What is the difference between hydrocracking and synthetics? Choosing engine oil. Difference between Hydrocracking and PJSC. Advantages and disadvantages

Hydrocracking

The hydrocracking process is known relatively recently, only from the mid-sixties of the last century. Although it should be noted that practical use was established only by the mid-seventies in the United States of America.

Hydrocracking- hydrocatalytic processing of raw materials to obtain base oils with a high viscosity index (100 and higher), low content of sulfurous and aromatic hydrocarbons. Oils the right quality are obtained not by removing unwanted components from raw materials (as in the case of purification with selective solvents, adsorption purification and hydrotreating), but by converting them into hydrocarbons of the required structure due to hydrogenation, cracking, isomerization and hydrogenolysis reactions (removal of sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen occurs), which affects the stability of the oils obtained. Hydrocracking produces high-quality bases for a wide range of commercial lubricating oils: hydraulic, transformer, motor, energy, industrial, etc. In terms of their physicochemical properties, HA oils are superior to “classic” mineral oils.

Hydrocracking synthetics, semisynthetics or mineral water?

Let's try to figure it out. It would be more correct, nevertheless, to classify HA oils as a special class of oils, although manufacturers of motor oils, in order not to frighten motorists with complex and unusual terminology, and also using the fact that the American Petroleum Institute recognized hydrocracking oils as synthetic, write on the packages something like “ synthetic technologies" etc. Some manufacturers do not at all write on their packages the method of production of the base, and in essence, HA oils are an improved mineral water.

Semi-synthetic a is, by definition, a mixture of mineral and synthetic base oils. The synthetic base is usually poly-alpha-olefins (PAO) or esters, or their mixture. In HA oils - mineral oil is replaced by cracking oil... The mineral base is the cheapest. It is a product of direct distillation of oil, consisting of molecules of different lengths (the length of hydrocarbon chains is 20 ... 35 atoms) and different structures.

Because of this heterogeneity:

instability of viscosity-temperature properties
high volatility
low resistance to oxidation.

Mineral base- the most common engine oil in the world. PAO is the base, these are hydrocarbons with a chain length of the order of 10 ... 12 atoms. It is obtained by polymerization (connection) of short hydrocarbon chains - monomers of 3 ... 5 atoms. The raw material for this is usually gasoline molecules, or petroleum gases - butylene and ethylene. Advantages of PAO: do not freeze down to -60C, high resistance to temperature extremes, aging, low volatility. Such an oil base is 4.5 times more expensive than a mineral base. Esters are esters - products of the neutralization of carboxylic acids with alcohols. Raw materials for production are vegetable oils, such as rapeseed, or even coconut. Esters have a number of advantages over all others. known fundamentals... Firstly, ester molecules are polar, that is, the electric charge is distributed in them so that the molecule itself "sticks" to the metal. Secondly, the viscosity of esters can be set even at the stage of base production: the heavier alcohols are used, the higher the viscosity is obtained.

The disadvantages of traditional synthetic components are not limited to the high price. The fact is that both PAO and esters, additives dissolve worse in them, without which the production of modern motor oil is impossible. As for esters, they are distinguished by increased sensitivity to the ingress of water and, especially, water vapor. A very successful attempt to combine the high quality of synthetics with the non-aggressiveness of "mineral water" and, most importantly, at a reasonable price, was the technology of hydrocracking, or "NS-synthesis".

Raw materials for GC oils, in contrast to PAO, in not short hydrocarbon molecules protrude- monomers, and heavy, long hydrocarbon chains of 20 ... 35 atoms and more. Long chains are broken (cracked) into shorter "oil" ones with a homogeneous structure, break points in new shortened molecules saturated with hydrogen(hydrogenation). Hence the name - "hydrocracking". As a result of hydrocracking, a base oil with very high viscosity-temperature characteristics is obtained - their viscosity index (VI) reaches 130 - 150 units. For comparison, the VI in the best mineral bases is no more than 100. In addition, HC oils do not corrode seals, they are less "afraid" of water ingress, and are much better compatible with additives than PAO and esters. And the most important thing! The hydrocracking base costs only 2 times more than the mineral base, i.e. 2.5 times cheaper than PJSC and 3-5 times cheaper than esters. Therefore, the hydrocracking base has become widely used in the production of synthetics and semisynthetics, since it is better than mineral and cheaper than PAO.

Also, not so long ago, another interesting technology appeared: Shell's GTL Pure Plus, in other words, it is a synthesis of the molecules we need with the properties we need from natural gas... It has little to do with the production of "conventional oils" and it is it that, today, can be called fully synthetic.

The fact is that GTL oils have all the advantages of PAO and, at the same time, do not have their disadvantages, including prices. And accordingly, their performance characteristics are higher than those of oils based on hydrocracking, at least because they do not make semisynthetics and do not add a mineral base. As for the price, it is at the level of "synthetic hydrocracking" oils from other well-known manufacturers, and the advantages are obvious.

I want to note that in the Shell line there are, and stand separately (HX8 and HX7), synthetic and semi-synthetic oils based on hydrocracking, produced using the XHVI technology. And it is this technology that makes it possible to make HA oils of an ultra-high viscosity index, in contrast to other manufacturers of HA oils.

Any motor oil is a mixture of a base oil and an additive package. Nowadays, base oils are usually divided into five main groups.

First group- common mineral water obtained from heavy oil fractions in the presence of various solvents.

Second group- improved mineral oils, hydrotreated to increase the stability of the base oil, and better purified from harmful impurities. They have their own niche, mainly in the field of freight transport, heavy marine and industrial diesel engines - they are used where oil consumption is huge and the use of expensive synthetics is ruinous.

Third group- base oils obtained by hydrocracking technology (HC-technology). On Internet forums, "experts" contemptuously call these oils "crack", although they occupy the bulk of the market. Some firms position them as semi-synthetic (although they themselves admit the incorrectness of the term “semi-synthetics”), some call them NS synthetics. In fact, it is also a mineral oil obtained from the corresponding fractions of oil, but improved - both in purity and in molecular structure.

Fourth group- Full Synthetic, or fully synthetic oils. They are based on polyalphaolefins (PAO). PAO molecules are a purely synthetic product that is obtained as a result of chemical reactions mainly from petroleum gases- ethylene or butylene. Such oils are "collected" as a constructor, and therefore their properties are more predictable than those of mineral water. The disadvantage of PJSCs is the high price. Therefore, little tricks are used: why not mix twenty, thirty or forty percent of PAO with "crack" and call such an oil completely synthetic? After all, the share of PAO in synthetics is not specified anywhere! The trick can only be guessed by the flash point, which is indicated in technical description oils: in PAO it tends to 250 ° C and even higher (sometimes 280 ° C), and in pure HC synthetics - about 225 ° C.

Fifth group base oils are united by everything that was not included in the first four. And the main one included in this group and which is actively used in the production of commercial oils is the base oil based on esters.

Esters- fully synthetic compounds obtained not from oil, but mainly from plant materials, mainly from rapeseed oil. It is a purely synthetic product with complete stability. Its molecules are charged, due to which they adhere to metal walls and reliably reduce wear. Unfortunately, it is impossible to make an oil consisting of esters alone: friction losses will be great. Therefore, oils of the fifth group are also a mixture, most often of esters and PAO, but at the same time, since for pure synthetics part of the performance properties can be set at the stage of base oil assembly, the volume of the additive package can be significantly less.

WHAT'S NEW?

The coolest group is the fifth, from which we took three ester oils, each with its own zest.

Cupper SAE 5W-40 Full Ester

The most ester, if I may say so: according to the manufacturer, contains up to 80% of esters and only 2.5% of additives with special metal-cladding (fr. Laquer - to cover) components.

XENUM WRX 7.5W40

Ester with microceramic additives based on boron nitride. In fact, boron nitride is a powerful abrasive, but a very fine fraction is used here, which, it is said, is an analogue of a solid lubricant in friction zones. Note the unconventional, "fractional" SAE class and a considerable price.

KROON Oil Poly Tech 10W-40

Here, the so-called OSP-technology is used, in which up to 30% of special polyesters - polyalkylene glycols (PAG) - are included in the base oil based on PAO and esters. They are completely soluble in oil and contribute to better dissolution of the additive package. Note the high viscosity index of PAG (over 180 units), which provides good starting properties at low temperatures. The approximate price is 5000 rubles for 5 liters.

A curious couple from the third and fourth groups were taken to join the esters.

TOTEK Astra Robot 5W40

RAVENOL HCS 5W-40 API SL / SM / CF

We will take this hydrocracking synthetics as a starting point. The price is ridiculous.

The challenge is to see how these oils perform under identical bench test conditions: what to expect and what to hope for? At the same time, we will not compare oils of the fourth and fifth groups with each other: it is not they who compete, but the principles of development of the directions of modern "oil construction".

LONG RUN

Almost all oil producers declare energy-saving features, reduced wear, exceptional parts cleanliness, and extended oil life. This can be verified and compared only during long-term bench tests that provide identical working conditions for each product. The technique is run-in.

The heart of the research facility is a bench engine based on the VAZ-2111, and the operating conditions for the oil in it are specially toughened. In particular, the compression ratio has been increased and oil cooling of the pistons has been introduced: the oil is heated additionally. The samples were investigated in the chemical laboratory of the Department of Engines, Cars and Tracked Vehicles of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and in the North-West Center for Expertise.

Under such conditions, each oil spent 180 hours in a mode typical for the movement of a car on a highway (an ordinary car would have covered about 15,000 km during this time); except that the number of warm-up starts was much less.

During the tests, we took samples of the oil to track the history of its aging. In parallel, power, fuel consumption and exhaust gas toxicity were measured. After each cycle, the motor was disassembled to assess its condition - in particular, the degree of wear.

The Torment of Hydrocracking

The first oil was poured into the bench motor, designed to set the initial reading level. These are HC synthetic RAVENOL HCS 5W ‑ 40. Everything was fine, but 130 hours after the start of the tests, the viscosity fell out of the upper limit determined by the declared SAE class (16.3 cSt), which we always equate with a formal refusal. Mileage (in terms of) - a little more than 11,000 km. A sharp increase in viscosity determined a noticeable deterioration in engine performance: power decreased by 3%, fuel consumption increased by 7%.

WILL YOU BE THE FOURTH?

The fourth group of base oils in our test was represented by the "most" synthetic motor oil - TOTEK Astra Robot 5W40. And, admittedly, very successful. Against the backdrop of the hydrocracked oil, the benefits of PAO-based full synthetics were clearly visible.

Firstly, this is a resource. The conditional 15,000 km of oil worked easily, its parameters remained within the specified limits. The aging rate even under the proposed harsh conditions turned out to be noticeably lower than that of oils of the "younger" groups. And the motor characteristics at the end of the tests were not too different from the initial ones.

Secondly, this oil surprised with its low-temperature properties: -54 ºС - this is the freezing point! A high viscosity index (under 170) provides a good viscosity-temperature characteristic, which guarantees optimal oil performance both at high temperatures under loaded conditions and at cold start.

Burnout for the entire test cycle was minimal. Affected by low volatility, which is indirectly confirmed by the highest flash point among all oils in this group. As well as the results of measurements of the toxicity of exhaust gases: the yield of residual hydrocarbons is noticeably less than when the engine is running on other oils - non-fuel, that is, the oil component of toxicity has noticeably decreased. How do we know what exactly oil is? From there, that the fuel component with the same gasoline and the same adjustments makes a difference only within the margin of error.

The level of contamination in the engine is typical for synthetics: not large, but still noticeable.

COPPER IN OIL

The first representative of the fifth group was Cupper 5W40 Full Ester oil. A new original additive package containing copper must provide metal-cladding properties. What does this mean? A thin copper film will form on the working surfaces of the parts, smoothing out roughness, and also protecting friction units from scuffing and wear. The oil withstood 15,000 km. After opening the engine, we saw that the surfaces of the cylinders began to resemble Karelian birch veneer - both in color and pattern. This is copper. And the weighing of the parts was generally shocked: instead of loss, a steady increase in mass was observed on the bearing shells! Minimum, at the level of a few milligrams - but an increase! Has the copper from the oil transferred to the working surfaces of the liners? And one more miracle: the base number in a fresh (before testing) oil sample was only about 3 mg KOH / g instead of the usual 6-10 KOH / g. Error? We measured it several times - that's right! And after the tests, it dropped only slightly. This is what the combination of an ester base and a metal-cladding additive package gives. There were no miracles with the rings, but the rate of wear is actually less than on the reference hydrocracking synthetics.

The resource is worse than that of TOTEK Astra Robot oil based on pure PAO, but much better than that of the reference hydrocracking. This is understandable: the additives work intensively, but there are not many of them - therefore, the oil resource cannot be infinite. But we remind you: the conditional 15,000 km of oil has honestly worked out.

MOTOR ESSTER OIL: WHITE ON BLACK

"Estero-ceramic" oil Xenum WRX 7.5W40 with microceramic gave a record low wear rate of piston rings and cylinders, in addition, the wear rate of bearings also decreased. Boron nitride "solid lubricant" works! The energy-saving effect in oil manifested itself precisely where conventional motors have a particularly hard time - in maximum modes and, which looks strange to non-professionals, in idle mode. In the first case, all parts are subject to maximum loads, which the oil must withstand. In the second case, there are no loads, but the speed of the relative movement of parts, forcing them to "float" on the oil layer, is very low. Therefore, not all oil works, but mainly its additives.

But it was not without tar.

Firstly, the aging rate of this oil from the ester group turned out to be noticeably higher than that of the Cupper oil - Xenum lost even to the TOTEC oil from the PAO group. The test cycle was passed, but the resource reserve at its end was minimal. In our opinion, this is a consequence of the more severe operating conditions of the oil film in the presence of ceramic microparticles. Focal local temperatures in friction zones where solid microparticles work can rise, and this inevitably spoils the oil base.

Secondly, the low-temperature properties of this oil also turned out to be not so hot. However, the non-standard "7.5" in the SAE classification did not promise anything else. And further. After the oil samples had stood on the shelf for some time, a badly washed off sediment was found in them! Even long agitation of the sample did not remove it from the bottom of the bottle. Miracles do not happen: ceramics are heavy, it is impossible to keep it in the volume of oil for a long time. Of course, there was not much sediment, but it somehow made me uneasy. The only thing that calms down is the fact that oil has been on our market for several days, but no "horror stories" associated with it seem to have been found.

Note that the color of the samples changed intensively. Initially, the oil resembled kefir in color: white-white. After 40 hours, it already looked like ordinary oil - dark, but the sediment was still whitish. Boron nitride, however.

"POLY TECH" IN POLYTECH

The tests were carried out in the laboratory of the Department of Engines of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute. How do you get past the oil with such a familiar name - KROON Oil Poly Tech? The only oil of the PAG group on our market as a whole confirmed what the description read. The main thing is that when opening the engine after 180 hours of operation in hard modes, we found almost clean pistons! There were virtually no high-temperature deposits, and the piston groove area was clean. And this means that the rings on this oil work normally, no occurrence should be expected.

Low temperature deposits were found to be lower than other oils. The oil's polyalkylene glycol base appears to dissolve them as promised by the manufacturer. And everything is fine with the resource: 15,000 km of oil "passed" with a margin of several thousand kilometers.

As for the engine resource and wear protection, everything is also very worthy, at the level of the best ester samples and much better than that of the base HC synthetics. But with "cold" properties it is not so unambiguous. The pour point is below minus fifty, and this is one of the best indicators, but the viscosity index is not the highest. It is not for nothing that SAE class 10W-40 is indicated.

OILS FROM THE FUTURE

Who said that all engine oils come from the same barrel? During the tests, we made two important discoveries for ourselves.

First, HC oils work quite well for their price and are not able to spoil even the most modern engine.

Secondly, there are more interesting options than the third group, the most common on the market. And each of the oils considered has its own advantages, with the only drawback - a high price. But it's not a sin to pay for a good thing, especially since the overpayment most often does not exceed the cost of one or two refueling. If we take into account the effect of energy saving (saving gasoline by an average of 2-4%), improving the dynamics of the car, starting properties and reducing the rate of engine wear, then the overpayment does not look at all frightening.

Any of the oils we tested can be safely poured into the engine. According to our information, the same Xenum is very fond of racers. Cupper with its copper still seems to be something inexplicable, but it survived! There are no questions about TOTEK oil. And polyalkylene glycol oil KROON Oil Poly Tech generally disperses with a bang. In short, use it boldly - of course, if the quality group of the selected oil is consistent with the requirements of the vehicle operating instructions.

Xenum WRX 7.5W40

price, rub. from 6000

Volume, l 5

KROON Oil Poly Tech 10W ‑ 40

Estimated price, rub. 5000

Volume, l 5

OUR COMMENT

There are only a few manufacturers of base oils and additives, and therefore the variety of final products has nowhere to come from. The oils we tested are produced in small volumes. New solutions are being tested on such products. Kroon Oil is a former Shell subsidiary, XENUM is frequently used in motorsport, Cupper and TOTEC are new Russian production... It can be difficult to attribute oil to one group or another: the manufacturer does not advertise its composition. The main part is HC oils, the rest, approximately equally divided, are cheap mineral water (popular overseas and in the Middle East) and the so-called full synthetics.

Why choose hydrocracking oils

Range of products on the market lubricants pretty big. In addition to mineral, synthetic and semi-synthetic fluids, differing in viscosity, the buyer is also offered transmission facilities. One of the novelties among these products is hydrocracking oils. The article is short review properties of such liquids, their advantages and differences from other products.

What is Hydrocracked Engine Oil

Hydrocracking lubricants differ from traditional ones (mineral and synthetic), first of all, in the manufacturing technology. The former have a fundamentally different way of producing the base than other liquids.

This technology originated in the United States in the mid-70s. Then the base part of the lubricant was obtained from the mineral base with the help of a special chemical treatment and purification of the resulting composition. The resulting substance is similar in its properties to a synthetic substrate.

Thus, hydrocracking can be characterized as a special way of influencing the natural base oil. As a result of this processing method, its molecular structure changes radically. In terms of operational and other characteristics, hydrocracking oils are much closer to synthetic than to mineral oils.

At the same time, the basis of such a tool, being much cleaner than mineral and having better properties in comparison with it, is still lower in quality than synthetic lubricants. But the synthesis of oil is much more expensive than the hydrocracking treatment of the oil substrate. This is the main advantage of the latter.

Hydrocracked oils are superior in quality to mineral oils. In addition, they can replace synthetics in terms of basic characteristics, while being much cheaper than it.

If we evaluate the properties of various lubricants from the point of view of an ordinary consumer, then it is hydrocracking oils that are the optimal solution for him in terms of the combination of quality and price. This product meets the high standards set by the world's car manufacturers and is relatively inexpensive.

Hydrocracking oils are supplied to the market by almost every big company, engaged in the production of fuels and lubricants. That is, the market niche of such products is quite wide.

What is the difference between hydrocracking oil and conventional

As already mentioned, hydrocracked oil is produced in a different way than synthetic oil. However, in terms of molecular structure, they are almost identical. High-quality synthetic engine oil, which has a high resistance to stress, needs to be replaced no more often than after 15 thousand kilometers (some brands are even more durable and can withstand 20-30 thousand kilometers). Hydrocracking grease becomes unusable after 10 thousand km and needs to be changed. And since the quality of gasoline at domestic gas stations is rather doubtful, such oil should be replaced even more often - once every 7-8 thousand km.

Thus, the main disadvantage of hydrocracking lubricants is their relatively short service life. But the main advantage of such products is their low price. It is possible thanks to a simplified production method. Low cost price means lower total cost per canister of oil.

Why is hydrocracked oil often called synthetic?

Lubricant manufacturers themselves are not very willing to tell the consumer what basic framework have their products, trying not to draw his attention to it. The American Petroleum Institute (API) even equates genuine synthetic motor oils with hydrocracked products.

This enables manufacturers to indicate the origin of the lubricant base in different ways on the packaging. Some people report that the product was obtained through HC-synthesis (Hydro Craking Synthese Technology). Others restrict themselves to noting that the oil is synthetic, or synthesis technologies were used in its production.

Some companies that produce motor lubricants do not give any information on the packaging of their products as to what their basis is. It is such a situation that even products from the top of the best synthetic or hydrocracking oils are not so easy to recognize: in the catalogs of a number of companies, they do not have any special designations indicating the origin of the substrate of these products.

The modern buyer chooses a product based on its price and taking into account all the tolerances and classifications of ICE manufacturers. Therefore, the basis of the lubricant is not indicated directly and can only be determined by indirect indications.

For example, mineral-based oils will be the cheapest among similar products. On the other hand, real synthetic lubricants will occupy the highest price positions. This division is due to the cost of production of various means. As a rule, semi-synthetics are more expensive than mineral lubricants, and hydrocracking oil is even more expensive (although not comparable in price to fully synthetic ones).

The viscosity of a product also says a lot about the origin of its base. In practice, the most liquid are synthetic lubricants - 0W10 and 0W20. Popular grades such as 5W30 and 5W40 have a hydrocracked base. 10W40 - as a rule, mineral water or semi-synthetics. And 15W50 is a mineral oil.

Thus, the hydrocracking technology makes it possible to obtain a material similar in many respects to synthetic lubricants. Therefore, the positioning of these oils in one category is not without reason.

When choosing a lubricant for your car, consider which product is right for your technique, purpose and driving style. In general, there is not much difference whether it is a mineral liquid or a hydrocracking liquid. The main thing is the tolerances of the manufacturer of this tool.

The base base affects the life of the oil and the convenience of working with the motor. And also the required frequency of changing the lubricant in the engine depends on it. As already mentioned, inexpensive mineral oils from natural petroleum products need to be changed most often. They also have other disadvantages: such a lubricant can thicken during severe frosts in winter. And at high loads on the internal combustion engine, it does not protect parts well, etc.

It is worth mentioning that the announced dates for replacing the lubricant are only approximate guidelines for the car enthusiast, and the real period can be much shorter. Consider the influence of factors such as: low-quality fuel, frequent driving on dusty roads, stop-start movement (typical for metropolitan areas with active traffic). This contaminates the engine oil much faster. Even if it does not "age" at the same time, it still needs to be changed. Doubtful fuel quality significantly reduces the resource of any lubricant, regardless of the origin of their base.

Why buy hydrocracking oils

All types of oils have their own characteristic pros and cons. Hydrocracked lubricants offer the following benefits:

high viscosity indicators;

high resistance to oxidants;

high degree of solubility of additives;

resistance to shear deformation arising from strong thermal and mechanical stress;

ensuring high wear resistance of engine parts;

the ability not to form deposits;

low coefficient of friction;

safety for rubber parts;

ability to work in overload mode.

Hydrocracking is a rather complex and deep technology for processing a substance, consisting of several parallel chemical reactions.

Experts speak positively about this method of producing lubricants also because it is environmentally friendly. It does not use toxic solvents, and hydrocracked products do not pose a threat to the environment.

Can synthetic and hydrocracked oils be mixed?

A new car that has just rolled off the assembly line usually does not create any problems for its owner. It is enough to change the lubricant in accordance with the planned schedule, purchasing the required oil composition from authorized dealers. The complexities and tricks associated with choosing and changing fluids usually do not apply to new cars. But with the end of the warranty period and as the mileage increases, the situation changes and not for the better.

Of course, you can continue to fill in the same lubricant out of habit. However, the range of products on the market is so large, and advertising is so persistent that most motorists are inclined to experiment, looking for cheaper or, conversely, advanced oil formulations.

As a rule, by the end of the warranty period (2–4 years without mileage restrictions), any car has time to drive about 100 thousand km. Reaching this milestone means that it is time to switch to oil with a different high-temperature viscosity. Fill with 5W-30 lubricant first. And after 100 thousand km of run, it is advisable to start using a product with a higher viscosity: 5W-40 or 10W-40. Provided that such indicators are allowed for a given car model, which is reflected in the technical documentation for it.

Even if the engine is thoroughly flushed and the used oil is completely drained, it remains there in an amount of at least half a liter. In addition, flushing fluid settles on the engine parts, which Negative influence on them. Therefore, in any case, the old, used oil will mix with the new one, this cannot be avoided.

Sometimes the lubricant level drops to critical levels. This is possible as a result of severe burnout, the cause of which is a low-quality composition. Or due to a leak in the lubrication system. In such situations, you have to add oil. And it is not always at hand that there is a lubricant of the viscosity and the manufacturer that this car is usually poured into. In such cases, drivers also have to mix different motor fluids.

Purely synthetic lubricants contain additives that are perfectly compatible with their base oil base. Semi-synthetic products are so named because approximately 70% of them are composed of a mineral substrate. This means that other additive packages are compatible with them (even if we are talking about oil formulations of the same brand). Mixing these lubricants is a certain risk and it is not advisable to ride this mixture for a long time. Not to mention the combination of oils from different manufacturers.

Additives are also incompatible with each other. Mineral lubricants with a low viscosity index require a large amount of additives to stabilize it. And for synthetics, such additions are absolutely not required. Since its base base itself is quite viscous without any auxiliary modifiers.

Synthetic motor oils require far fewer depressant additives to lower the pour point. With mineral compositions, everything is the opposite. What happens when you mix these oil products? The result will be a rather unpleasant result: the mixture will become much less fluid and will not get on all engine parts. And this is already fraught with accelerated wear and tear of the machine.

The safest way to mix oils is to add synthetics to semi-synthetics. If both lubricants are made by the same brand, this is completely safe. Synthetic oil, being of higher quality and fluidity, will not change its viscosity indicators.

But mixing lubricants of different brands, even with similar base compositions, is not the best best idea... This can be done only in case of emergency (if you need to get to the house or the nearest car service and there are no other oils available). After adding another manufacturer's lubricant to the base composition, drain it as soon as possible. Then thoroughly flush the engine and fill it with a more suitable oil. Otherwise, the motor mechanism may coke due to incompatibility of additives. But that's not all: a repeated oil change will be required after 5 thousand km of run (this is necessary to get rid of the remnants of the old mixture from the engine).

How to Distinguish Hydrocracked Motor Oil from Synthetic

If you set out to purchase hydrocracking oil, then look for the “HC-Synthese” mark on the product packaging.

Of course, it is more profitable for lubricant manufacturers to pass it off as pure synthetics, so they try not to advertise the production technology of the product. Moreover, formally they are right and do not violate the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights. Therefore, if you want to choose a synthetic product for your car, you will have to rely on the honesty of the sellers or immediately focus on the most expensive products: not a single large car dealership with a good reputation will raise the prices for hydrocracking oils to the level of synthetic ones.

It is easier to obtain truthful information about lubricants produced in the European Union. Hydrocracked products will be labeled “HC”. 100% synthetics are also marked accordingly. But mineral-based oils are not marked in any special way.

With products from Japan and Korea, everything is more complicated: hydrocracking is equated there with synthetics. On the packaging of Asian lubricants, you can see only three types of markings: mineral oil, synthetic, semi-synthetic. Therefore, the only reliable criterion is the price.

Russian manufacturers of lubricants also do not believe that it is impossible to produce absolute synthetics from liquid petroleum products. And if mineral and semi-synthetic products are labeled accordingly, then products produced using synthesis and hydrocracking technologies fall into one category.

Keep in mind that it is impossible to determine the base base of an engine oil at home, just like in the garage. This is not done experimentally. An analysis of the product is required in a professional chemical laboratory.

The optimum operating time for an engine oil depends on many factors. This includes the duration of the trips, the driving style that determines the load on the engine, and the current state of the engine itself. Of course, the quality of the oil also plays an important role.

Regular checks of the quality of the product poured into the engine will allow you to detect problems in time and replace the lubricant composition, preventing serious problems with the car and saving your finances. You should not continue to use oil that has become unusable. However, replacing it too often is also not the most reasonable option. But driving with poor lubricant is still dangerous: if it leads to a breakdown, you will have to fork out for serious repairs.

How to determine the condition of an engine oil by its appearance?

If the product has acquired a dark color, it means that it is contaminated with combustion products. However, despite the black color, the grease can still do a pretty good job of cleaning the motor.

The color of the dipstick does not yet characterize the current state of the fluid in the engine.

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Most motorists are familiar with the traditional division of motor oils into synthetic, semi-synthetic and mineral oils. Hydrocracking oils that have appeared not so long ago are knocked out of this classification. What are their features, advantages and disadvantages in comparison with other types, now let's figure it out.

Good old synthetics

First, let's remember what synthetic oil is. Unlike mineral, which is obtained as a result of oil refining, synthetic is a product complex technologies of chemical processes... During its production, oil is distilled and broken down into individual molecules. From them, a base lubricant is created, which is then given the necessary properties with the help of various additives. A properly selected synthetic oil can protect the engine from wear, extreme high and low temperatures and the formation of carbon deposits.

What is hydrocracking

Hydrocracking technology or, as it is also called, hc-synthesis appeared in the 1970s in the United States. Speaking in simple words, its essence lies in the hydrotreating of natural petroleum mineral base. Hydrotreating in this case refers to the effect of hydrogen at high pressure and temperature. This process takes place in special "hydrocracking towers", where a stepwise process of processing oil products is provided. But most car owners do not need to know such subtleties.

The main thing is that as a result of hydrotreating, the mineral base of the oil is largely retained, but thanks to the use of additives, it significantly improves its performance.

There are the following advantages of hydrocracking oils in comparison with other types (mainly mineral and semi-synthetic):

High viscosity grade.
Antioxidant resistance.
High degree of solubility of additives.
Increased protection of parts against wear.
Reduced coefficient of friction.
Prevention of the formation of deposits.
High efficiency in overload mode.

Not so important for the consumer, but nevertheless an essential feature of hydrocracking products is their comparative environmental friendliness... No toxic solvents are used in hc synthesis, and the environment is much less harmful. Therefore, it can be assumed that the technology of production of fuels and lubricants based on hydrotreating has a much more promising future than other methods of production of oils.

Is it synthetic or not

In terms of its properties, hydrocracking oil is much closer to synthetics than to mineral water. The American Petroleum Institut in its classification of fuels and lubricants classifies hydrocracking oils as synthetic, or rather to the third group - the so-called base oils of the highest quality made from oil. Many manufacturers do the same, without dividing categories. They often do not indicate at all which base is used in the manufacture of a particular product. Often this allows you to sell hydrocracking oils under the guise of fully synthetic, because you can only distinguish one from the other with the help of chemical analysis... If you look closely, then hydrocracking oil cannot be considered synthetic, if only because it retains the original molecular basis, while synthetics are made up of artificial molecules.

It is important to note two aspects here. First of all, the technology for the production of hydrocracking oil much less expensive than the manufacture of synthetic, therefore, the cost of the final product will be cheaper. In terms of price, hydrocracking oils are slightly lower than fully synthetic oils, but more expensive than semi-synthetics. At the same time, in terms of most performance characteristics, this product is still inferior to synthetics.

What to choose

What should a car enthusiast be guided by when making a choice in favor of this or that product? First of all, it is necessary to select the oil, conforming to the vehicle manufacturer's tolerances... When you have decided on the list of lubricants suitable for your particular engine, it is worth considering the price-performance ratio. It is known that a miser pays twice, therefore, the most reliable choice, which guarantees long-term operation of the motor in a gentle mode, is synthetic oil.

Mineral based grease will need to be changed more frequently. In addition, mineral water, as a rule, loses its properties at low temperatures and may not fulfill its role one hundred percent at high engine loads.

Hydrocracked products in a situation of choice for many can become the golden mean. As already mentioned, in terms of performance, these oils are not much inferior to synthetic ones. Their main disadvantages include the following:

Relatively high volatility.
Shorter resource of preservation of working properties.
Higher tendency to corrosion and sludge formation.

The disadvantage of hydrocracking is also that in the hydrotreating process, not only are removed harmful impurities, but also certain components that affect the lubricating and antioxidant properties of the oil.

In conditions big city and traffic jams, when the engine runs most of the time in lower gears with frequent stops, the oil needs to be changed much more often than stated by the manufacturer. Poor fuel quality, dust and dirt on the roads also play a role here.

As a result of all these external factors, even the most expensive synthetic oil becomes contaminated much faster than its resource depletes. Therefore, if you do not live in an environmentally clean area and do not drive exclusively on the autobahns, you should think before buying. Whether to spend money on a product from the top segment or save a little by buying a hydrocracking oil, which in real conditions of car operation is not much inferior to more expensive "competitors".

Very often recently, the concept of hydrocracking has been closely associated with engine oils. Is it really innovative technology or a clever trick of car oil manufacturers? What is hydrocracking and what it is eaten with - in this article.

Hydrocracking is ...

Hydrocracking is a catalytic biochemical process that has recently been used in oil refineries. High boiling hydrocarbons convert crude oil into different kinds more valuable products - kerosene, gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. The process itself takes place under hydrogen-enriched conditions, in the presence of catalysts, a temperature of 250 to 425 ° C and a pressure of 5 to 30 mega Pascal. The appropriate catalysts are selected, they are the ones that affect the high final yield of the main base component of oils with already inherent antioxidant resistance and a high viscosity index. The correct parameters of the technological regime make it possible to remove harmful nitrogen, sulfuric and other compounds almost completely at the molecular level. They form gaseous hydrogen sulphide with ammonia, which can be easily removed from the mixture. Changes take place in the formulas of organomineral compositions: polycyclic aromatic compounds are hydrogenated, naphthenic rings and paraffinic chain compounds disintegrate, and isomerization of products occurs. To put it simply, it is simply a modification of a mineral raw oil that allows obtaining a base oil similar in properties and quality to the most modern synthetic base oil. Paraffinic hydrocarbons are the main composition of hydrocracking oils.

Synthetics or hydrocracking?

The main advantage of synthetic oils is thermal and oxidative stability. This property minimizes the build-up and build-up of varnish and varnish. The varnish in our case is a transparent, strong enough film, which practically cannot be dissolved. They consist of oxidation products and are deposited on hot surfaces.
Also, the advantages of synthetics are minimal volatility and waste losses. These benefits reduce mechanical loss and wear on engine parts. Of course, it is worth noting that the service life of synthetic oil is 5 times higher than that of mineral oil. But the price for synthetic oil is 4-5 times higher than for mineral oil. Of course, semi-synthetics used to be the middle option.
An alternative is now a highly refined mineral base oil - hydrocracking oil. The latest scientific and technological developments have made it possible to obtain base oils from oil, the viscosity, structure and properties of which are not inferior to the properties of polyalphaolefins (PAO). These alpha olefin fractions are most commonly used in synthetic base oils. The cost of hydrocracking is much simpler and cheaper than producing synthetic oil. That is why the highest quality hydrocracking oils are relatively inexpensive.

Underwater rocks

Everyone knows that oils are synthetic, semi-synthetic and mineral. Well, what type of hydrocracking oils belong to? The price is the same as that of "mineral water", and the quality, according to the manufacturer, is the same as that of synthetics. What's the catch? After all, if everything were just like that, it would be unprofitable to produce synthetic oils.
Synthetic oils are a product of gas synthesis, mineral oils are a product of oil distillation, semi-synthetics are their mixture in different proportions. The method of obtaining hydrocracking oil is identical to the mineral base at the first stages of production, then the oils undergo a deeper and more thorough purification using hydrocracking.

Hydrocracking technology

Oil, which is a mixture of hydrocarbons, is sent to atmospheric distillation, and fuel oil is obtained, which undergoes vacuum distillation for the finest division of hydrocarbon chains and rings. The heaviest fractions with vacuum residue after this processing stage are suitable for the production of base motor and transmission oils with high viscosity. Lighter oils are the basis for the production of light industrial and transformer oils. Of course, a lot of impurities remain in oil, and vacuum distillation does not end there. The post-cleaning process begins. The main impurities are sulfur, solid paraffins, organic acids, resins, polycyclic compounds, unsaturated hydrocarbons. These impurities cause corrosion, varnish and carbon deposits, and increase the pour point. This is why refining base oils is so important in production.

Cleanliness is the key to engine health

Physicochemical methods remove impurities from mineral oil, dewaxing prevents liquid solidification, but it is almost impossible to completely get rid of impurities by such methods. Unsaturated hydrocarbons accelerate oil aging, but it is hydrotreating that helps to get rid of them. Hydrocracking is an even more advanced purification method - several different reactions take place at the same time. Molecular compounds in the form of rings and chains of different lengths are split into shorter ones, intermolecular bonds are saturated, which is exactly what is needed for an oil with an ideal structure. In general, oils are hydrocarbons with a certain number of atoms. Carbon atoms can connect in the form of a chain, long or short, or branch. The ideal structure for oil is precisely the straight chain. With this form of compounds, the oil will have the best properties and characteristics. It is in the process of catalytic hydrocracking that the chains are straightened and rearranged. This process is called isomerization. Synthetic oil is obtained from gases, so the chain length in the production of synthetic oil is increased.

Summing up

Catalytic hydrocracking "discards" all excess and the properties of oils are regulated by additives. Certainly. This process is not ideal, some impurities in minimal amounts may remain, because it is very difficult to filter out absolutely all impurities. Therefore, the appearance of a small amount of carbon deposits is quite possible. But a high viscosity index, antioxidant properties, shear resistance and, especially, wear protection - in some cases even prevails over synthetic oils... On the other hand, there are more homogeneous hydrocarbon compounds in synthetics, this advantage is especially important in winter. The degree of excellence in hydrocracking and synthesis can be increased continuously.
I noticed that some companies refer to hydrocracking oils as mineral oils, while others refer to synthetic or semi-synthetic oils.
Still, price-quality is one of the main criteria for the selection of oil, after recommendations and tolerances. The price of hydrocracking oil is good, but synthetics are synthetics. The choice is yours.

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