Method and system for improving fuel economy and environmental impact operating a 2-stroke engine

Abstract

A method and system to reduce fuel consumption and environmental impact in a two-stroke engine. Fresh system oil having a TBN less than 10 is provided and used in the two-stroke engine to produce partially used system oil. The partially used system oil is withdrawn from the two stroke engine and at least one friction modifier is added to at least some of the withdrawn partially used system oil, wherein the addition of the at least one friction modifier reduces the friction coefficient of the withdrawn system oil, resulting in a system oil having reduced friction. The system oil with reduced friction is combined with partially used system oil remaining in said two-stroke and the combined system oil is used to lubricate pistons of said two-stroke engine.

1 . A method of reducing fuel consumption and environmental impact in a two-stroke engine comprising the steps of using fresh or partially used system oil from at least one engine, adding at least one friction modifier to at least a part of the obtained fresh or partially used system oil where the addition of the at least one friction modifier reduces the friction coefficient of the obtained system oil, resulting in a system oil with reduced friction, and supplying said system oil with reduced friction to said at least one engine. 
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least one friction modifier is an ash-less friction modifier. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one ash-less friction modifier is based on di-, tri- and/or tetra-esters of dimeric and/or fatty acids and/or fatty amides. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one ash-less friction modifier is based on neopentylglycol, pentaerythritol, sorbitol, trimethylpropanol, glycerol and/or triethanolamine or blends thereof 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one friction modifier is based on one or more selected from the group of: triglycerides (of animal and/or vegetable origin), such as rape seed, soy bean, and/or castor oil, fatty phosphates, fatty acid amides, fatty epoxides, borated fatty epoxides, fatty amines, polyol esters, borated polyol esters alkoxylated fatty amines, borated alkoxylated fatty amines, metal salts of fatty acids, sulfurized olefins, fatty imidazolines, or mixtures thereof 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one friction modifier is added at a predetermined rate so that the concentration of the added friction modifier(s) has a concentration of 0.2-2.0% of said system oil with reduced friction. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one friction modifier is added at a predetermined rate so that the concentration of the added friction modifier(s) has a concentration of 0.5-1.5% of said system oil with reduced friction. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method is used offshore, on-site, on-board a vessel, and/or in a land based plant. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of: tapping a predetermined first amount of the obtained system oil providing tapped system oil and replenishing the remaining obtained system oil with a predetermined second amount of fresher system oil, where tapping and/or replenishing is done continuously, near-continuously or intermittently. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of tapping a predetermined first amount of system oil from the engine providing tapped system oil and replenishing remaining system oil with a predetermined second amount of fresher system oil, where tapping and/or replenishing is done continuously, near-continuously or intermittently. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of: creating a cylinder oil on the basis of the tapped system oil by determining at least one critical parameter of the tapped system oil, determining at least one desired parameter of a cylinder oil and adjusting said at least one critical parameter of the tapped system oil accordingly by blending the tapped system oil with at least one BN modifying additive resulting in a created cylinder oil, and supplying said created cylinder oil to cylinders or part of the cylinders of said engine. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said system oil is selected from the group of: a traditional system oil comprising additives for long-time performance or formulated with an additive treat-rate providing long-time performance, and a consumable system oil without long-time performance additives or formulated with a reduced additive treat-rate not providing long-time performance. 
     
     
         13 . A system for reducing fuel consumption in a two-stroke engine comprising: a blending unit for adding at least one friction modifier to at least a part of an obtained system oil, where the addition of the at least one friction modifier reduces the friction coefficient of the obtained system oil, resulting in a system oil with reduced friction and for supplying said system oil with reduced friction to said at least one engine. 
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said at least one friction modifier is an ash-less friction modifier. 
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein said at least one friction modifier is based on one or more selected from the group of triglycerides (of animal and/or vegetable origin), such as rape seed, soy bean, and/or castor oil, fatty phosphates, fatty acid amides, fatty epoxides, borated fatty epoxides, fatty amines, polyol esters, borated polyol esters alkoxylated fatty amines, borated alkoxylated fatty amines, metal salts of fatty acids, sulfurized olefins, fatty imidazolines, or mixtures thereof 
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein the system is located offshore, on-site, on-board a vessel, and/or in a land based plant. 
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein the system further comprises: a controller for tapping a predetermined first amount of the obtained system oil providing tapped system oil and replenishing the remaining obtained system oil with a predetermined second amount of fresher system oil, where tapping and/or replenishing is done continuously, near-continuously or intermittently. 
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein the system further comprises: a controller for tapping a predetermined first amount of system oil from the engine providing tapped system oil and replenishing remaining system oil with a predetermined second amount of fresher system oil, where tapping and/or replenishing is done continuously, near-continuously or intermittently. 
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 17 , wherein the system further comprises: a controller for creating a cylinder oil on the basis of the tapped system oil by determining at least one critical parameter of the tapped system oil, determining at least one desired parameter of a cylinder oil and adjusting said at least one critical parameters of the tapped system oil accordingly by blending the tapped system oil with at least one BN modifying additive resulting in a created cylinder oil, and for supplying said created cylinder oil to at cylinders or part of the cylinders of said engine. 
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein said system oil is selected from the group of: a traditional system oil comprising additives for long-time performance or formulated with an additive treat-rate providing long-time performance, and a consumable system oil without long-time performance additives or formulated with a reduced additive treat-rate not providing long-time performance. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises a consumable system oil for use in an engine, wherein the engine is connected with a controller for tapping a predetermined first amount of system oil from the engine providing tapped system oil and for replenishing remaining system oil with a predetermined second amount of fresher system oil, where tapping and/or replenishing is done continuously, near-continuously or intermittently. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the consumable system oil is formulated with reduced additive(s) treat rate(s). 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the system oil is formulated using additives/components and/or base oil(s) selected on economics rather than extended performance. 
     
     
         24 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein the system further comprises a consumable system oil for use in an engine, wherein the engine is connected with a controller for tapping a predetermined first amount of system oil from the engine providing tapped system oil and for replenishing remaining system oil with a predetermined second amount of fresher system oil, where tapping and/or replenishing is done continuously, near-continuously or intermittently. 
     
     
         25 . A system according to  claim 24 , wherein the consumable system oil is formulated with reduced additive(s) treat rate(s). 
     
     
         26 . A system according to  claim 24 , wherein the system oil is formulated using additives/components and/or base oil(s) selected on economics rather than extended performance.