Engen's oils for engines running on waste gases gains popularity

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According to Engen Lubricants business manager, John Kennedy, numerous waste gases are found in nature and as by-products of industrial processes, including natural gas, biogas (landfill and sewage gases), coal seam gas (coal mine and coal bed gases), and furnace gases (from steel, ferrochrome, ferromanganese and calcium carbide production plants).

"Instead of being an environmental burden, these gases can run gas engines of various designs for specialist tasks including gas transmission, power generation, conversion into less harmful substances and many other applications," says Kennedy.

For example, methane produced by waste sites can be burnt in gas engines to generate power, while simultaneously being changed into carbon dioxide that is far less harmful for the environment.

Other applications

Other applications include converting sewage to methane for running engines; converting carbon monoxide produced by steel works to carbon dioxide; and recovering gas from farm waste such as vegetation and refinery waste water.

Kennedy says after all these wastes have been passed through a 'digestion' process to produce the gas used in gas engines, the other by-products are completely safe fertiliser and water that can be used for irrigation.

"The Engen range of gas engine oils (GEOs) has been formulated with the latest technology to meet the complex demands of gas engines and the fuels with which they operate," says Kennedy. "Gas engines require lubricants formulated specifically for them, to meet the high demands of gas engine designs, operating conditions and environmental factors."

Well-formulated gas engine oil takes the following into account:

• Ash content and composition - gas engines rely solely on lubricant ash to lubricate between the hot valve face and seat. Engen oils contain ash levels in narrow concentration bands to optimise performance and prevent damage: too little can lead to increased wear while too much can cause guttering, torching and detonation of deposits.
  
• High resistance to nitration and oxidation - gas engine oils must be able to handle high levels of oxidation and nitration as a result of high operating temperatures because of factors including the high burning temperature of methane compared to liquid fuels.
  
• Fuel type - fuel gases differ in composition depending on their origin and can contain impurities which can harm engines. Gas engine oils need to be specially formulated to minimise wear and corrosion due to impurities in the fuel gas.

Based on new detergent technology, an optimised anti-oxidant system and superior quality base oil, Engen's gas engine oils are ideally suited for use in three main applications:

• Engen GEO BL-40 is designed for use in landfill gas and biogas (digester) applications. Featuring low ash content, this oil provides outstanding performance in modern higher BMEP engines, especially those prone to ash sensitivity and detonation, and has demonstrated extended drain capabilities.
  
• Engen GEO LL-40 is recommended for use in spark-ignited gas engines burning natural gas. It has been designed to meet the more stringent requirements of modern engines. Expect outstanding performance, wear protection and extended oil drain capability in the latest generation gas engines, both stoichiometric and lean-burn.
  
• Engen GEO N-40 has been designed to provide the highest levels of engine protection as well as optimised performance.