Base oils are classified into five groups, which differ in chemical composition, and hence in properties. This (and their mixture) determines what the final engine oil on store shelves will be like. And the most interesting thing is the fact that only 15 world oil companies are engaged in their production, as well as the additives themselves, while the brands of the final oil are much larger. And here, for sure, many have a logical question: what is the difference between oils and which is the best? But first, it makes sense to understand the classification of these compounds.
Base oil groups
The classification of base oils involves dividing them into five groups. This is spelled out in API standard 1509, Appendix E.
API base oil classification table
Group 1 oils
These compositions are obtained by purifying petroleum products remaining after obtaining gasoline or other fuels and lubricants using chemical reagents (solvents). They are also called coarse oils. A significant drawback of such oils is the presence of a large amount of sulfur, more than 0.03%. In terms of characteristics, such compositions have weak viscosity index indicators (that is, the viscosity is very dependent on temperature and can only work normally in a narrow temperature range). Currently, 1 group of base oils is considered obsolete and only of them is produced. The viscosity index of such base oils is 80 ... 120. And the temperature range is 0 ° C ... + 65 ° C. Their only advantage is their low price.
Group 2 oils
Group 2 base oils are obtained through a chemical process called hydrocracking. Their other name is highly refined oils. This is also the purification of petroleum products, however, using hydrogen and under high pressure (in fact, the process is multi-stage and complex). The result is an almost clear liquid, which is the base oil. Its sulfur content is less than 0.03% and they have antioxidant properties. Due to its cleanliness, the life of the engine oil obtained from it is significantly increased, and deposits and carbon deposits in the engine are reduced. On the basis of hydrocracking base oil, so-called "HC-synthetics" are made, which some experts refer to as semi-synthetics. Viscosity index in this case also ranges from 80 to 120. This group is called English abbreviation HVI (High Viscosity Index), which literally translates as high viscosity index.
Oils of 3 groups
These oils are obtained in the same way as the previous ones from petroleum products. However, the features of group 3 are increased, its value exceeds 120. The higher this indicator, the more the resulting engine oil can operate in a wider temperature range, in particular, in severe frost. Often, 3 groups are made on the basis of base oils. The sulfur content here is less than 0.03%, and the composition itself consists of 90% of chemically stable, hydrogen-saturated molecules. Its other name is synthetics, but in fact it is not. The name of the group sometimes sounds like VHVI (Very High Viscosity Index), which translates as a very high viscosity index.
Sometimes the 3+ group is separated separately, the base for which is obtained not from oil, but from natural gas. The technology for its creation is called GTL (gas-to-liquids), that is, the conversion of gas into liquid hydrocarbons. The result is a very pure, water-like base oil. Its molecules have strong bonds that are resistant to aggressive conditions. Oils created on such a base are considered fully synthetic, despite the fact that hydrocracking is used in the process of their creation.
The raw materials of the 3rd group are excellent for the development of formulations of fuel-saving, synthetic, universal motor oils in the range from 5W-20 to 10W-40.
4 group oils
These oils are created on the basis of polyalphaolefins, and are the basis for the so-called "real synthetics", which is distinguished by its high quality. This is the so-called polyalphaolefin base oil. It is produced using chemical synthesis. However, a feature of engine oils obtained on such a basis is their high cost, therefore they are often used only in sports cars and in premium cars.
5 group oils
There are separate types of base oils, which include all other formulations that are not included in the four groups listed above (roughly speaking, this includes all lubricating formulations, not even related to automotive engineering not included in the first four). In particular, silicone, phosphate ester, polyalkylene glycol (PAG), polyesters, bio-lubricants, petrolatum and white oils, and so on. They are, in fact, additives to other formulations. For example, esters are used as additives to base oils to improve performance. Thus, a mixture of essential oil and polyalphaolefins works normally at high temperatures, thereby providing an increased detergency of the oil and increasing its service life. Another name for such formulations is essential oils. They are currently the highest quality and highest performance. These include ester oils, which, however, are produced in very small quantities due to their high cost (about 3% of world production).
Thus, the characteristics of base oils depend on the way they are obtained. And this, in turn, affects the quality and characteristics of ready-made engine oils used in car engines... Also, oils obtained from oil are influenced by its chemical composition. After all, it depends on where (in what region on the planet) and how the oil was produced.
What are the best base oils
Volatility of base oils according to Noack
Oxidation stability
The question of which base oils are the best is not entirely correct, since it all depends on which oil you need to get and use in the end. For most budget cars quite suitable "semi-synthetics", created on the basis of mixing oils of 2, 3 and 4 groups. If we are talking about good "synthetics" for expensive foreign cars premium, it is better to buy an oil based on a base of 4 groups.
Until 2006, manufacturers of motor oils could be called "synthetic" oils obtained from the fourth and fifth groups. Which are considered the best base oils. However, at present it is allowed to do this even if a base oil of the second or third group was used. That is, only compositions based on the first basic group remained "mineral".
What happens when mixing species
Mixing of separate base oils belonging to different groups is allowed. This way you can adjust the characteristics of the final formulations. For example, if you mix base oils of 3 or 4 groups with similar compositions from group 2, you get "semi-synthetics" with increased performance. If the mentioned oils are mixed with 1 group, then it will also turn out "", however with already lower characteristics, in particular, a high sulfur content or other impurities (depending on the specific composition). It is interesting that oils of the fifth group in their pure form are not used as a base. To these are added compositions from the third and / or fourth groups. This is due to their high volatility and high cost.
A distinctive feature of PAO-based oils is that it is impossible to make a 100% PAO composition. The reason lies in their very poor solubility. And it is needed to dissolve additives that are added during the manufacturing process. Therefore, a certain amount of funds from lower groups (third and / or fourth) is always added to PAO oils.
The structure of molecular bonds in oils belonging to different groups is different. So, among low groups (first, second, that is, mineral oils) molecular chains are like a branched crown of a tree with a bunch of "crooked" branches. It is easier for this form to curl up into a ball, which happens when it freezes. Accordingly, such oils will freeze at a higher temperature. Conversely, in oils of high groups, the hydrocarbon chains have a long, straight structure, and it is more difficult for them to "curl up". Therefore, they freeze at more low temperatures.
Production and receipt of base oils
In the production of modern base oils, the viscosity index, pour point, volatility and oxidation stability can be independently controlled. As mentioned above, base oils are produced from oil or petroleum products (for example, fuel oil), and there is also production from natural gas by conversion into liquid hydrocarbons.
How base engine oil is made
Oil itself is a complex chemical compound that includes saturated paraffins and naphthenes, unsaturated aromatic olefins, and so on. Each such compound has positive and negative properties.
In particular, paraffins have good oxidation stability, but at low temperatures it is reduced to nothing. Naphthenic acids form a precipitate in the oil at high temperatures. Aromatic hydrocarbons adversely affect oxidative stability as well as lubricity. In addition, they form lacquer deposits.
Unsaturated hydrocarbons are unstable, that is, they change their properties over time and at different temperatures. Therefore, all of the listed substances in base oils must be disposed of. And this is done in different ways.
Methane is a natural gas that has neither color nor smell, it is the simplest hydrocarbon consisting of alkanes and paraffins. Alkanes, which are the basis of this gas, unlike oil, have strong molecular bonds, and as a result, they are resistant to reactions with sulfur and alkali, do not form precipitation and varnish deposits, but are susceptible to oxidation at 200 ° C.
The main difficulty lies precisely in the synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons, but the final process itself is hydrocracking, where long chains of hydrocarbons are separated into different fractions, one of which is a completely transparent base oil without sulphated ash. The purity of the oil is 99.5%.
The viscosity index is significantly higher than those produced from PAO, they are used for the manufacture of fuel-efficient car oils with a long service life. This oil has very low volatility and excellent stability at both very high and extremely low temperatures.
Let us consider in more detail the oils of each of the above groups, how they differ in their production technology.
Group 1... They are obtained from pure oil or other oily materials (often waste products in the manufacture of gasoline and other fuels and lubricants) by selective refining. For this, one of three elements is used - clay, sulfuric acid and solvents.
So, with the help of clay, they get rid of nitrogen and sulfur compounds. Sulfuric acid in combination with impurities provides a sludge sludge. And solvents remove paraffin and aromatics. Solvents are often used because they are most effective.
Group 2... Here the technology is similar, but it is supplemented by highly refined purification with elements with a low content of aromatic compounds and paraffins. This increases the oxidative stability.
Group 3... The base oils of the third group are initially obtained in the same way as the oils of the second. However, their feature is the hydrocracking process. In this case, petroleum hydrocarbons undergo hydrogenation and cracking.
In the process of hydrogenation, aromatic hydrocarbons are removed from the oil (they subsequently form varnish and carbon deposits in the engine). It also removes sulfur, nitrogen and their chemical compounds. Then the stage of catalytic cracking takes place, in which paraffinic hydrocarbons are split and "fluffed up", that is, the isomerization process takes place. Due to this, molecular bonds of a linear type are obtained. The harmful compounds of sulfur, nitrogen and other elements remaining in the oil are neutralized by adding additives.
Group 3+... Such base oils are produced by the hydrocracking method itself, only raw materials that can be separated, not crude oil, but liquid hydrocarbons synthesized from natural gas. The gas can be synthesized to obtain liquid hydrocarbons according to the Fischer-Tropsch technology developed back in the 1920s, but at the same time using a special catalyst. Production of the required product began only at the end of 2011 at the Pearl GTL Shell plant in conjunction with Qatar Petroleum.
The production of such a base oil begins with the supply of gas and oxygen to the plant. Then the gasification stage begins with the production of synthesis gas, which is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Then the synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons takes place. And already a further process in the GTL chain is the hydrocracking of the resulting transparent waxy mass.
The gas-liquid conversion process produces a crystal clear base oil that is virtually free of the impurities found in crude oil. The most important representatives of such oils, made using PurePlus technology, are Ultra, Pennzoil Ultra and Platinum Full Synthetic.
Group 4... The role of the synthetic base for such compositions is played by the already mentioned polyalphaolefins (PAO). They are hydrocarbons with a chain length of about 10 ... 12 atoms. They are obtained by polymerizing (combining) the so-called monomers (short hydrocarbons with a length of 5 ... 6 atoms. And the raw materials for this are petroleum gases butylene and ethylene (another name for long molecules - decenes). This process resembles "crosslinking" on special chemical machines It consists of several stages.
At the first stage, the oligomerization of decene in order to obtain linear alpha-olefin. The oligomerization process takes place in the presence of catalysts, high temperature and high pressure. The second stage is the polymerization of linear alpha olefins, which results in the desired PAOs. This polymerization process takes place at low pressure and in the presence of organometallic catalysts. At the final stage, fractional distillation is carried out at PAO-2, PAO-4, PAO-6, and so on. To ensure the required characteristics of the base engine oil, the appropriate fractions and polyalphaolefins are selected.
Group 5... As for the fifth group, such oils are based on esters - esters or fatty acids, that is, organic acid compounds. These compounds are formed as a result chemical reactions between acids (usually carboxylic acids) and alcohols. The raw materials for their production are organic materials - vegetable oils (coconut, rapeseed). Also, sometimes oils of the fifth group are made from alkylated naphthalenes. They are obtained by alkylation of naphthalenes with olefins.
As you can see, the manufacturing technology becomes more complicated from group to group, which means that it becomes more expensive. That is why mineral oils have low price and PAO-synthetic is expensive. However, when you need to consider a lot different characteristics, not just the price and type of oil.
Interestingly, oils belonging to the fifth group contain polarized particles that are magnetic to the metal parts of the engine. Thus, they provide the best protection compared to other oils. In addition, they have very good detergent properties, due to which the amount of detergent additives is minimized (or simply eliminated).
Ester-based oils (the fifth basic group) are used in aviation, because planes fly at altitudes where the temperature is much lower than that which is recorded even in the far north.
Modern technologies make it possible to create completely biodegradable ester oils, since the aforementioned esters are environmentally friendly products and are readily biodegradable. Therefore, these oils are environmentally friendly. However, due to their high cost, motorists will not be able to use them everywhere soon.
Base oil manufacturers
The finished engine oil is a mixture of a base oil and an additive package. Moreover, it is interesting that there are only 5 companies in the world that produce these same additives - these are Lubrizol, Ethyl, Infineum, Afton and Chevron. All well-known and not so famous companies producing their own lubricating fluids buy additives from them. Over time, their composition changes, modifies, companies conduct research in chemical fields, and try not only to increase performance characteristics oils, but also to make them more environmentally friendly.
As for the manufacturers of base oils, there are actually not so many of them, and they are mainly large, world-famous companies, such as ExonMobil, which ranks first in the world in this indicator (about 50% of the world volume of base oil of the fourth group , as well as a large share in groups 2, 3 and 5). In addition to her, there are also large ones in the world with their own research center. Moreover, their production is divided into the above-mentioned five groups. For example, such "whales" as ExxonMobil, Castrol and Shell do not produce base oils of the first group, because they are "out of order."
| Base oil manufacturers by group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | II | III | IV | V |
| Lukoil ( Russian Federation) | Exxon Mobil (EHC) | Petronas (ETRO) | ExxonMobil | Inolex |
| Total (France) | Chevron | ExxonMobil (VISOM) | Idemitsu Kosan Co | Exxon Mobil |
| Kuwait Petroleum (Kuwait) | Excell Paralubes | Neste Oil(Nexbase) | INEOS | DOW |
| Neste (Finland) | Ergon | Repsol YPF | Chemtura | BASF |
| SK ( South Korea) | Motiva | Shell (Shell XHVI and GTL) | Chevron phillips | Chemtura |
| Petronas (Malaysia) | Suncor Petro-Canada | British Petroleum (Burmah-Castrol) | INEOS | |
| GS Caltex (Kixx LUBO) | Hatco | |||
| SK Lubricants | Nyco america | |||
| Petronas | Afton | |||
| H&R Chempharm GmbH | Croda | |||
| Eni | Synester | |||
| Motiva | ||||
The base oils listed are initially divided by viscosity. And each of the groups has its own designations:
- First group: SN-80, SN-150, SN-400, SN-500, SN-600, SN-650, SN-1200 and so on.
- Second group: 70N, 100N, 150N, 500N (although different manufacturers the viscosity may vary).
- The third group: 60R, 100R, 150R, 220R, 600R (here also the numbers may differ depending on the manufacturer).
Composition of engine oils
Depending on what characteristics the finished automobile engine oil should have, each manufacturer chooses its composition and the ratio of its constituent substances. For example, semi-synthetic oil usually consists of about 70% mineral base oil (1 or 2 groups), or 30% hydrocracked synthetic (sometimes 80% and 20%). Next comes the "game" with additives (they are antioxidant, antifoam, thickening, dispersion, detergent, dispersing, friction modifiers), which are added to the resulting mixture. Additives are usually of poor quality, so the resulting finished product is no different good characteristics, and can be used in budget and / or older machines.
Synthetic and semi-synthetic formulations based on group 3 base oils are the most common in the world today. They have the English designation Semi Syntetic. Their manufacturing technology is similar. They consist of approximately 80% base oil (often different base oil groups are mixed) and an additive. Sometimes viscosity regulators are added.
Synthetic oils based on group 4 base are already real "synthetic" Full Syntetic, based on polyalphaolefones. They have very high performance and a long service life, but they are very expensive. As for the rare ester engine oils, they consist of a mixture of base oils from 3 and 4 groups, and with the addition of an ester component in a volumetric amount of 5 to 30%.
Recently, there are "folk craftsmen" who add about 10% of the final ester component to the engine oil filled in the car in order to supposedly increase its characteristics. Should not be doing that! This will change the viscosity and can lead to unpredictable results.
The technology for manufacturing a finished engine oil is not just a mixture of individual components, in particular, a base and additives. In fact, this mixing occurs in stages, at different temperatures, at different intervals. Therefore, for its production, you need to have information about the technology and the appropriate equipment.
Most of the current companies with such equipment produce motor oils using the developments of the main manufacturers of base oils and additives manufacturers, so it is quite common to find the statement that manufacturers are making a fool of Us and in fact all oils are the same.
In production lubricants ZIC applies own development SK Corporation - "VHVI Technology", this is how YUBASE - base oils with a Very High Viscosity Index (VHVI) are obtained
The VHVI technology endows them with properties identical to those of 100% synthetic base oils: YUBASE surpasses the analogs in terms of the Viscosity Index, has a much lower volatility, practically does not contain harmful impurities, therefore, the additives in it work with very high efficiency.
Excellent base oil performance in combination with perfectly and precisely balanced active additive packages from LUBRIZOL and INFINEUM (world leaders in this field) ensure a very high quality level of ZIC lubricants.
The unique properties of ZIC oils and lubricants are provided by catalytic hydrocracking, the latest and most advanced deep oil refining technology available today. It is on the basis of this technology that the base oil YUBASE VHVI (oil with a very high viscosity index) is produced, which belongs to the III group according to the API (American Petroleum Institute) classification. The hydrocracking process that oils go through leads to the transformation of components into hydrocarbons of the required structure, which affects the stability of the oils obtained and brings their properties closer to synthetic ones.
By supplying YUBASE base oil to the world's leading lubricant manufacturers, SK holds over 60% of the global Group III base oil market. YUBASE base oil production technology has received international recognition and is protected by patents in 23 countries around the world.
Motor ZIC oils manufactured from the highest quality components. Firstly, it is a base oil with a very high viscosity index, made using the technology of deep catalytic hydrocracking, and secondly, balanced additive packages from the world leaders in this field - Lubrizol and Infineum companies.
Hydrocracking technology in the production of base oils has become a truly revolutionary stage in the development of new generation motor oils. Practical use this process was received in the mid-70s in the United States, and then spread to other regions of the world. The merit of the ZIC manufacturer - SK Corporation (http://www.skzic.com/eng/main.asp) is in a significant modernization of traditional hydrocracking and the development of its own technology for the production of top quality base oil - VHVI Technology http://www.skzic.com/eng/main.asp. com / eng / main.asp
Manufacturers of hydrocracked base oils, as a rule, patent and protect their own production technologies. Typically, abbreviated characters are assigned to these technologies. Shell has XHVI (Extra High Viscosity Index); BP has HC (Hydrocracker Component); Exxon has ExSyn. SK's technology has been abbreviated as VHVI (Very High Viscosity Index).
VHVI technology provides ZIC oils with properties identical to synthetic oils. VHVI base oils, unique in their quality, exceed the standard indicators of the third group in terms of viscosity index, have a much lower volatility, and contain several times less aromatic hydrocarbons and sulfur. Therefore, ZIC motor oils practically do not change their original properties throughout the entire service life. The oil has excellent fluidity at low temperatures (when starting a cold engine) and a higher viscosity at operating temperature engine, therefore perfectly resists wear. Low volatility and high flash point help to achieve minimum oil burnout in the engine.
Today, ZIC engine oils are one of the best offers on the Ukrainian market. In terms of quality, they are in no way inferior to their more eminent counterparts, and at the same time they are quite affordable. And the original tin packaging with several degrees of protection virtually eliminates the possibility of counterfeiting SK Corporation products.
It is safe to say that the products of the VHVI technology - ZIC lubricants, offered today on the Ukrainian market, demonstrate an advanced level of quality in the world petrochemistry, meet the latest domestic and international requirements for lubricants.
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Pavel Lebedev
Photo by ZIC
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Hydrocracking is a technology of advantages.
Hydrocracked base oils are increasingly used in lubricants. Today, the largest producer of this base is the SK corporation, supplying this raw material to the markets of various countries and leading oil producers. The features of SK hydrocracked oils and the advantages of products based on them were discussed at the seminar “ZIC Motor Oil - VHVI Technology” held within the framework of the 15th SIA International Motor Show 2007
It is known that base oil is the main constituent of lubricants. The better it is, the more the best characteristics will possess the final product. The additives, of course, also have an effect, however, they are mainly aimed at imparting some additional properties to the oil and are a kind of "auxiliary" elements. Therefore, the base oil is the key component that largely determines the performance of the oil and the maintenance of the stability of its properties.
To separate base oils according to their technical specifications API (American Petroleum Institute) introduced the appropriate classification, dividing them into five groups. Grading is carried out according to the viscosity index, saturation and sulfur content. Saturation indicates the content of isoparaffins and cycloparaffins in the oil. Highly saturated base oil has high thermal and antioxidant stability; additives work more efficiently in it. For long-term and high-quality operation of the lubricant, the purity of the base oil is of no small importance. After all, if it contains contaminants, a certain amount of additives will gradually react with their particles. In this case, the effectiveness of the additives and the properties of the oil will deteriorate more rapidly during operation. When using highly refined base oils for the production of lubricants, more additives are retained in the active state. Consequently, the performance of the oil increases.
Of course, many have heard of hydrocracked oils. These products are classified in the third group of base oils according to the API classification and are often equated with polyalphaolefins (group IV). Today, one of the largest manufacturers of base oils of group III is the SK corporation, which provides about 60% of the world market with this type of base. Hydrocracking oils produced by the company are called Yubase and are obtained from advanced technology for the production of an oil base - VHVI technology (Very High Viscosity Index - very high viscosity index). Yubase oils, although they belong to the third group, have a slightly different hydrocarbon composition and characteristics than their counterparts. In appearance, they are almost transparent, which indicates a high degree of purification from harmful impurities such as aromatic compounds, sulfur, nitrogen, etc. They have a high viscosity index and the same level of volatility (and even slightly lower) as polyalphaolefins (according to the Noack system ). However, not all Yubase oils can be used to make engine oil. For this, only their special categories are selected, which, in combination with carefully selected additives that are combined with the Yubase base, make it possible to obtain high-quality oils. This is SK Corporation's VHVI technology - a technology for producing excellent ZIC base oils and lubricants with good low temperature fluidity, excellent overall engine protection, low consumption and extended oil drain intervals. Today, the majority of ZIC engine oils are manufactured from Yubase base oils. Their combination with high-performance additives makes it possible to obtain products that meet the requirements of well-known world classifications (API, ACEA, ILSAC), as well as many car manufacturers. ZIC oils are also used for factory filling (for example, on Hyundai and KIA conveyors). It should be noted that many lubricant manufacturers are positioning oils based on hydrocracked base oils in the synthetic sector. Others still classify them as semi-synthetic, preferring to call synthetics only oils made from a traditional synthetic base. Each company uses its own marketing moves to draw attention to the manufactured products and has the right to refer this or that manufactured product to a specific sector. Hydrocracking oils differ significantly from mineral oils, of course, in positive side, while approaching as much as possible synthetic. However, there are buts everywhere. Approaching - not identical yet. And what then should one call classic products based on synthetic base oils? "Full" synthetics? On this occasion, rather heated discussions are underway, and each defends his point of view.
