Aceites de motor de baja viscosidad: ahorro de combustible y ensayos en condiciones reales

Abstract

CO2  emissions and fuel consumption reduction in road  transportation have become one of the most relevant concerns  in automotive industry, led mainly by global warming. A variety  of solutions has arisen to overcome this challenge, varying  in technical complexity, implementation costs and terms.  Among them, one proven cost-effective way to reduce fuel  consumption is the use of low viscosity oils (LVO). There are  different studies involving LVO and ICE, but currently limited  data are available regarding “real-world” performance of  LVO. This paper presents a study where the effect of the use  of LVO on urban buses regarding fuel consumption and oil  performance is assessed. A comparative analysis using 39 buses  was performed, based on an extensive fuel consumption control  and oil analysis program to assess aspects aforementioned.  2 engine technologies (Diesel / CNG) were considered and  4 different lubricants. Test duration comprised 2 oil drain  intervals, totalizing more than 2 million of km accumulated. The results have shown that LVO have benefits in terms of fuel  economy, closely linked to the engine design. On the other  hand, they presented an excellent performance during oil drain  interval, even improving some characteristics of the reference  oils used, without penalty in terms of reducing the oil lifespan,  a key indicator for end users related maintenance costs.