U.S. patent number 3,749,247 [Application Number 05/073,789] was granted by the patent office on 1973-07-31 for addition of oxidation inhibitor to lubricating oil.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Phillips Petroleum Company. Invention is credited to Raymond Rohde.
United States Patent |
3,749,247 |
Rohde |
July 31, 1973 |
ADDITION OF OXIDATION INHIBITOR TO LUBRICATING OIL
Abstract
Addition of oxidation inhibitor (antioxidant) or other additive
to lubricating oil as in a working engine is effected by placing
into the oil a container, e.g., a polyolefin container or capsule,
for example, a polypropylene capsule containing said additive which
permeates through the container wall into the oil gradually. A
polypropylene capsule containing zinc dialkyldithiophosphate is
described. Other container materials and other polyolefin, e.g.,
polyethylene and copolymers of monoolefins such as
ethylene-propylene copolymers can be used. The container or capsule
is found to release increasing quantities of additive as the oil
temperature surrounding the same increases, with container rupture
at extreme operating conditions of temperature to release remaining
additives to further protect the oil under such conditions.
Inventors: |
Rohde; Raymond (Bartlesville,
OK) |
Assignee: |
Phillips Petroleum Company
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
22115809 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/073,789 |
Filed: |
September 21, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
210/205;
210/502.1; 210/501 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C10M
177/00 (20130101); C10M 175/0091 (20130101); B01D
37/025 (20130101); F01M 2001/1014 (20130101); Y10T
428/2991 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
C10M
177/00 (20060101); B01D 37/02 (20060101); B01D
37/00 (20060101); C10M 175/00 (20060101); B01d
027/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;210/149,198,205,206,501,502 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Adee; John
Claims
I claim:
1. An oil filter for an oil-lubricated combustion engine in which
an oil is circulated comprising a filter vessel body, containing a
filter element shaped to provide voids within said vessel, and at
least one container in at least one of said voids said container
made of a polymer which is oil permeable at an elevated temperature
of the order of that reached by an engine oil when it is operating
in an engine and containing an oil additive and being permeable to
said additive when said container is immersed in oil to be
protected and is at the operating temperature of the oil to be
protected at that temperature.
Description
ADDITION OF OXIDATION INHIBITOR TO LUBRICATING OIL
This invention relates to the addition of oxidation inhibitor
(antioxidant) or other additive to a lubricating oil as in a
working engine. It also relates to protection of an oil as in a
working engine at elevated temperature against oxidation or other
deterioration. Further, the invention relates to gradually adding
or dosing an inhibitor into a substance such as an oil under
elevated temperature conditions as can prevail in a working
engine.
According to a concept of the invention, it provides a container
containing an additive to be added to an oil, the container walls
being of a material selected to permit the additive to permeate
therethrough into the oil to which the inhibitor is to be added. In
another of its concepts, the invention provides such a container
the walls of which are responsive to increase in temperature to
permit increased permeation therethrough of an oil additive.
It has been found that at elevated crankcase temperatures,
particularly in cases of severe high temperature engine operation
such as in the high speed towing of house or boat trailers, an oil
thicknening problem, even to the extent of oil gelling, arises. It
has been found that after a number of hours of severe engine
operation even with a high quality detergent type oil, the oil
viscosity begins to increase rather rapidly. It has further been
found that this extreme rate of viscosity increase coincides with
depletion of oxidation inhibitor which, in turn, permits increased
oxidation of the oil. Indeed, in one severe test during which a
charge of oxidation inhibitor was added to the oil periodically, a
rapid increase in viscosity could be avoided.
I have now conceived that the periodic addition of additive can be
dispensed with if there is placed into the lubricating oil in the
engine a capsule container or "bottle" which, in effect, encloses a
predetermined or measured amount of an oxidation inhibitor, for
example, zinc dialkyldithiophosphate. It has occurred to me that
the capsule can be inserted into a standard oil filter, where it
will be washed by the oil passing through the same. Still further,
a now preferred capsule or "bottle" is one made from a
polypropylene. Further, I have found the permeation of the zinc
dialkyldithiophosphate through the capsule varies with the
temperature of the oil passing through the filter with permeation
being greatest at highest temperatures and, therefore, when most
needed.
An object of this invention is to provide for addition of inhibitor
to lubricating oil. A further object of the invention is to provide
for the gradual addition of an oil additive such as an oxidation
inhibitor to an oil. Still further, it is an object of this
invention to provide in an operating engine the addition of an
inhibitor such as an oxidation inhibitor to the oil wherein which
oil is at an elevated temperature. It is a still further object of
the invention to provide for increased addition of inhibitor to oil
as the temperature of the oil increases. A further object still of
the invention is to provide for a sudden release of the inhibitor
into an oil when said oil reaches a temperature ordinarily
encountered under extremely severe operating conditions. A further
object still is to provide a container containing an oxidation
inhibitor or other oil additive, the container having the property
of gradually releasing inhibitor therefrom at elevated temperature.
Further still, an object of the invention is to provide for such a
container containing an additive which the container will release
in toto under extremely severe operating temperature.
Other aspects, concepts, objects and several advantages of the
invention are apparent from a study of this disclosure, the
drawings and the appended claims.
According to the present invention, an oil additive such as an
oxidation inhibitor is capsulated or bottled in a container, at
least a portion of the wall of which is made of a material which
permits oil to permeate therethrough at an elevated temperature,
for example, a temperature reached by oil in an engine under
operating conditions.
Further, according to the invention, there is provided a
polyolefin, e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene
copolymer, container containing an oil additive.
Still further, according to the invention, there is provided in an
operating engine a container containing an additive as herein
described.
Further, still according to the invention, there is provided an oil
filter and/or oil cooling mechanism containing a capsule containing
an inhibitor as herein described.
The shape, size, wall thickness, and other physical factors
affecting the desired degree or rate of permeation and, in the
extreme case, the rupture of the container can be determined by
mere routine testing under actual operation conditions of
temperature of the oil to be inhibited.
The nature of the plastic, polymer, or copolymer can also be varied
and can be determined by mere routine testing.
In a preferred embodiment, the shape and size of the plastic oil
additive container is such that it occupies a space extant in
present engine oil filters, such as those commonly in use on motor
vehicles. This will have the advantage of reducing the amount of
oil needed to fill the unit without significantly reducing its
ability to filter. This feature of the invention, namely the
combination the filter element and the plastic oil additive
container, is particularly advantageous when using heavy duty or
high detergency oils where the filter functions mainly to arrest
the solids which are not carried by the oil.
Generally speaking, the choice of polymer, the wall thickness of
the polymeric container, the size and location of the container,
the amount and concentration of the oil additive within the
container, and other such variables will be such as to provide
little or no permeation at engine oil temperatures up to about
200.degree.F., moderate permeation at 200.degree.-250.degree.F.,
substantial permeation at 250.degree.-300.degree.F., and still
greater permeation and/or rupture of the walls of the container at
300.degree.-325.degree.F. Such a schedule is particularly
applicable for oil additives, such as antioxidants, for which there
is a greater need as crankcase temperatures increase.
The wall thickness of the plastic container, depending upon the
specific application and result desired, will generally be in the
range of 5-50, preferably 20-35, mils. In a typical oil filter, the
plastic container can be in the general form of a relatively long
narrow tube of a size and shape to conveniently fit into the
generally triangular voids which exist between the pleats or folds
on the inlet side of a typical filter element. One or more such
containers can be used in one or more of such spaces. As an
example, the plastic container can be a tube about 1-4 inches long
and 1/4-1 inch in diameter.
The plastic container of oil additive can be utilized in still
other locations within the crankcase or within the oil circulation
line separate from the oil filter. Any location at which the
plastic container can be contacted with at least a portion of the
lubricating oil at a temperature which is representative of the
temperature of the bulk of the lubricating oil. In such a location,
the plastic containers can be replaced at suitable intervals.
The process of the invention is applicable for use in engine oil
lubricating systems using any suitable lubricating oil compositions
and any suitable viscosity grades such as the conventional SAE 10
to SAE 50 grades.
In addition to antioxidants, such as zinc dialkyldithiophosphates,
other polyolefin-permeable oil additives can also be used.
Preferably, to insure compatibility, the oil additives in the
plastic container should be the same or similar to those already in
the oil. However, a number of additives including the zinc
dialkyldithiophosphates, have essentially universal compatibility
and utility in all lubricating oil formulations.
The permeable oil additives can be present in the plastic container
either diluted or undiluted with a carrier oil. If the additive is
already in the liquid form it can be used in that state but
dilution with at least a minor quantity of a suitable hydrocarbon
liquid, preferably a lubricating oil, is preferred in order to
speed diffusion of the additive through the walls of the plastic
container. Any lubricating oil or lubricating oil fraction is
suitable as a diluent. The lighter lubricating oils will promote
permeation to a greater degree than heavier fractions. Thus,
diluents can be present in amounts in the range of 0-50 parts
diluent per part additive, by weight.
The polymers from which the plastic containers can be fabricated
can be any through which liquid oil additives or their solutions
can slowly diffuse and which do not melt or significantly soften at
temperatures below the operating temperature range of a given
lubricating oil in a crankcase. Generally speaking, hydrocarbon
polymers are operable and polymers and copolymers of 1-olefins are
very satisfactory. Polystyrene can be permeated by suitable oil
additives but its relatively low melting point restricts its use to
relatively low temperature lubricating oil systems or to systems
where rupture of the oil additive container and a sudden release of
additive is desired at an intermediate temperature. Polyethylene is
in this same general class in that it is permeable but relatively
low melting. The preferred hydrocarbon polymers are polypropylene
and copolymers of propylene with minor amounts of 1-olefin
comonomers having up to about eight carbon atoms per molecule.
The amount of oil additive within the plastic container can vary
over a wide range and will depend upon the nature of the additive
and the amount of oil in the lubricating oil reservoir. Frequently,
the amount of supplemental additive, such as an antioxidant, in the
plastic container will be in the range of from about 0.5 to about 5
times the amount of the same additive present in the oil at the
initial charging or formulating. As an example, a new lubricating
oil can contain about 0.74 weight per cent of a zinc
dialkyldithiophosphate additive or about 0.068 lb. of the additive
per gallon. Hence, a typical amount of the zinc additive in the
plastic container can be about 0.068 lb. for each gallon of oil in
the crankcase.
In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a correlation of weight per cent
additive v. hours of run showing the effect of temperature upon the
permeation of additive through walls of a container according to
the invention. FIG. 2 shows the effect of concentrations and
amounts of additive on permeation rate. FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic
showing of the flow of oil from an engine to a container of
additive and back again to the engine. FIGS. 4 and 5 are elevation
and plan cross-sectional views of a filter vessel containing a
container according to the invention.
Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawing, 1 is an engine from which
oil passes by 3 to vessel 5 wherein is contained a container of
additive according to the invention. The oil at operating
temperature causes additive to be released. The additive is picked
up by the oil and is returned therewith by 7 to engine 1.
Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, 9 is the shell of an oil filter
material containing vessel termed hereinafter "oil filter". Oil
entering at 3 passes downwardly into the oil filter and emanates
therefrom by 7. In passing through the oil filter, the oil must
pass through the folds of filter element 11. According to the
invention, there are disposed as shown at 13 containers of additive
according to the invention. The oil passing through the filter
raises the temperature of container 13 to operating temperature and
receives from 13 the desired amount of additive. Obviously, at
different times, different portions of oil will be passing in
contact with containers 13. In any event, the additive which is
soluble in the oil will be distributed throughout the entire body
of the oil as it moves about being pumped through various parts of
engine and, of course, through the oil filter.
EXAMPLE 1
The permeation of an oil solution of a commonly used oil
antioxidant additive through the walls of a propylene-ethylene
copolymer container, which was submerged in a lubricating oil, was
carried out at several different temperatures. The antioxidant
additive was a commercial zinc dialkyldithiophosphate, hereinafter
referred to simply as L-1395. This commercially available (Lubrizol
Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio) additive contains a mixture of
isobutyl and amyl alkyl groups, has a specific gravity of about
1.18, and typically contains about 9.5 per cent P, 20.0 per cent S,
and 10.6 per cent Zn, by weight. The commercial material also
normally contains a minor amount of diluent or carrier oil. For
simplicity, the presence of this carrier oil was neglected in the
computations which follow.
The polymeric container through which the oil additive was
permeated was a 1-ounce capacity bottle of a commercial
propylene-ethylene copolymer resin (Nalgene, Catalog No. 2006,
Nalge Company, Rochester, N.Y.). The predominantly propylene
polymer contained from about 2 to about 5 weight per cent ethylene
and had a melting point of about 327.degree.F. The bottle fashioned
from this resin had an average wall thickness of about 30 mils.
Into each plastic bottle was placed 1 g of L-1395 and 9 g of a
10-stock lubricating oil. The 10-stock lubricating oil was a
lubricating fraction of a highly refined mid-continent crude oil
having a viscosity suitable for formulation into an SAE 10 grade
motor oil. Its viscosity was about 100 SUS at 100.degree.F. The
bottles were then capped and submerged in a beaker containing 150 g
of 10-stock oil. The bottles were submerged in the oil either by
the weight of a steel ball placed inside the bottle or by fastening
the cap of the bottle to the beaker cover.
Using duplicate samples, the beakers containing the oil and the
plastic bottles with the oil additive contained therein, were
stored at different temperatures. Periodically, the oil in the
beaker, but outside the plastic container, was analyzed for the
additive content. Results of these tests are shown in Table 1.
##SPC1##
In the Table 1, it is seen that in the runs carried out at
75.degree.F. there was no diffusion of the oil additive from its
plastic container into the bulk of the oil. Thus, at a temperature
which is below the normal operating temperature of an engine, there
would be no movement of the additive from its container.
In runs at 200.degree.F., 250.degree.F., and 295.degree.F., on the
other hand, the data indicate that there was substantial diffusion
of the additive into the bulk of the oil and the rate of diffusion
increased with the temperature. Thus, the movement of additive out
of its container and into the bulk of the oil would be directly
proportional with the severity of operation and, hence,
proportional with the need.
EXAMPLE 2
Several additional runs were carried out in essentially the same
manner as described in Example 1 to show the effect of increasing
the concentration of the oil additive in the plastic bottle and the
effect of increasing the quantity of the oil additive in the
plastic bottle. These results are shown in Table 2. ##SPC2##
The data in Table 2 shows that the amount of oil additive, such as
the L-1395, which permeates through the wall of a given container
can be increased by either increasing the concentration of the
additive inside the container or by increasing the amount of
additive inside the container, or both. This demonstrates the
effectiveness of still another variable which can be utilized to
control the addition rate of a given additive into a body of
lubricating oil according to the process of this invention.
The L-1395 additive, in its liquid but relatively undiluted
commercial form, was also found to permeate satisfactorily but at a
somewhat slower rate.
EXAMPLE 3
The diffusion of the L-1395 oil additive through a container
fashioned from a propylene homopolymer was demonstrated. The
container was a 250 ml capacity bottle also having a wall thickness
of about 30 mils, and prepared from a homopolymer of propylene
having a melting point of about 340.degree.F.
Runs at 250.degree.F. and 295.degree.F. were carried out. Into the
bottle of each run was placed 60 grams of a 10 weight per cent
solution of L-1395 in 10-stock oil. The bottle was then submerged
by means of a steel ball within the bottle in another vessel
containing 900 grams of the 10-stock oil. The vessels were then
placed in storage at different temperatures and periodically the
oil outside the plastic bottle was analyzed for L-1395 contact. The
results of these tests are shown in Table 3.
TABLE 3
Permeation of L-1395 Through Propylene Homopolymer Bottle into
Engine Oil
Run at 250.degree.F. Run at 295.degree.F. Permeated.sup.a
Permeated.sup.a Hours Additive,% Hurs Additive,% 0 0 0 0 24 0.095
3.5 0.075 48 0.190 9 0.195 72 0.275 15 Ruptured 98 0.375 (a) In
terms of concentration of additive found in the oil outside the
plastic container. Maximum concentration would be about 0.6 weight
per cent.
The data in Table 3 shows that the container of propylene
homopolymer is also satisfactory for oil additive diffusion
according to the process of the present invention and it also shows
that larger containers are as effective as small containers for
this use. The run at the relatively extreme temperature of
295.degree.F. also illustrates the feature of the invention in
which a sudden release of an oil additive, such as an antioxidant,
can be effected by the rupture of a plastic container. The rupture
which occurred after about 15 hours at 295.degree.F. in this
particular system undoubtedly hastened to some degree by the
presence of the steel balls which exerted some stress upon the
walls of the somewhat soft container. However, the rupture
temperature can also be satisfactorily controlled by the choice of
polymer or copolymer of a different softening or melting
temperature.
EXAMPLE 4
The satisfactory diffusion of still other commonly used oil
additives through the wall of a plastic container according to the
process of this invention was also demonstrated. In one run, a
commercial sulfonate oil additive A (Bryton-T Sulfonate, a sodium
sulfonate) was tested in the manner of Example 1 and using the
copolymer bottle of Example 1. Twenty grams of a 40 weight per cent
solution of the oil additive A in 10-stock oil was placed in the
bottle.
Similarly, oil additive B (Paranox-64, a mixture of barium phenate
and calcium sulfonate) was tested in the same propylene-ethylene
copolymer bottle and in the same manner.
Still another commonly used oil additive, an ashless dispersant
(Lubrizol 934) was also demonstrated as being suitable for use in
the present invention. This additive is believed to be a mixture of
10 per cent of a material which is a mixture of a polyisobutenyl
succinimide and succinamide derived from polybutenyl succinic
anhydride and alkenyl polyamines, and 90 per cent of a
polyisobutenyl succinic ester. The polyisobutenyl groups are
derived from a polyisobutylene having a molecular weight in the
range of 700-1500 (average of 1,000).
A 10 g quantity of a 40 weight per cent solution of oil additive C
in 10-stock oil was charged into the 1-ounce copolymer bottle and
also submerged at 250.degree.F. in a beaker containing 100 g of
10-stock oil.
The results of these tests are shown in Table 4. ##SPC3##
The data in Table 4 shows that three other commonly used additives
are also operable according to the present invention. It is seen
that not all additives diffuse through a given polymer container at
the same rate. However, not all oil additives are required in the
same amounts within a given motor oil formulation and, with the
number of variables available to control the release of each
additive at the desired rate, it can be possible to replenish, on a
continuous basis, each individual oil additive as it is consumed
and while the engine is in operation.
In the drawing, FIG. 1 shows the effect of temperature upon the
permeation of the zinc dialkyldithiophosphate through the walls of
the polypropylene container and the ethylene-propylene copolymer
container. The curves are graphical representations of the data in
Tables 1 and 3. Curve 4 shows that essentially no permeation is
observed at 75.degree.F. Curve 5 shows increased permeation through
the copolymer at 200.degree.F. Curves 6A and 6C show still more
permeation through the copolymer at 250.degree.F. Curve 6B shows
the relatively high rate of permeation at 250.degree.F. through the
propylene homopolymer container as well. Curve 7 shows the still
more rapid rate of permeation through the homopolymer at
295.degree.F.
In FIG. 2 of the drawing, the effect of various concentrations and
amounts of the zinc additive in the copolymer containers on the
permeation rate is shown. The curves are the graphical
representations of data in Tables 1 and 2. Curves 1A and 1B show
the permeation rate of 10 g of a 50 weight per cent solution of the
zinc additive. Curves 2A and 2B show the permeation rate of 20 g of
a 10 weight per cent solution, while curves 3A and 3B show the
permeation rate of 10 g of a 10 weight per cent solution.
Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope
of the foregoing disclosure and the appended claims, the essence of
which is that an additive is added to an oil, for example, an
engine oil, during operation by encapsulating or enclosing the
additive into a container capsule or "bottle" and permitting the
container, capsule, or "bottle" to be washed by the oil at its
operating temperature, thus, obtaining by permeation from within
the container the additive into the oil desired to be
protected.
* * * * *