RB ENERGRY CORE LTD
YOUR SUCCESS IS OUR BUSINESS
Fuel & Lubricant Technologies
Mission
Enable advanced combustion through improved
understanding of fuel-property impacts,
evaluate next-generation biofuels & develop
efficiency-improving lubricants
Activities
- Chemical and physical fuel property exploitation
- Next-generation biofuel fit-for-service evaluation
- Lubricant additives and base oil development
- Open, bench-scale lubricant testing methodology
- Fully-formulated oil fit-for-service evaluation
- Supporting analytical work
Goals
- By 2030, demonstrate expanded operational range of advanced combustion regimes to 75% of LD Federal Test Procedure
- By 2024, demonstrate cost effective lubricant with 2% fuel economy improvement
Fuel-energy conversion has room for improvement
Typical Vehicle
DOE NG Engine Projects
Efficiency and emissions opportunities for enabling low temperature combustion
Enables efficiency improvement and load expansion for Spark Assisted HCCI
- Efficiency improvement attributed to differences in thermochemical properties
- Load expansion attributed to higher octane for more optimized combustion phasing with acceptable pressure rise rates
Enables load expansion with RCCI combustion in a multi-cylinder engine
- Higher reactivity stratification for reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) multi-fuel approaches
- Demonstrated efficiency, emissions, and load expansion improvements with ethanol and bio-diesel blends
Increased Efficiency Through Fuel Effects
Lubrication Strategies/Tasks
- Predictive modeling - Integration of (continuum) component parasitic friction loss models into subsystems and vehicle level packages – ‘what if’ parametric studies
- Develop Science/Mechanistic Based Models - of Parasitic Losses and Durability/Reliability
- Lubricant Technology Development- Develop advanced lubricants (basefluids and additives) that reduce frictional losses while maintaining or exceeding other performance metrics (durability, reliability, corrosion, deposits, etc.
- Engineered Surface Technology- Development – Develop advanced engineered surfaces (textures, designs, materials and coatings) that mitigate parasitic losses from a systems approach. Go beyond current ferrous based tribological systems.
- Validation of Modeling and Technologies Develop protocols to improve the fidelity of models and technologies. Improve correlation between labscale tests and engine/vehicle tests. Develop high fidelity databases for models and simulation of parasitic losses. Lab-Rig-Engine-Vehicle Validation Studies
Lubricant Additive Studies
Developing common set of test protocols to evaluate frictional behavior of advanced additives (friction modifiers)
- Common test protocols to evaluate frictional behavior of low-friction additives using ring-on liner configuration
- Comparison of nanoparticulate additives and chemical additives show significant impact on friction response
- Characterization of surfaces inprogress to determine differences in surface finishes and formation of tribofilms
New Lubricant Technologies
New classes of lubricants and additives based on ionic liquids (IL)
- More effective boundary lubrication – up to 40% friction reduction compared to fully formulated oils (lab scale)
- Enhanced engine durability due to superior functionality via forming a protective surface boundary film
- GM CRADA, FOA-239 with Shell
Low reactivity lubricants for more efficient operation
-
Shown to mitigate spark-ignition gasoline engine knock
– Allows for improved combustion phasing at higher loads
– Use of higher compression ratio - CRADA under development with Southwest Research Institute
