Microbial contamination can be a serious issue for users of middle distillate fuels, jet fuels, and diesel fuels. Fuels and fuel systems are vulnerable to biodeterioration, with biofilm communities a primary cause of degradation. When fuel leaves the sterile environment of a refinery it becomes susceptible to contamination, with water typically the root of all…
By Dr. Raj Shah, Dr. Simon Tung, and Nathan Aragon Electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are growing in popularity because of their energy efficiency and positive impact on greenhouse gas emissions; though, several challenges still need to be addressed, including optimising the functional performance of transmission fluids. More effective transmission fluids can…
Samuel Morey first used ethanol in an American internal combustion engine prototype way back in 1826. By 1860, ethanol was used extensively as a lighting fuel. A short-lived tax on alcohol in the early 1860s, to pay for the U.S. civil war, curtailed usage. After the tax was repealed, demand started to return. In 2017,…
Sponsored Content Modern engines require an increasingly sophisticated lubricant. The latest designs, engineered to be more efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly increase the stress on the oil in terms of wear protection and cleanliness and present new performance demands such as aeration and pre-ignition protection that push formulators to develop new technology solutions. The new…
Mandatory measures to reduce greenhouse gases from international shipping have been adopted by the marine industry. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating shipping, is targeting a 50% reduction in emissions by 2050, compared to 2008. This presents a sizable challenge to the shipping industry. A smorgasbord…
Despite growing admiration of electric vehicles, diesel is still a force to be reckoned with in heavy-duty vehicles, says Allen Schaeffer, executive director at the Diesel Technology Forum, at the 2021 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo held virtually early this year. Diesel engines offer unmatched power density, extended driving ranges, an array of vehicle types…
Japan was the world’s fifth-largest oil consumer and the largest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2019. However, Japan’s energy industry is at a crossroads with low annual GDP increases, a strong focus on energy efficiency improvements and conservation, and the intricacies of the local population stifling energy growth. Japan recorded its ninth consecutive…
Dr. Raj Shah, Alexandra Przyborowski and Nathan Aragon From the first crude electric vehicle developed in 1832 by Robert Anderson to the introduction of the Toyota Prius, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, in 1997, electric vehicles are entering the mainstream market worldwide with great potential.[1] Studies forecast that electric vehicles will reach 10% of…
In recent years, a growing oversupply has allowed companies to secure competitive base oil prices and encouraged many countries to increase their reliance on base oil imports. A substantial oversupply in 2019 emphasised the benefits of a widening adoption of imports. However, dependence on base oil imports is not without risk. The propagation of Covid-19…
EDITORIAL It is difficult to predict the future of tribology. Our invisible science suffers from a perception problem as it competes with modern, “sexy” sciences. Inside this issue of F+L Magazine, we speak with multi-award-winning tribologist Ashlie Martini of the University of California Merced about the trouble with tribology, and what we need to do…