Delivering manganese from a lubricant source into a fuel combustion system

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for delivering manganese from a lubricant source into a fuel combustion system or to the exhaust therefrom. By the present invention, manganese from the lubricant will interact with phosphorus, sulfur, and/or lead from the combustion products. In this manner, the manganese scavenges or inactivates harmful materials which have migrated into the fuel or combustion products, and which can otherwise poison catalytic converters, sensors and/or automotive on-board diagnostic devices. The present invention can also lead to improved durability of exhaust after treatment systems.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A lubricant for a combustion system other than a two-stroke engine, the lubricant comprising a major amount of a base oil of lubricating viscosity and a minor amount of one or more additives comprising at least one manganese source.  
     
     
         2 . A lubricant as described in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more additives further comprises at least one organosulfur compound.  
     
     
         3 . A lubricant as described in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more additives further comprises at least one organophosphorus compound.  
     
     
         4 . A lubricant as described in  claim 2 , wherein the one or more additives further comprises at least one organophosphorus compound.  
     
     
         5 . A lubricant as described in  claim 1 , wherein the combustion system is selected from the group consisting of diesel-electric hybrid vehicle, gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, stationary burners, waste incinerators, diesel fuel burners, diesel fuel engines, automotive diesel engines, gasoline fuel burners, gasoline fuel engines, power plant generators, turbine engines, jet engines, boilers, incinerators, evaporative burners, plasma burner systems, and plasma arc systems.  
     
     
         6 . A lubricant as described in  claim 2 , wherein the organosulfur compound in the lubricant is selected from the group consisting of sulfurized olefins, sulfurized fats and vegetable oils, sulfurized unsaturated esters and amides, ashless and metal containing dithiocarbamates, substituted thiadiazoles, sulfurized hindered phenols, sulfurized alkylphenols, neutral metal-containing sulfonate detergents, overbased metal-containing sulfonate detergents, neutral metal-containing phenate detergents, and overbased metal-containing phenate detergents, or combinations and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         7 . A lubricant as described in  claim 3 , wherein the organophosphorus compound in the lubricant is selected from the group consisting of primary, secondary and aryl neutral and overbased zinc dialkyldithiophosphates (ZDDP's), trialkyl- and triarylphosphites, mixed alkyl/aryl phosphites, alkyl and aryl phosphorothiolthionates, and alkyl and aryl phosphorothionates, and combinations or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         8 . A lubricant as described in  claim 1 , wherein the manganese source in the lubricant is selected from the group consisting of methyl cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, alkyl cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, organic manganese tricarbonyl derivatives, alkyl cyclopentadienyl manganese derivatives, neutral and overbased manganese salicylates, neutral and overbased manganese phenates, neutral and overbased manganese sulfonates, manganese carboxylates, and combinations and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         9 . A lubricant as described in  claim 1 , wherein the manganese source in the lubricant is methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl.  
     
     
         10 . A lubricant as described in  claim 1 , wherein the base oil is selected from the group consisting of paraffinic, naphthenic, aromatic, poly-alpha-olefins, synthetic esters, and polyol esters, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         11 . A lubricant as described in  claim 1 , wherein the base oil contains less than or equal to 0.03 wt. % sulfur, and greater than or equal to 90 wt. % saturates, and has a viscosity index greater than or equal to 120.  
     
     
         12 . A lubricant as described in  claim 1 , wherein the base oil is substantially sulfur-free.