Compositions and methods for lubricating engine components

Abstract

A lubricant oil, the use of a lubricant oil as an additive, and a method of lubricating parts in an engine are described herein. The lubricant oil is characterized as having one or more components with each of the components having a minimum evaporation rate when experiencing conditions within a combustion cylinder of the engine. The minimum evaporation rate is configured so that when at least a portion of the lubricant oil evaporates in combustion cylinder and locally mixes with the air fuel mixture around it, the concentration of the combustible components in that mixture is greater than the net upper flammability limit of the particular components of the combustible mixture. Thus, in some examples, when the pressure and/or temperature of the combustion cylinder volume are increased, such as during a compression cycle, the probability of a portion of the lubricant oil combusting or auto-igniting is preferably decreased.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lubricant oil, comprising:
 a first component comprising carbon molecules having a first molecular weight between C20 and C42; and   a second component comprising carbon molecules having a second molecular weight between C20 and C42, wherein the first molecular weight and the second molecular weight are different, and wherein the first molecular weight and the second molecular weight are within a molecular weight distribution band of ten or less carbon numbers, wherein:
 the first component and the second component exhibit an evaporation rate deviation of approximately ten percent (10%) to maintain
 a first concentration of an evaporated portion of the first component greater than a first upper flammability limit of the first component when subjected to conditions within a combustion cylinder of an engine, and 
 a second concentration of a second evaporated portion of the second component greater than a second upper flammability limit of the second component when subjected to the conditions within the combustion cylinder, and 
 
 the conditions within the combustion cylinder are characterized by:
 a temperature between approximately 700K and 1300K, and 
 a pressure between approximately 30 bar and 150 bar. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The lubricant oil of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first molecular weight or the second molecular weight comprises carbon molecules between C32 and C34. 
     
     
         3 . The lubricant oil of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first molecular weight or the second molecular weight comprises carbon molecules between C30 and C36. 
     
     
         4 . The lubricant oil of  claim 1 , wherein the combustion cylinder comprises a combustion cylinder of the engine, and the conditions within the combustion cylinder comprise conditions during a combustion cycle of the engine. 
     
     
         5 . The lubricant oil of  claim 1 , wherein combustion cylinder comprises a combustion cylinder of the engine, and the conditions within the combustion cylinder comprise at least a portion of a combustion cycle of the combustion cylinder of the engine. 
     
     
         6 . The lubricant oil of  claim 1 , wherein the engine comprises a diesel engine or a gasoline engine. 
     
     
         7 . The lubricant oil of  claim 1 , wherein the engine comprises a natural gas engine or a hydrogen engine. 
     
     
         8 . The lubricant oil of  claim 1 , further comprising a third component comprising carbon molecules having a third molecular weight between C20 and C42, wherein the first molecular weight, the second molecular weight, and the third molecular weight are different. 
     
     
         9 . A lubricant oil composition, comprising:
 a first volume of a base oil; and   a second volume of an additive, the second volume comprising:
 a first component comprising carbon molecules having a first molecular weight between C20 and C42; 
 a second component comprising carbon molecules having a second molecular weight between C20 and C42, wherein the first molecular weight and the second molecular weight are different, and wherein the first molecular weight and the second molecular weight are within a molecular weight distribution band of ten or less carbon numbers; 
 wherein the first component and the second component exhibit an evaporation rate deviation of approximately ten percent (10%) to maintain a first concentration of an evaporated portion of the first component greater than a first upper flammability limit of the first component subjected to conditions within a combustion cylinder of an engine and a second concentration of a second evaporated portion of the second component greater than a second upper flammability limit of the second component subjected to the conditions within the combustion cylinder of the engine; and 
 wherein the conditions within the combustion cylinder are characterized by:
 a temperature between approximately 700K and 1300K; and 
 a pressure between approximately 30 bar and 150 bar. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The lubricant oil composition of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first molecular weight or the second molecular weight comprises carbon molecules between C32 and C34. 
     
     
         11 . The lubricant oil composition of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first molecular weight or the second molecular weight comprises carbon molecules between C30 and C36. 
     
     
         12 . The lubricant oil composition of  claim 9 , wherein the conditions within the combustion cylinder comprise conditions during a combustion cycle of the engine. 
     
     
         13 . The lubricant oil composition of  claim 9 , wherein combustion cylinder comprises a combustion cylinder of the engine, and the conditions within the combustion cylinder comprise at least a portion of a combustion cycle of the combustion cylinder of the engine. 
     
     
         14 . The lubricant oil composition of  claim 9 , wherein the first volume comprises a total volume of the lubricant oil composition in a range of 20 percent to 90 percent of the total volume of the lubricant oil composition, in a range of 40 percent to 80 percent of the total volume of the lubricant oil composition, or in a range 50 percent to 60 percent of the total volume of the lubricant oil composition. 
     
     
         15 . The lubricant oil composition of  claim 9 , wherein the base oil comprises a diesel engine oil, natural gas engine oil, or one or more combinations of engine oils used for internal combustion engine applications. 
     
     
         16 . The lubricant oil composition of  claim 9 , wherein the additive further comprises a third component comprising carbon molecules having a third molecular weight between C20 and C42, wherein the first molecular weight, the second molecular weight, and the third molecular weight are different. 
     
     
         17 . A method for lubricating moving parts in an engine, the method comprising:
 providing a lubricant oil comprising a first component and a second component, wherein:
 the first component comprises carbon molecules having a first molecular weight between C20 and C42; and 
 the second component comprises carbon molecules having a second molecular weight between C20 and C42, wherein the first molecular weight and the second molecular weight are different, and wherein the first molecular weight and the second molecular weight are within a molecular weight distribution band of ten or less carbon numbers; and 
 wherein the first component and the second component exhibit an evaporation rate deviation of approximately ten percent (10%) to maintain a first concentration of an evaporated portion of the first component greater than a first upper flammability limit of the first component subjected to conditions within a combustion cylinder and a second concentration of a second evaporated portion of the second component greater than a second upper flammability limit of the second component subjected to the conditions within the combustion cylinder; and 
   lubricating a surface of the engine by adding the lubricant oil to the engine.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the conditions within the combustion cylinder are characterized by:
 a temperature between approximately 700K and 1300K; and   a pressure between approximately 30 bar and 150 bar.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing a base oil to the engine. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first molecular weight or the second molecular weight comprises carbon molecules between C32 and C34 or between C30 and C36.