How you can maximize the life of your oil filling and engines
Lube oil filtration for marine diesel engines: CJC® Marine Lube Oil Filter for two-stroke and four-stroke engines
Lubricant filtration in marine diesel engines with CJC® is just the thing if you …
The challenge: contaminated and quickly ageing lubricant
The lubricant of marine diesel engines is loaded differently, depending on whether it is a four-stroke or two-stroke *). In principle, however, the entry of impurities into the lubricant is unavoidable: particles, water and blow-by gases enter the lubrication system as a result of combustion and wear processes, environmental conditions (temperature changes, climate zones, etc.) and during repairs and cleaning work. Impurities accelerate oil oxidation and additive degradation and cause early oil decay — even with high-quality and expensive lubricants such as synthetic oil. Since frequent refill and change intervals cost money and pollute the environment, efficient lubricant filtration and sensible fluid management are essential. Contaminated and rapidly aging lubricant has a serious impact on operational safety, availability, cost-effectiveness and sustainability of ship operations.
*) The lubricant of four-stroke engines is usually more heavily loaded because there is only one lubrication system and combustion residues quickly contaminate the entire lubricant source. Two-stroke engines, in comparison, have two separate lubrication systems — one for bearing lubrication and one for cylinder lubrication. Thus, combustion residues do not contaminate the entire lubricant source, and the lubricant for the cylinders remains clean (loss lubrication).
Damage and consequences caused by contaminated and rapidly ageing lubricant
The lubricant temperature of typically 50-90 °C already intensifies oxidation processes and the degradation of antioxidants, but impurities such as wear particles (Fe, Cu, Al, Zn etc.), soot and water accelerate these processes many times over. Important additives such as wear and corrosion protection additives, detergents and dispersants, and acid-neutralizing additives are consumed much faster. Emulsified water washes the additives out of the oil.
The degradation of the base oil and the additive depletion means that the viscosity and acidity of the lubricant increase and the lubricating effect can be lost. Aggressive acids, due to blow-by gases, intensify acidification. The ingress of blow-by gases is inevitable whether you’re running the marine diesel engine with heavy fuel oil, marine diesel or gas oil, distillates, blended or residual fuel grades, dual-fuel or natural gas (LNG).
Therefore, for lube oil filtration, you should rely on a solution that removes all impurities — particles, water, oxidation products and acids.
Water enters the lubrication system through leakages in the cooling system, by condensation, engine cleaning or centrifugal L.O. separators. Water in the lubricant damages metal surfaces (corrosion, rust and micro pitting) and accelerates oxidative processes and additive degradation. Abrasive rust particles damage surfaces and moving components and block narrow passages.
If cylinders and cylinder guides corrode, antifreeze also enters the lubrication system – immediate consequences for the marine diesel engine: increase in viscosity until the oil is wasted, poor flow and narrowed passages (lack of lubrication), clogged inline filters, deposits and an increased risk of foaming.
Water in combination with acids has a highly corrosive effect.
For lube oil filtration, you should ensure that your system also removes dissolved water, not only the emulsified water.
The sludge-like and varnish-like residues produced caused by oil oxidation preferably deposited in the marine diesel engine on valves, coolers, inline filters, bearings, internal boreholes, pipes and oil pan or circulation tank. Poorly controllable valves, changed lubrication gap geometries, decreasing effectiveness of the heat exchanger, clogged inline filters, and reduced flow (lack of lubrication) are the consequences. Reduced cooling capacity of the piston and heat exchanger can lead to severe engine failures.
During fuel combustion, also soot particles enter the lubricant. With increasing content and decreasing additives, they agglomerate, fall out and deposit throughout the system. The result is time-consuming cleaning and flushing as well as reduced engine power.
Your solution for lubricating oil filtration should be able to maintain the lubricant’s dispersancy as long as possible and slow down oxidation processes.
Particles cause excessive wear and damage to bearings, cylinder liners, piston rings and all oil-lubricated components. In particular, particles of 3—10 μm cause the most significant damage and block narrow passages such as camshafts, pins/bearings, cylinder liners and piston rings. Due to the increasingly narrow tolerances and higher pressures, you should attach importance to a corresponding filtration degree for lube oil filtration.
Contaminants, oxidation residues and an increased viscosity impair the air release property. Air bubbles in the engine oil entrain poorly, and the risk of foam increases resulting in a lack of lubrication for engine components.
Existing oil filters clog rapidly because of the low dirt holding capacity and must be changed frequently.
The conventional method
To ensure the reliable operation of the marine diesel engine, the crew regularly checks the condition of the lubricant. When a critical value is reached, they partially replace the lubricant or change the oil completely. However, this does not reduce the load on the lubricant. On the one hand, the newly filled-in oil contaminates within the shortest time due to deposits and dilution with dirty residual oil. On the other hand, impurities, oxidative processes and acids unhindered strain the lubricating properties and the long-term effect of additives, which shortens the service life of the oil filling. That finally results only in high oil consumption. With us, however, this is more ecological and economical.
CJC® Lubricating Oil Filter vs Centrifuges
Due to the enormous savings potential in terms of operating and energy costs, and the lower lubricating oil losses, the CJC® Lube Oil Filter amortizes within the first two years of operation despite the additional installation costs when retrofitting and replacing the centrifuge.
Briefly explained in our video — take a look for yourself
Did you know that by installing a CJC® Lube Oil Filter you …
And that you also achieve much higher oil cleanliness?
In addition, even easier to install and operate:
Your solution: Efficient care of the lubricant
Efficient lubricant care means continuously removing particles, water, oxidation residues and acids from the lubricant of your marine diesel engine (24/7). The fact is, only with permanently clean and dry lubricant you …
Less oil consumption
Less maintenance
Higher engine reliability
Higher resource protection
CJC® Lube Oil Filter for the care and filtration of lubricants
CJC® Lube Oil Filters ensure maximum oil cleanliness — they easily exceed the recommended cleanliness classes of the engine manufacturers. Achieve the highest level of protection for your oil filling and marine diesel engines quickly, long-lasting and cost-effectively. Rely on world-renowned solutions with documented field results in engine lube oil filtration for over 70 years.
Contact your maritime technical salesperson now
Let’s talk about your marine diesel engines, your lubricants and the specific challenges. We filter every oil – whether two-stroke or four-stroke, whether main or auxiliary engines and no matter whether you use LNG, MDO, MGO, distillates, blended or residual fuel grades, dual fual or heavy fuel oil. Together with you, we maximize the service life of oil filling and engines.
Receive a personal consultation and a non-binding offer about a CJC® Marine lubricating oil filter for the efficient care, drying and filtration of lubricants.
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Best Practices
Practical application studies prove the savings and benefits that our customers achieve with efficient lubricant filtration.
