Turbine oil comprising an ester component

Abstract

Provided is a turbine oil formulation comprised of a base oil selected from the group consisting of Group II, III and IV base oils and mixtures thereof, and an ester component comprised of at least one diester or triester species having ester links on adjacent carbons. The formulation exhibits less than 6 mg of sludge/100 ml of turbine oil, and is imminently suitable for use as a turbine oil.

1 . A turbine oil comprised of a base oil selected from the group consisting of Group II, III, IV base oils and mixtures thereof, and an ester component comprised of at least one diester or triester species having ester links on adjacent carbons, with the turbine oil having less than 6 mg of sludge/100 ml of turbine oil as determined by Cincinnati Milacron Thermal A test. 
     
     
         2 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine oil has less than 3 mg of sludge/100 ml of turbine oil. 
     
     
         3 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one antioxidant other than a phenolic antioxidant. 
     
     
         4 . The turbine oil of  claim 3 , wherein the antioxidant comprises an amine antioxidant. 
     
     
         5 . The turbine oil of  claim 3 , wherein the antioxidant comprises a mixture of aminic and phenolic antioxidants. 
     
     
         6 . The turbine oil of  claim 3 , wherein the antioxidant comprises a mixture of dithiocarbamate, tolutriazole and phenolic antioxidants. 
     
     
         7 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the base oil is a GTL base oil. 
     
     
         8 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the base oil comprises less than 5 wt % aromatics. 
     
     
         9 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine oil comprises from 0.5 to 15 wt % of the ester component. 
     
     
         10 . The turbine oil of  claim 9 , wherein the turbine oil comprises from 5 to 10 wt % of the ester component. 
     
     
         11 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine oil comprises at least one other additive component selected from the group consisting of detergents, anti-wear agents, metal deactivators, corrosion inhibitors, rust inhibitors, friction modifiers, anti-foaming agents, viscosity index improvers, demulsifying agents, emulsifying agents, antioxidants, complexing agents, extreme pressure additives, pour point depressants, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine oil has VI of at least 90, and having an RPVOT oxidative stability of from at least 250 minutes. 
     
     
         13 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the ester component comprises a diester species having the following structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3  and R 4  are identical or independently selected from hydrocarbon groups having from 2 to 17 carbon atoms. 
       
     
     
         14 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the ester component comprises a diester species derived from a process comprising:
 a) epoxidizing an olefin having from about 8 to about 16 carbon atoms to form an epoxide comprising an epoxide ring;   b) opening the epoxide ring of step a) and forming a diol;   c) esterifying the diol of step b) with an esterifying species to form a diester species, wherein the esterifying species is selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, acyl halides, acyl anhydrides, and combinations thereof, wherein the esterifying species has a carbon number of from 2 to 18.   
     
     
         15 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the ester component comprises a diester species derived from a process comprising:
 a) epoxidizing an olefin having from about 8 to about 16 carbon atoms to form an epoxide comprising an epoxide ring; and   b) reacting the epoxide comprising the epoxide ring with an esterifying species to form a diester species, wherein the esterifying species is selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, acyl halides, acyl anhydrides, and combinations thereof, wherein the esterifying species has a carbon number of from 2 to 18.   
     
     
         16 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the ester component comprises a triester species having the following structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3  and R 4  are identical or independently selected from hydrocarbon groups having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms and wherein “n” is an integer from 2 to 20. 
       
     
     
         17 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the ester component comprises a triester species having the following structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 2 , R 3 , and R 4  are identical or independently selected from C 2  to C 20  hydrocarbon groups. 
       
     
     
         18 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the ester component comprises a triester species derived from a process comprising:
 a) esterifying a mono-unsaturated fatty acid having from 10 to 22 carbon atoms with an alcohol thereby forming an unsaturated ester;   b) epoxidizing the unsaturated ester in step a) thereby forming an epoxy-ester species comprising an epoxide ring;   c) opening the ring of the epoxy-ester species in step b) thereby forming a dihydroxy ester; and   d) esterifying the dihydroxy ester in step c) with an esterifying species to form a triester species, wherein the esterifying species is selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, acyl halides, acyl anhydrides, and combinations thereof, and wherein the esterifying species has a carbon number of from 2 to 19.   
     
     
         19 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the ester component comprises a triester species derived from a process comprising:
 a) reducing a monosaturated fatty acid to a corresponding unsaturated alcohol;   b) epoxidizing the unsaturated alcohol to an epoxy fatty alcohol;   c) opening a ring of the epoxy fatty alcohol to make a corresponding triol; and   d) esterifying the triol of step c) with an esterifying species to form a triester species, wherein the esterifying species is selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, acyl halides, acyl anhydrides, and combinations thereof, and wherein the esterifying species has a carbon number of from 2 to 19.   
     
     
         20 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the ester component comprises a triester species derived from a process comprising:
 a) reducing a monosaturated fatty acid to a corresponding unsaturated alcohol;   b) epoxidizing the unsaturated alcohol to form a fatty alcohol epoxide; and   c) esterifying the fatty alcohol epoxide with an esterifying species to form a triester species, wherein the esterifying species is selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, acyl halides, acyl anhydrides, and combinations thereof, and wherein the esterifying species has a carbon number of from 2 to 19.   
     
     
         21 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , wherein the ester component is prepared using an esterifying species which is a carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         22 . The turbine oil of  claim 21 , wherein the carboxylic acid is derived from a bio-derived fatty acid. 
     
     
         23 . The turbine oil of  claim 21 , wherein the carboxylic acid is derived from alcohols generated by a Fischer-Tropsch process. 
     
     
         24 . The turbine oil of  claim 1 , having copper corrosion better than 3 A as determined by ASTM D130-10.