TY - JOUR
T1 - Deuterium Tracer for Accurate Online Lube-Oil-Consumption Measurement: Stability, Compatibility, and Tribological Characteristics
AU - Vareka, Martin
AU - Rossegger, Bernhard
AU - Novotny-Farkas, Franz
AU - Engelmayer, Michael
AU - Wimmer, Andreas
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors. Li-censee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2022/5/3
Y1 - 2022/5/3
N2 - Because of the impact of lubrication on the efficiency and the lifecycle cost and emissions, the lubricating-oil consumption (LOC) is one of the key indicators in the research and development of internal combustion engines. State-of-the-art methods for LOC measurement are based on the use of a certain tracer to track the oil consumption. However, all of the currently available tracers have their downsides (e.g., the use of a radioactive tracer, corrosive emissions, etc.). Therefore, in the course of this research project, a new tracer substance that is based on a stable nonradioactive isotope of hydrogen—deuterium—was developed and tested thoroughly. The LOC is monitored by a hydrogen/deuterium isotopic ration in the exhaust gas by using an isotopic water analyzer. Tribo-logically important properties, such as the viscosity, stability, and compatibility of the tracer were investigated by laboratory experiments by using several tools, such as infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography, thermogravimetry, etc. The properties relevant to the applicability of the method, such as the accuracy and the reproducibility, were investigated by engine test-bench experiments. Finally, long-term stability tests of the tracer were conducted with a field test.
AB - Because of the impact of lubrication on the efficiency and the lifecycle cost and emissions, the lubricating-oil consumption (LOC) is one of the key indicators in the research and development of internal combustion engines. State-of-the-art methods for LOC measurement are based on the use of a certain tracer to track the oil consumption. However, all of the currently available tracers have their downsides (e.g., the use of a radioactive tracer, corrosive emissions, etc.). Therefore, in the course of this research project, a new tracer substance that is based on a stable nonradioactive isotope of hydrogen—deuterium—was developed and tested thoroughly. The LOC is monitored by a hydrogen/deuterium isotopic ration in the exhaust gas by using an isotopic water analyzer. Tribo-logically important properties, such as the viscosity, stability, and compatibility of the tracer were investigated by laboratory experiments by using several tools, such as infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography, thermogravimetry, etc. The properties relevant to the applicability of the method, such as the accuracy and the reproducibility, were investigated by engine test-bench experiments. Finally, long-term stability tests of the tracer were conducted with a field test.
KW - deuterium
KW - gas chromatography
KW - infrared spectrometry
KW - lubrication
KW - oil consumption
KW - tracer
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130167624&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/lubricants10050084
DO - 10.3390/lubricants10050084
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85130167624
SN - 2075-4442
VL - 10
JO - Lubricants
JF - Lubricants
IS - 5
M1 - 84
ER -