South Africa-based lubrication manufacturer Engen launched its Hydrokin energy saving fluid (ESF) hydraulic oil in November, which Engen industrial products engineer Tony Kukard says can provide companies with up to 11% energy savings in equipment that consumes hydraulic fluid.

Engen industrial lubricants strategy manager Anton Allner explains the improved energy efficiency of Hydrokin ESF is the result of an enhanced viscosity index (VI) improver, which provides better sealing performance at all operating temperatures around machine parts such as pumps, pistons and rings.

“A better viscosity index enables the oil to stay fluid at lower temperatures and more viscous at higher temperatures while still meeting all its performance requirements, thereby reducing the input energy requirements of machinery. This ‘stay-in-grade’ performance of the fluid is central to its enhanced ability,” he says.

Tried and Tested
Kukard notes that the Hydrokin ESF was field- tested on a number of applications, including a local electrical installation, which saved more than 11% on electrical consumption and reduced electrical demand by more than 4.5% by using the lubricant. These local trials were independently audited and verified by South Africa-based energy management company Energy Cybernetics using the South African national standards 5001 methodology, which provides guidelines for energy management.

A Europe-based earth-moving equipment supplier also tested the lubricant and noted a 10% reduction in direct fuel consumption, improved productivity and a reduction in emissions. This field test was conducted on a medium-size excavator, a skid steer loader and a compact excavator.

Further, the Hydrokin ESF’s viscosity was tested against original-equipment-manufacturer (OEM) oil endorsed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) – which grades oils based on flow rates at 100 ºC – at 40 ºC and 100 ºC. The OEM oil was graded at SAE 10, which has a flow rate under 14 seconds at 100 ºC.

The trials involved the collection of a full scoop of dirt and a rotation of 180º, followed by the excavator travelling 30 m, dumping the load and then returning to the start position.

The tests were conducted at an ambient temperature range between 7 ºC and 18 ºC, and the equipment engines running at 90% and 100% throttle.

During the trials on the medium-size excavator, it was found that, at 40 ºC, the viscosity of the SAE 10 oil achieved 38.38 cSt, while the Hydrokin ESF achieved 49.94 cSt and at 100 ºC, the SAE 10 oil was calculated at 6.1 cSt, while the Hydrokin ESF achieved 10.14 cSt. The SAE 10 oil achieved 104 VI while Engen’s lubricant achieved 196 VI.

The skid steer loader trials were conducted with new the Hydrokin ESF and a competitor’s product and it was discovered that the competitor’s oil achieved 47 cSt at 40 ºC, while Engen’s oil achieved 66.5 cSt. At 100 ºC, the competitor’s lubricant achieved 8 cSt and the Hydrokin ESF 12.8 cSt. The competitor’s product achieved 142 VI while the Hydrokin ESF achieved 199 VI.

The oils were also tested after shear, which measures the amount of viscosity oil may lose during operation. The competitor’s lubricant achieved 44 cSt at 40 ºC and 7.5 cSt at 100 ºC. Meanwhile, the Hydrokin ESF achieved 61 cSt at 40 ºC and 12 cSt at 100 ºC. The competitor’s fluid achieved a 134 VI after shear, while Engen’s product had no losses in VI after shear.