Success Story
Supporting Mobility Transition - Alternative energy carriers in tribology
The impact of alternative energy carriers on lubricant performance
Fuels with zero-carbon emissions are considered a complementary technology to e-mobility. Such fuels are necessary as bridge technology but especially for applications where electrical drives cannot be implemented such as in aviation, marine transport, and off-road vehicles. While alternative fuels are still carbon-based fuels from alternative sources, hydrogen and ammonia are carbon-free fuels.
Alternative fuels as well as hydrogen and ammonia will interact with lubricants and components in combustion engines. However, the resulting friction and wear behavior in the long term is not known in detail. To provide this knowledge to manufacturers of fuels, lubricants and machine components, different techniques have been combined in an efficient process comprising artificial ageing and mass spectrometry to assess lubricants in contact with alternative energy carriers and their influence on fuel efficiency and lifetime.
The impact of alternative fuels on engine components
The fuel performance evaluation toolbox (F-PET) was designed to determinate the friction and wear behavior of alternative fuels. It utilizes a turbo-charged friction single-cylinder (FRISC) engine together with analytical techniques and tribometry. Gas chromatography (GC) provided insight into the accumulation of fuel components in the lubricant, and accordingly how fuel dilution affects viscosity. High-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) revealed additive depletion and degradation products on the molecular level. Based on this, comprehensive effects of alternative fuel blends on engine operation can be observed, which supports prescreening and optimization of fuel and lubricant composition in terms of friction and wear.
Ammonia as future zero-emission fuel
The application of ammonia in large marine diesel engines challenges stability of engine oil and engine components. A novel methodology therefore evaluates these interactions making use of artificial oil ageing as cornerstone. Subsequent performance tests focusing on corrosion inhibition capability, deposit formation, and tribological behaviour. These critical oil characteristics are severely impacted by ammonia attributed to less surface film formation in the tribocontact under ammonia atmosphere, which requires antiwear additive selection strategies specifically adapted to the use of ammonia.
Impact and effects
Based on comprehensive Lab-to-Field approaches, effects of carbon-free or alternative fuel blends on lubricants and tribological performance are investigated in a time-, cost- and resource-efficient manner for the benefit of industrial partners. The methodology presented leads to behavioral models, which support continuous improvement of lubricants and internal combustion engines.
Projectcoordination (Story)
Dr. Marcella Frauscher
Research Area Leader
AC2T research GmbH
This success story was provided by AC2T research GmbH and by the mentioned project partners for the purpose of being published on the FFG website. InTribology2 is a COMET Centre within COMET – Competence Centers of Excellent Technologies Programme and funded by BMIMI and BMWET and the federal states of Niederösterreich and Vorarlberg. The COMET Programme is managed by FFG. Further information on COMET: www.ffg.at/comet
