Biodegradable lubricants and functional fluids
AssigneeEthyl Petroleum Additives, Inc.
InventorsMark Rees, Ian MacPherson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Certain hydrogenated oligomers of 1-alkene hydrocarbons have been found to be substantially biodegradable upon exposure to microbiological agents of types widely available in the environment. Thus, in an operation wherein lubricating oil or functional fluid is released into the environment, there is provided for use as the lubricating oil or functional fluid a substantially biodegradable lubricating oil or functional fluid at least 10 percent by volume of which is composed of at least one substantially biodegradable liquid hydrocarbon of lubricating viscosity formed by oligomerisation of 1-alkene hydrocarbon having 6 to 20 carbon atoms in the molecule and hydrogenation of the resultant oligomer.
Claims26
In an operation wherein lubricating oil or functional fluid is released or likely to be released into the environment, the improvement which comprises providing for use as the lubricating oil or functional fluid a substantially biodegradable lubricating oil or functional fluid at least 10 percent by volume of which is composed of at least one substantially biodegradable liquid hydrocarbon of lubricating viscosity formed by oligomerization of 1-alkene hydrocarbon having 6 to 20 carbon atoms in the molecule and hydrogenation of the resultant oligomer, and wherein said lubricating oil or functional fluid contains a small visually-perceptile chromophoric quantity of at least one oil-soluble chromophoric substance.
A substantially biodegradable lubricating oil or functional fluid composition which comprises at least 10% by volume of at least one substantially biodegradable liquid hydrocarbon of lubricating viscosity formed by oligomerization of 1-alkene hydrocarbon having 6 to 20 carbon atoms in the molecule and hydrogenation of the resultant oligomer, and wherein said biodegradable lubricating oil or functional fluid composition contains a small visually-perceptible chromophoric quantity of at least one oil-soluble chromophoric substance.
In an operation wherein lubricating oil or functional fluid is released or likely to be released into the environment, the improvement which comprises providing for use as the lubricating oil or functional fluid a substantially biodegradable lubricating oil or functional fluid which contains a substantially biodegradable liquid hydrocarbon of lubricating viscosity formed by oligomerization of 1-alkene hydrocarbon having 6 to 20 carbon atoms in the molecule and hydrogenation of the resultant oligomer and a visually-perceptible chromophoric quantity of at least one oil soluble chromophoric substance.
A substantially biodegradable liquid hydrocarbon of lubricating viscosity formed by oligomerization of 1-alkene hydrocarbon having 6 to 20 carbon atoms in the molecule and hydrogenation of the resultant oligomer, the improvement comprises the addition to said hydrocarbon a small visually-perceptible chromophoric quantity of at least one oil-soluble chromophoric substance.
A method of operating machinery requiring a lubricant or functional fluid under conditions such that said lubricant or functional fluid may escape into the environment wherein said lubricant or functional fluid contains at least 10% by volume of a substantially biodegradable liquid hydrocarbon formed by oligomerization of 1-alkene hydrocarbon having 6 to 20 carbon atoms in the molecule and hydrogenation of the resultant oligomer and a small visually-perceptible chromophoric quantity of at least one oil-soluble chromophoric substance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.