Higher tolerance - Lubricants must adapt for biodiesel onslaught
The amount of information and speculation on the use of biodiesel has mushroomed in recent years as the global market for these fuels has grown.  However, relatively little has been reported on the effects of biodiesel on crankcase lubricants.  As customers and OEMs start to ask questions on the impact that these new fuels will have on the performance of engine oils Insight takes a look at the potential issues.

Rolling, rolling, rolling - improving reliability of North American locomotives
Railroad operators in North America are under pressure. Higher fuel prices, limited infrastructure, increased customer demand and tighter emissions regulations are all forcing the industry to do more with less. Operators are looking for ways to maintain profitability in these challenging times, and getting the most from each locomotive is now more essential than ever before. Today’s engine lubrication oil is playing an increasingly important role in ensuring engines remain reliably in service for as long as possible.

Winter diesel quality - Infineum tracks ULSD availability
To provide an insight into the impact of the introduction of ultra low sulphur diesel in the United States Infineum conducted a survey of winter quality fuels.  The analyses of critical fuel properties such as sulphur, lubricity, specific gravity, cetane and cloud point were carried out and data from the survey are about to be published.  Insight gives its readers a sneak preview of some of the key findings.

Burgeoning biodiesel - A close look at the global biodiesel market
Infineum first analysed the developing biofuels market back in 2002 and much has changed since then. Insight takes a look at Infineum’s latest thinking on biodiesel in the 2005 to 2010 period and examines the changing face of the global biodiesel market, the diversity of oil types and fuels and the adequacy of current biodiesel specifications.

Additives 2007 - Environmentally friendly and sustainable additives for future transport
The Royal Society of Chemistry and Institute of Mechanical Engineering conference on additives for fuels and lubricants was held in London in April. Infineum’s Pete Dowding, a member of the conference scientific committee, together with Marco Corradi & Matthew Irving, give an overview of the innovative thinking presented at Additives 2007.

GF-5 – the picture gets a little clearer
Although ILSAC GF-5 is not targeted to be completed and introduced as the basis for licensing the API Certification Mark (Starburst) until July 2010, a draft ILSAC GF-5 Standard has been presented to the ILSAC/Oil Committee for its consideration. Comparing the ILSAC proposal for GF-5 with the current GF-4 Standard requirements it is evident that major improvements in oil performance are being sought.