Is anyone in this network working with or considered trying bio-based lubricants (hydraulic fluids, gear oils, greases)?   These are biodeg...

3 Comments

1. Dear Prem Baboo,

   Thank you for your reply.  From your comments I see you have learned much on this subject.  I am employed at BioBlend Renewable Resources, LLC.  Our business is helping people replace petro-based lubes with vegetable oil alternatives.  When bio-based lubes were introduced commercially circa late 1980's / early 1990's, the additive technology was primitive and problems with thermal stability and pour point were common.  With present lubricant additive technology, properly formulated bio-based lubes are successful in a great many applications although they are not for every application.  Further, the price differential is less.  Increasing environmental concerns justify taking a look at today's product offerings. 

2. Dear John Peters,

   Due to the rise in petroleum prices as well as increasing environmental concerns, there is a need to develop biochemicals and bioproducts that offer realistic alternatives to their traditional counterpartsThe use of vegetable oils (soybean etc)and animal fats for lubrication purposes has been practiced for many years.Biobased lubricants are an attractive alternative to conventional petrobased lubricants due to a numberof their physical properties including: renewablility, biodegradability, high lubricity and high flash points. Biobased lubricants have not replaced petrobased lubricants due to their higher cost, oxidative and thermal instability and limited temperature applications.With the discovery of petroleum and the availability of inexpensive oils.Vegetable oils can and have been used as lubricants in their natural forms.

   Advantages of Vegetable Oils

   • Naturally Better Lubricant

   • Better Viscosity / Pressure Performance

   • Superior Thin Film Strength

   • Excellent Viscosity Index

   • Lower Volatility

   High Flash / Fire Points

    

   Disadvantages of Vegetable Oils

   • If Untreated, Lack Oxidative Stability

   • If Untreated, Have High Pour Points

   • Compatibility needs to be checked

   • Generally More Expensive than

   Petroleum??

3. Yes. I am in the process of setting up 2 wastewater treatment facilities in India that will produce bio-based lubricants as by products. These will be produced from the carbohydrate extraction of algal biomass.

   My company will be producing ABE (Acetone, Butanol and Ethanol) from the Algae Biomass and we are looking for offtake agreements for these by products. 

   If you are interested in procuring the ABE please do let me know.

   You can reach me at advenvtech@gmail.com