So, you have decided to sell industrial oil? Let’s assume that you already have found a storage facility for the product. One thing remains however, knowing what the consumer needs and how to provide that need.
Besides better terms of supply, lower price, and various discounts, the client is mostly interested in the quality of the product. Industrial oil quality in our case. The quality is a combination of many parameters and characteristics that must not fall below regulated specifications during storage, transportation and operation.
Let us look into the characteristics, which define the quality of industrial oil and are important for the client’s choice:
- Viscosity. This is the first thing to consider about oil. It is very important for the use of the majority of industrial oils. When friction parts are designed and calculated, the parameter taken into consideration is the dynamic viscosity of the oil. This is a regulated parameter of all oil made from crude base stock. Dynamic viscosity used be defined at between 50ºС/122ºF and 100ºС/212ºF. That has changed and now all measurements are made according to ISO 3448-75 (instead of measuring viscosity at 50ºС/122ºF, the reference temperature is now 40ºС/104ºF). When choosing industrial oil, the buyer usually considers three critical viscosity values: optimal at working temperature, minimal at maximum working temperature and maximum at the lowest working temperature;
- Pour Point. This parameter is defined by testing a sample of the oil. The Pour Point is the lowest temperature that the oil will continue to flow. This temperature does not entirely indicate the dynamics of the oil in operating conditions at low temperatures. That is shown better by actual viscosity at a given temperature. To reduce the pour point of industrial oil, it is mixed with special additives. This parameter is meaningful to the buyer planning his storage operations, dispatch, and draining and for using the oil in low temperature environments;
- Flashpoint. This is the temperature at which the vapor of the oil can form a flammable mixture with the air. It defines the relative fire hazard of the oil and shows the presence of volatile fractions within it. It is measured in special open or closed type devices;
- Ash content. This parameter indicates the amount of non-organic contaminants left after burning a sample of the industrial oil. It is expressed in percentage of weight. If ash content of oil without additives is too high, it indicates insufficient purification. In most cases, ash content of industrial oil is from 0.002% to 0.4%;
- Content of particulate matter, solvents, water, water-soluble acids and bases. This indication is extremely important in controlling the oil quality after production as well as determination of its further usability. Mobile oil purification units for treatment and regeneration of oil can significantly increase the service life of the oil and improve reliability of machinery;
In practice, GlobeCore products are used for the purification and regeneration of industrial oil.
- Color. The color is a visual indication of the purity of industrial oil. It also allows the buyer to make a judgment on the oil’s origins. Keep in mind that some additives can make the oil darker. If the color of the oil changes during use however, this is an indirect indication of its oxidation and/or contamination;
- Acid number. Knowing this important neutralization number allows the buyer to determine the oil’s purity as well as the stability in use and in storage. Additives can increase the acidity of the oil, but can also increase the stability of oil for long term use and storage;
- Sulfur content. The amount of sulfur initially depends on the amount of sulfur in the crude base stock the oil was blended from and the degree of purification and refinement. After purification of industrial oils made from sour crude, sulfur remains in the oil in organic compounds and under normal conditions does not cause corrosion of metals. Sulfur may become aggressive in elevated temperatures. The content of sulfuric compounds is higher in oil with additives. This is due to the fact that additives containing sulfur are mixed with industrial oil to increase their lubrication qualities.