Commercial vehicle fleets and drilling rigs use fuel sources like natural gas to power their operations. Natural gas is highly efficient and burns clean, making it budget- and environment-friendly. Engines that use natural gas need specialized oil to help the engine run properly and prevent excessive deposit buildup. Here is more information about these engines and the types of natural gas engine oil they use: Gas Engines
Natural Gas Engines
Natural gas engines can be designed to operate on liquified or compressed natural gas. Compressed natural gas is a dry fuel that combusts at high temperatures and produces fewer greenhouse gases when burned. Liquified natural gas engines are used in heavy-duty trucks and equipment for their fuel efficiency and smaller environmental impact than gasoline or diesel engines. The liquid fuel is typically stored in a tank insulated from the rest of the equipment to protect it from overheating.
Some natural gas engines are dual-fuel, which means they operate on natural gas and gasoline. This combination allows the engine to operate for longer periods with greater efficiency and fewer operational delays for refueling. It also saves you money by reducing your equipment’s dependency on diesel fuel, which is usually more expensive than other fuel types.
Types Of Natural Gas Engine Oils
Natural gas provides less lubrication in the combustion chamber than standard fuel types, which could cause premature wear without the correct oil. When natural gas engine oil is burned, it produces a small amount of ash that acts as a protective layer for the engine’s metal components. These engine oils range in the amount of ash they produce, from no-to-mid ash. These are some of the oil types that protect natural gas engines:
Ashless Oil
Ashless oil is the most eco-friendly oil type for natural gas engines. It results in clean, efficient burns for heavy-duty engines. Ashless oil is ideal for liquified natural gas and dual-fuel engines that don’t need ash to lubricate the metal components. The absence of deposits in the engine prevents premature combustion and other hazardous conditions.
Low Ash
Low ash oil is ideal for compressed natural gas engines in trucks and equipment. This product produces minimal deposits to protect engine components from excessive ash buildup that can disrupt the natural heat distribution within the engine and exhaust system. This also keeps the engine cleaner, extending its lifespan and minimizing wear.
Mid Ash
Mid ash oil produces an optimized layer of ash within the combustion chamber to protect the metal components from wear and valve regression. Valve regression occurs when there is too much ash buildup or heat production in the combustion chamber, causing the exhaust valves to burn, wearing them down to a smaller size and moving them out of place. This causes a loss in the chamber’s pressure, resulting in engine misfires or failure. The proper amount of ash in the combustion chamber protects the exhaust valves from this damage and promotes optimal engine performance.
How To Keep Your Engines Fueled and Lubricated
Keeping your engines fueled and lubricated reduces downtime and makes your operations more efficient. Regularly check the fuel and oil levels in your equipment to prevent damage or breakdowns that delay your projects. Installing a separate fuel tank on your job site or company property gives your team easy access to fuel to prevent downtime. It also reduces the amount of time spent traveling to fueling and lubrication stations.
Professional fueling companies offer solutions like remote fueling and fuel delivery services to further streamline this process. You can schedule a regular delivery to make sure your job site’s fuel tanks are always full. You can also hire a fueling company to deliver specialized oil to your property to keep your engines in good working condition. These delivery services range from one-time to weekly or monthly deliveries, depending on your fleet’s consumption rate.
Find a Reputable Mobile Fueling Company
If you have natural gas engines, make sure to use the appropriate oil to prevent engine damage or premature wear. A fueling company can help you select the engine oil with the right ash level and viscosity for your engine type and speed. The right lubricant regulates the temperature of your engine and helps it burn fuel more efficiently. Contact a mobile fueling company today to learn more about scheduling oil and fuel deliveries for your heavy-duty operations.
