Customer
Who they are:
The customer, a private power station owner and operator in Indonesia, is a leading specialist in distributed power generation, utilizing high-speed gas engines in its gas-fired power stations.
Challenge
What they needed:
The company faced a significant oxidation challenge with the lubricants supplied for its MTU 16V4000L32F gas engine units. The lubricants not only surpassed the acceptable oxidation level but also exceeded the recommended viscosity threshold. Additionally, they barely met the minimum Total Base Number (TBN) requirement, raising concerns about the engines' capacity to neutralize acidic by products.
PETRONAS Expert Solution
What we did:
The company partnered with PETRONAS for a 1,300-hour dual-engine trial using PETRONAS GEO NG. Periodic oil sampling and analyses were conducted, monitoring kinematic viscosity, TBN and Total Acid Number (TAN), iron and copper content along with oxidation and nitration via Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis. The caution limits were established according to SOS Trakindo Lab and MTU OEM standards.
“PETRONAS GEO NG can be extended up to 1,500 hours ODI in normal engine operating condition.”
Result
The outcome:
The switch to PETRONAS GEO NG yielded excellent performance, maintaining all critical parameters within the specified limits throughout the trial. The oil analysis indicated that the kinematic viscosity remained within the acceptable limit, with a TBN value consistently above 3.0 mgKOH/gram. Oxidation levels were stable at around 20-21, and both iron and copper concentrations were within the acceptable range throughout 1,300 hours of operation. PETRONAS GEO NG also had the potential to operate for up to 1,500 hours oil drain interval (ODI).
