Synthetic lubricants - the energy efficient solution?
March 1st 2006

Each year, when companies look to reduce maintenance costs, very few will investigate the savings available through introducing synthetic lubricants

All process industries, that convert raw materials into useable goods, require a huge amount of electricity to power machinery and equipment. For any machine to move, energy has to be provided to overcome friction. Minimising the amount of energy lost to friction increases the machine's efficiency.

Lubricants are designed to do this, but some lubricants perform this task better than others.

As energy prices continue to rise, energy costs are becoming a greater and more immediate concern to every company's profitability. Synthetic oils are already proven to have technical performance properties that surpass those of conventional lubricants, and we all use them daily in our car engines for improved performance and efficiency, but industry is yet to wake up to and fully realise the energy savings available through improvements in lubricant quality.

Lubricant costs, in comparison to energy costs, are minimal. However, justification for increased expenditure on lubricants can be difficult as the two items are often viewed differently; lubricants as a maintenance cost and energy as an operating cost. Some forward thinking companies though are now starting to appreciate the intrinsic link between the two and, by introducing lubricants with a synthetic base, are starting to affect operating costs in a beneficial manner.

A recent study by Fuchs Lubricants (UK) at a leading food manufacturer highlighted the savings that synthetic oils can offer.

Energy consumption was reduced by more than 5% in hydraulic systems and bearings, > 5% in spur gears and > 30% in worm gears. Trials of new synthetic compressor lubricants, on a single 100HP rotary compressor, operating on full load over three shifts, resulted in savings equivalent to £1000 per year.

On hearing these figures, the question commonly asked by manufacturers is: "How can you prove that synthetic lubricants will reduce my power consumption?"

To measure the energy efficiency of lubricants, Fuchs suggests that all projects start purely on a trial basis. Suitable items of plant should be selected, power consumption measured and working parameters established in terms of loads, speeds and temperatures.

Prior to any change, it is also necessary to check the condition of the plant using vibration and oil analysis tools, such as the Fuchs Condition Monitoring System - CENT.

Once parameters are determined, a suitable schedule for oil changes needs to be agreed, either regular maintenance periods or intervals recommended by the monitoring system. Following the oil change, measurements on power consumption and working temperatures can again be taken and savings calculated. Fuchs also recommends extending oil change periods for the synthetic oil, in order to maximise the oil life and prevent unnecessary maintenance.

As efficiency increases, machinery will generate more output from a given amount of energy, or create a derived output from less energy. Either way, the relationship between your energy bills and production improves.

There is no exact figure that can be predicted for the total cost savings available to manufacturers by changing to energy efficient lubricants. Each company's unique circumstances will determine their return.

This can make it difficult to immediately justify the higher cost of the oil, because maintenance savings cannot be shown prior to purchasing it. Measuring energy savings, using methods such as those described above, provides a more immediate and definitive means of justifying the use of such performance-formulated lubricants.

However the advantages of using synthetic lubricants are so great that they out weigh the initial high cost of investing in them. Energy savings, resulting from improved lubrication, creates the opportunity to reduce maintenance costs and increase equipment reliability and profitability. Even a small percentage of reduction in energy consumption can translate into large returns and can typically pay for the plant's total lubricant expense within a few months.

The total cost benefit of using synthetics should not just include reduced utility bills.

Other factors, such as lubricant usage, maintenance periods, waste levels and manpower must also be included in the equation.

And synthetic oils not only provide improved efficiency but also offer other benefits, including reduced deposits and cleaner machinery, improved equipment life from advanced corrosion protection and longer oil life from high temperature stability. Synthetic oils can be used for long drain intervals because they resist thermal and oxidative breakdown better at higher temperatures, which preserves the lubricating basestock and prolongs additive life. Synthetics have been found to have an increased life expectancy of up to 10 times and the switch to synthetics is usually a simple matter of draining the existing fluid and installing the new one.

A guide, entitled 'Energy Saving Lubricants for Process Industries,' is available from Fuchs. To obtain your free copy use the enquiry bar below:

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