Modification of lubricant properties in an operating all loss lubricating system

In the lubrication of a two-stroke crosshead diesel engine during engine use wherein a base lubricant is supplied to the one or more of the engine's cylinders, cylinder liners or piston rings during engine use and not recirculated, the improvement comprising modifying the lubricant's properties during engine use in response to engine lubrication requirements by:

• a) regularly measuring one or more of said engine's condition parameters, directly or indirectly, at one or more of said engine's cylinders, cylinder liners or piston rings, by measuring one or more item selected from a group consisting of
• metal wear, deposit formation, blow-by, heat transfer, corrosion, the scrape-down oil's metal content, scrape-down oil's metal oxide content, scrape-down oil's acidity, the scrape-down oil's TBN, scrape-down oil's capacitance, scrape-down oil's film thickness, scrape-down oil's viscosity, the scrape down oil's water content, the scrape down oil's oxidation, the scrape down oil's nitration, the scrape down oil's soot content, the scrape down oil's carbonate content, the scrape down oil's sulfate content, the scrape down oil's surface tension, the fuel sulfur content, exhaust SOx content, exhaust NOX content, exhaust gas temperature, cylinder liner temperature, coolant temperature, engine r.p.m. and engine load;
• b) calculating from said engine condition parameters an amount of secondary fluid to be added to said base lubricant,
• said secondary fluid being one or more fluids selected from the group consisting of performance enhancers, base stocks, and additional formulated lubricants,
• said performance enhancers being one or more items selected from a group consisting of detergents, dispersants, antioxidants, antiwear agents, friction-reducing agents and viscosity improvers, viscosity thickeners, extreme pressure additive, metal passivators, acid sequestering agents or a mixture thereof;
• c) mixing said base lubricant with said calculated amount of said secondary fluid creating a modified base lubricant;
• and
• d) supplying said modified base lubricant to one or more of said cylinders, cylinder liners or piston rings during engine operations.

An apparatus for the on-line modification of base lubricant properties comprising:

• a) an engine employing one or more base lubricants in an all loss lubrication system,
• b) at least one secondary fluid selected from a group consisting of performance enhancers, base lubricants or additional formulated lubricants,
• c) a measuring device to determine, directly or indirectly, the value of at least one engine condition parameter,
• d) a calculating device operating on one or more of said value of said engine condition parameters that determines the amount of said secondary fluid to add to said base lubricant, and
• e) a blending means to mix said base lubricant and said secondary fluid into a mixture prior to said mixture's introduction to said engine part or engine area of interest.

An apparatus that modifies the lubricant properties of one or more base lubricants in an operating engine comprising

• a) a two-stroke crosshead diesel engine with an all-loss lubricating system utilizing said base lubricant;
• b) at least one secondary fluid selected from a group consisting of performance enhancers, base stocks or additional formulated lubricants,
• wherein said performance enhancers being one or more fluids selected from a group consisting of detergents, dispersants, antioxidants, antiwear agents, friction-reducing agents and viscosity improvers, viscosity thickeners, extreme pressure additive, metal passivators, acid sequestering agents or a mixture thereof;
• c) at least one measuring device to determine, directly or indirectly, the value of an engine condition parameter by measuring an item selected from a group consisting of
• metal wear, deposit formation, blow-by, heat transfer, corrosion, the scrape-down oil's metal content, scrape-down oil's metal oxide content, scrape-down oil's acidity, the scrape-down oil's TBN, scrape-down oil's capacitance, scrape-down oil's film thickness, scrape-down oil's viscosity, the scrape down oil's water content, the scrape down oil's oxidation, the scrape down oil's nitration, the scrape down oil's soot content, the scrape down oil's carbonate content, the scrape down oil's sulfate content, the scrape down oil's surface tension, the fuel sulfur content, exhaust SOX content, exhaust NOX content, exhaust gas temperature, cylinder liner temperature, coolant temperature, engine r.p.m. and engine load;
• said engine part or area of interest being selected from a group consisting of the cylinder, the cylinder sleeve, scavenge space or the piston rings;
• d) a calculating device operating on an algorithm operating on one or more of said value of said engine condition parameters that determines the amount of said secondary fluid to add to said base lubricant;
• e) a blending means to mix said base lubricant with said secondary fluid prior to the resultant mixture's introduction into said engine part or engine area of interest.