Base oil
Description:
The refining of mineral oils made significant progress during the 20th century. In the early 1990s, the American Petroleum Institute (API) categorized base oils into five groups. Groups 1, 2, and 3 consist of mineral oils with increasing levels of refining severity, while Groups 4 and 5 contain synthetic oils. Group 1 oils are refined through solvent extraction, while Group 2 and 3 oils undergo hydrotreating, with Group 3 subjected to higher pressures and temperatures.
Group 4 includes synthetic polyalphaolefins (PAOs), which offer excellent thermal stability and viscosity performance. Despite their lower lubricity, PAOs are favored in high-temperature applications. Group 5 encompasses a variety of other synthetic oils, such as polyolesters and silicones.
The more refined the oil, the greater the benefits in terms of stability, operating temperature range, and viscosity. However, highly refined oils, especially from Groups 2 and 3, suffer from reduced additive solubility and biodegradability. Group 4’s PAOs have chemical structures similar to highly refined mineral oils but excel in performance under extreme temperatures. Meanwhile, Group 5 oils are designed for niche applications, offering unique properties suited to specific needs, making them valuable in industries requiring highly specialized lubrication solutions.
Base oil is used as fuels in many applications :
- Lubricating plant.
- Motor Oil plants.
- Metal Processing plant.
- Engine Oils
- Greases plants.
- Aromatics plants.
- Forging plant.
- Textiles Mills.
- Etc...