Petroleum Technology 19-03-2021

Lubricating Oil
• Also termed as lube oil or lubricants, distillation fraction which has average volatility
less than gas oil

• Types: Mineral oil based lubricants, Synthetic lubricants

• Lubricants amount only to 2-4% of total crude processed. Most of naphthenic crudes
are better for lube oil extraction. Bottom residue from atmospheric distillation is
suitable as feedstock for it.

• Basic functions: To reduce friction and wear, remove heat, prevent corrosion

• Requirements: Proper viscosity and fluidity, good thermal and oxidation stability.

• Particulate matter, moisture, acidic combustion products enter in use of it.

• Blend of lubricating oil base stock and desired additives, ranging in heavy duty to
light duty (as per applications)

Types of lube oil base stocks

• Low viscosity index (LVI) lube oil: VI < 30, rich in aromatics, used where VI and
oxidation stability are not critical.
• Medium viscosity index (MVI) lube oil: 30 ≤ VI ≤ 85, rich in aromatics and
paraffins, used where LVI are at disadvantage.
• High viscosity index (HVI) lube oil: VI > 85, rich in paraffins, used where good
oxidation stability and high VI are needed.

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Petroleum Technology 19-03-2021

Important characters and tests for lube oils

• Viscosity
• Viscosity index
• Pour point
• Flash point
• Oxidation stability
• Carbon residue, etc.

Viscosity Index (VI)

• Most widely used way of characterizing the effect of change of temperature on
viscosity of an oil

• An oil whose viscosity changes rapidly with change in temperature has low VI.

• The VI of an oil can be calculated from equation:

VI = [(L−U)/(L−H)]*100
where, U: kinematic viscosity of oil at 40°C
L: kinematic viscosity of Texas coastal oils at 40°C
H: kinematic viscosity of Pennsylvanian (paraffinic) oils at 40°C

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Carbon Residue
• Defined as amount of carbon residue left over evaporation and pyrolysis of an oil
and is intended to provide some indication of relative coke forming tendency

Conradson method
• Used to determine carbon residue of petroleum products
• A weighed quantity of sample is placed in crucible and subjected to destructive
distillation.
• The residue undergo cracking and cocking reactions during fixed period of severe
heating.
• At the end of specified heating period, the crucible containing the carbonaceous
residue is cooled in desiccator and weighed. The residue remaining is calculated as
conradson carbon residue.

Petroleum Waxes
• Consists of normal & iso-paraffins and alkylated naphthenes of C18-C70

• Classification: Paraffin wax, Microcrystalline wax and Petroleum

• Recovery of these waxes from a crude depends on presence of wax in crude, nature
of crude, quantity & distribution of wax content in crude.

• Indian crudes are mostly suitable for paraffin and microcrystalline waxes.

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Paraffin Waxes
• Produced from waxy distillate of paraffin-base or mixed-base crudes of high pour
point
• Consist mainly normal and slightly branched paraffins, pronounced crystalline
structure
• Requirements: melting point = 45-75°C, max ash = 0.03 wt%
• Uses: foodstuff packaging industry and cosmetic preparation, candle manufacturing,
coating of paper for general packaging, polishes, water proofing formulations,
processing rubber goods, impregnation of match sticks, textile, pencil industries

Microcrystalline Wax
• Manufactured from distillation residue of paraffin-base or mixed-base crudes, waxy
sludge deposited in their storage tanks

• Consist considerable quantity of branched-chained hydrocarbons

• Requirements: melting point = 74-88°C, flash point = 274-288°C
• Uses: Lamination, sealing compounds, petroleum jellies, rust preventives,
cosmetics, polishes, carbon paper, printing ink, paper coating and electrical
insulation, etc.

Petroleum
• Popularly known Petroleum jelly (e.g. Vaseline)
• Consist certain types of microcrystalline wax and oil
• Can be produced from certain heavy distillate or residue

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Important characters and tests for wax

• Melting point
• Ash
• Oil content (Max. 3.5 wt% in paraffin wax and about 4 wt% in micro-crystalline wax)
• Colour
• Odour
• Viscosity
• Flash point

Melting and setting point of wax

• Cooling curve method is used to determine setting point of waxes.

• Molten wax is allowed to cool in a specified apparatus and temperature is recorded

for frequent intervals.

• The point at which the temperature remains with in range of 0.1°C for one minute is
taken as setting point.

• These are considered to be suitable for checking the quality of wax output in
refineries.

• M.P. of Paraffin wax = 45-75°C, Microcrystalline wax = 74-88°C

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Ash
• Ash can result from oil, water soluble metallic compounds, or extraneous solids, such
as dirt or rust.

• A known amount of sample is ignited and carbonaceous residue left is heated to

800°C in muffle furnace, cooled and weighed as ash.

• A knowledge of the amount of product's ash forming material can provide

information on weather the product is suitable for use in given application.

• Max wt% of ash in paraffin wax = 0.03 %

Gas chromatography of petroleum gases and liquids

• A measured volume of gas sample is introduced into a chromatographic column and

transported through the column.

• The sample is split into various components, either by adsorption or partition,

depending on column packing.

• The composition of the sample is determined from the chromatograms by measuring

area under the peaks.

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