces. For crankcase, the lube oil should be between 130 – 240 Cst, and for the cylinder, it should be 12.5 – 22 Cst.
  • The viscosity index should be high. The index is a measure of the change in viscosity with rising and fall in temperature. When the oil viscosity index is high, there is minimal change in the viscosity with changing temperature. 
  • The pour point should be low. Pour point, as the name suggests, is the ability of the oil to flow, but since all oils have a certain temperature beyond which they will stop flowing, the pour point is a measure of this temperature. Lower the pour point, and better will be the flow of the oil at most temperatures.
  • Should be stable in the aspect of oxidative nature.
  • Should be leaving minimal or less carbon residue. For this, the oil consists of detergents that reduce the chances of carbon deposition.
  • The Total Acid Number (TAN) and the Total Base Number (TBN) should be appropriate so that the oil can neutralize the effect of alkaline and acidic by-products.
  • The Flashpoint is another important parameter for ship engine oil. It should be typically high so that the chances of it getting inflamed when stored is reduced. 


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Everything You Should Know About Marine Gear Oil

Know the Importance of Gulf Marine Lubricants