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Fuels & Lubes International Quarter Two 2016
mentioned, the insolubles produced
by the combustion of a gasoline
engine have poor thermal stability and
are made of polymerised hydrocar-
bons containing carbonyl and ester
functional groups. In a diesel engine
used oil, however, the insolubles con-
sist of mostly soot, which is carbona-
ceous and has higher thermal stability
than the insolubles in gasoline engine
used oil. Therefore, diesel engine
turbochargers show higher tolerance
of coking control, temperature wise.
“Clearly, these are very different
mechanisms,” Hirano said.
The study also looked at the impact
of MoDTC, a friction modifier that is
popular among Japanese car makers.
In the hot tube test, one of the oils
tested was formulated with higher
MoDTC content, yet it did not show
any difference in the coking start
temperature. The industry has been
concerned that MoDTC may cause
品质量下降,但不会形成不溶物。由于废油
与实验室氧化油品的结焦起始温度相差很
大,后者的结焦起始温度远高于200° C,因
此,丰田可以断定不溶物是结焦起始温度较
低的主要原因;新鲜油品没有表现出任何象
废油那样的温度敏感度和问题。
应该注意,丰田在研究结焦起始温度时,
同时测试了汽油和柴油。如前所述,因汽油
发动机燃烧而生成的不溶物具有较差的热
稳定性,这些不溶物为聚合的含有羰基和酯
功能团的烃。但是,在废柴油发动机油中,
不溶物主要是烟炱,是碳质的,较汽油中的
不溶物有更好的热稳定性。因此,从温度
角度看,柴油发动机表现出更好的结焦控
制。“很明显,这是两个不同的机制,”Hira-
no说。
研究中同时考察了MoDTC的影响,这是
一种日本汽车制造常用的摩擦改进剂。在热
管测试中,有一个油样含较高的MoDTC,
但其结焦起始温度没有任何不同。业内
担心MoDTC会引发增压器结焦,因为在
TEOST 33C测试中,它会增加积碳。但
Hirano的结论是使用MoDTC是安全的,
不用担心它会导致在增压器中形成积碳。
丰田的研究人员同时研究了探测增压器
结焦的筛选试验,如ASTM D6335,又称
TEOST 33C测试,它用于部分ILSAC发动
机油的规格中。如前所述,丰田研究人员发
现来自降质燃料油分子的不溶物是造成增
压器结焦现象的关键因素。TEOST 33C测
试中没有这个因素。因此,他们认为这个测
试并不是了个好的增压器结焦筛选试验。
有趣的是,他们使用RON 98的汽油,这
是一种高标号汽油,在日本,其芳烃含量较
高,可高达40%。芳烃含量会影响燃煤烧
过程中的副产品。Hirano在SAE F&L亚洲
指导委员会研讨会上发言后的讨论环节时
如是说。
“他们较其他烃更易形成不溶物。事实
上,在研究中使用了日本市场上的高档油,
我们提高了结焦可能性。从这个角度说,当
我们对这个现象进行技术评估时,燃料质量
非常重要,” Hirano说。
丰田的研究人员也研究了如何防止这个
问题。他们研究了两种不同的方法对增压
器进行冷却,并在不同位置读取温度。这些
工作发现,把一个空冷增压器的轴承温度
从215
o
C降低到160
o
C以下可以显著降低
结焦。事实上,在140
o
C左右,结焦几乎消
失。相反,热发动机未经冷却的发动机轴承
则布满了黑色的焦碳。
turbocharger coking because it has
been shown to increase deposits in
the TEOST 33C test. However, Hirano
concluded that it is safe to use MoDTC
without worrying that it could lead to
deposit formation in the turbocharger.
Toyota researchers also looked
at screening tests to detect turbo-
charger coking, such as ASTM D6335,
also known as the TEOST 33C test,
which has been used in some of the
ILSAC engine oil specifications. As
mentioned, Toyota researchers found
that the presence of insolubles from
degraded fuel molecules was the key
factor to reproduce the turbocharg-
er coking phenomenon. The TEOST
33C does not involve it, Hirano said.
Therefore, they do not think it is a
good engine oil-screening test for
turbocharger coking.
Interestingly, they used 98 RON
gasoline, which is a high octane fuel
and in Japan, contains an elevated
TEST RESULTWITH SIMULATED CONDITION OF
AIR-COOLED TURBOCHARGER CONDITION
Turbocharger shaft bearing
Oil slinger at exhaust turbine side
Photos courtesy of Toyota Motor Corp.