Ship operators will need thermally resilient, low-ash formulations and high cleaning performance from cylinder oils as they begin to use more advanced engines and new fuels, according to a new white paper published by Chevron Marine Lubricants.
The report, 'The Future of Marine Two-Stroke Engine Lubrication', features input from engine designers, MAN Energy Solutions and WinGD as well as the International Council on Combustion Engines, CIMAC. The result is a wide-ranging perspective funnelling into sharp insights on how emerging engine designs and the growing use of sustainable fuels will affect cylinder condition.
One finding in the paper is that, while fuels are dominating discussion in the maritime market, advancing engine efficiency will play an equally important role in defining marine cylinder oil performance demands. The higher pressures and temperatures used to achieve greater engine efficiency mean that lubricants will be needed that are more resistant to these challenging in-cylinder environments.
The increasing use of exhaust gas aftertreatment systems – as well as potential future engine designs to use new fuels - will accelerate demand for low-ash oils. Aftertreatments will increasingly be used to reduce air pollutants like sulphur and nitrogen oxides (and perhaps eventually capture carbon) in line with regulatory requirements. Post-combustion systems can be sensitive to ash deposits and new oil formulations will be needed to minimise this impact.