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COMMERCIAL VEHICLES,
LUBRICANT TRENDS.
The journey from API CF to
CH-4
Step change in quality for heavy-duty lubricants in the Middle
East
The Middle East is getting ready to implement a significant quality upgrade for
heavy-duty diesel lubricants. Infineum Senior Technologist, Ahmad Zareh,
looks at the challenges and opportunities this represents for lubricant
marketers in the region.
The current picture for heavy-duty diesel (HDD) lubricant quality and compliance across
the Middle East is fairly complex. In 2007, API CH-4 was specified as the minimum
performance level for domestic use in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a political and
economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries - The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA),
Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, However, there is a wide
Page 1 of 6variation in the extent to which API CH-4 is being implemented as a minimum quality level.
It looks likely that the most stringent enforcement will be in the GCC. In KSA, the largest
GCC market, API CH-4 is expected to become mandatory in 2017. Here, the current HDD
lubricant market is dominated by monogrades, and AP! CF quality levels stil hold more
than a 50% market share.
Comparing the two categories
The API CF and CH-4 performance categories were designed to meet specific, and quite
different, requirements. API CF was introduced for the service typical of indirect injection
diesel engines, mostly used in off-road applications such as mining and construction.
These engines use a broad range of fuel types, including fuel with higher sulphur levels.
The basic performance criteria for these oils were piston deposit, wear and bearing
corrosion control.
The API CH-4 oil category was introduced for use in high speed four-stroke diesel
engines meeting 1998 exhaust emission limits, using fuel with sulphur levels of up to 0.5%.
These oils offer several additional performance attributes compared to API CF, including:
* Oxidation control
* Dispersancy
* Soot handling
* Cylinder and valve train wear protection
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Page 2of6API CH-4 keeps engines cleaner
The use of oils with poor oxidation control and inadequate dispersancy can lead to the
formation of deposits in the engine. Deposits can block oil feed pipes, starving the engine
of lubricant, which results in a rapid increase in wear, particularly of the valve train.
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Impact of aispersancy and oxidation control on engine cleaniiness
Two of the main performance attributes of API CH-4 oil compared to API CF are better
oxidation contro! oil and improved dispersancy, which means AP! CH-4 oils keep the
engine cleaner.
Oil marketers need to make significant performance
upgrades when moving from API CF to API CH-4.
To claim API CH-4 performance category all the engine and bench tests required by the
specification must be run and passed, testing must comply with the requirements of API's
Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System (EOLCS, API 1509). To change viscosity
grade or base oil, API Viscosity Grade Read Across (VGRA) and Base Oil Interchange
(BOl) Guidelines must be followed.
Monograde or multigrade?
HDD OEMs are looking for better engine protection while, at the same time, extending oil
drain intervals to cut cost of ownership. This combined with the fact that oils do not need
to be changed due to seasonal and ambient conditions, means many OEMs no longer
approve monograde oils.
Additionally, oil and additive companies are generally conducting API CH-4 engine test
programmes in multigrade oils. In most cases the data generated in muitigrade oils does
not read across to monogrades, which means additional engine tests are required to
qualify monograde formulations, adding significant cost to their development.
These trends mean that in the future, as the market shifts from API CF to higher quality
API CH-4, we can also expect most monogrades to migrate to SAE 15W-40, or lower,
viscosity grades.
Base stock options and key properties
Page 3 of 6API CH-4 oils can be formulated with Group I, II or Ill base stocks or any combination of
one or more base stock groups, depending on the oil viscosity grade. The most likely
base stock combination for API CH-4 are Group |, Group II or a combination of
Group I+I1, Group I+III or even Group II+II1.
However, irrespective of which base stock groups are used, the properties of the base oil
mix is key, and will have an impact on the performance of the finished lubricant —
particularly in terms of their saturates, sulphur content, viscosity index (VI) and volatility.
Impact of base oll properties on oil formulations
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Based on the classification of base stocks, Group I! and III base stocks generally have
higher saturates but lower sulphur and volatility compared to Group Is. Additionally Group
III offers higher VI.
Group II base oil offers optimum properties
API CH-4 oils can be formulated using various base stock groups and combinations.
Careful base stock selection is critical because, as mentioned above, it impacts the
performance of the finished lubricant.
By formulating with Group II base stocks only, higher saturates and lower sulphur levels
can be achieved compared to using a combination of Group | with 10% or 30% Group III
These levels of Group III are set respectively for ACEA and API BOI guidelines with
limited or no additional engine testing
To demonstrate the improved performance of Group II over Group | base stocks,
formulations were tested in the Sequence IIIG test.
Page 4 of 6Group II delivers improved performance in the Sequence IIIG test
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In the Sequence IIIG test, the Group II formulations performed much better in terms of
controlling viscosity increase due to oil oxidation, and with regards to protecting the cam
and lifter against wear. These performance differences relate to base oil saturates
content and to the higher VI of Group I! base stocks.
Group II-based oils also performed better than Group Is in the Daimler oxidation test - a
key test used for lubricant approvals in the Daimler oil specification. This improvement is
related to the properties of Group Il base stock.
Conclusion
Over the next few years there is expected to be a significant performance upgrade to
HDD lubricants in the Middle East, particularly within the GCC, as formulations move from
API CF to API CH-4. This will also drive a shift from monogrades to SAE 15W-40 and
other muitigrade oils, if the expensive and bespoke development required for monogrades
is to be avoided
The upgrade to API CH-4 opens the door for real
formulation flexibility in terms of base stock choice.
However, in tests carried out by Infineum, Group Il base stocks have been able to deliver
significant performance benefits compared to Group | and Group | + III combinations.
As quality levels rise, the potential to supply robust, long-drain lubricants for Middle East
HOD applications is an exciting opportunity. Lubricant marketers need to combine careful
base stock selection with advanced additive technologies to be confident that they can
continue to deliver the required level of hardware protection over extended drain intervals.
INSIGHT
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