Method of preparing a lubricant composition

Abstract

A method of preparing a lubricant composition comprising at least one base oil component, at least one first additive component and at least one second additive component which method comprises: introducing into an elongate mixing vessel comprising at least one static mixer, at least one base oil component, at least one first additive component and at least one second additive component; the at least one first additive component being introduced into the mixing vessel separately from the at least one second additive component; and mixing the at least one second additive component with a mixture of the at least one first additive component and the at least one base oil component in the elongate mixing vessel using the at least one static mixer.

1 . A method of preparing a lubricant composition comprising at least one base oil component, the at least one base oil component having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. in the range of 2 to 100 cSt, the lubricant composition comprising at least one first additive component and at least one second additive component which method comprises:
 introducing into an elongate mixing vessel comprising at least one static mixer, at least one base oil component, at least one first additive component and at least one second additive component; the at least one first additive component being introduced into the mixing vessel separately from the at least one second additive component; and 
 mixing the at least one second additive component with a mixture of the at least one first additive component and the at least one base oil component in the elongate mixing vessel using the at least one static mixer. 
 
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the mixing vessel is an elongate mixing vessel comprising at least one first static mixer, at least one first inlet which is upstream of the at least one first static mixer, at least one second inlet which is upstream of the at least one first static mixer and at least one outlet which is downstream of the at least one static mixer and in which the method comprises the steps of:
 a) introducing a mixture of the at least one base oil component and the at least one first additive component into the mixing vessel through the at least one first inlet; 
 b) introducing the at least one second additive component into the mixing vessel through the at least one second inlet upstream of the at least one first static mixer; 
 c) flowing the at least one second additive component and the mixture of step a, through the mixing vessel and past the at least one first static mixer to mix the at least one second additive component with the mixture of step a to produce a mixture of the at least one base oil component, the at least one first additive component and the at least one second additive component; and 
 d) removing the mixture produced in step c from the mixing vessel through the at least one outlet downstream of the first static mixer. 
 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the mixing vessel is an elongate mixing vessel comprising at least one first static mixer, at least one first inlet which is upstream of the at least one first static mixer, at least one second inlet which is upstream of the at least one first static mixer, at least one third inlet which is upstream of the at least one first static mixer and is upstream of the at least one second inlet and at least one outlet which is downstream of the at least one static mixer;
 and in which the method comprises the steps of: 
 a′) introducing the at least one base oil component into the mixing vessel through the at least one first inlet, introducing the at least one first additive component into the mixing vessel through the at least one third inlet and mixing together the at least one base oil component and the at least one first additive component in the mixing vessel to produce a mixture of the at least one base oil component and the at least one first additive component; 
 b′) introducing the at least one second additive component into the mixing vessel through the at least one second inlet upstream of the at least one first static mixer; 
 c′) flowing the at least one second additive component and the mixture from step a′, through the mixing vessel and past the at least one first static mixer to mix the at least one second additive component with the mixture from step a to produce a mixture of the at least one base oil component, the at least one first additive component and the at least one second additive component; and 
 d′) removing the mixture produced in step c′ from the mixing vessel through the at least one outlet downstream of the first static mixer. 
 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 3  in which the elongate mixing vessel further comprises at least one second static mixer which is upstream of the at least one first static mixer, is upstream of the at least one second inlet, is downstream of the at least one first inlet and is downstream of the at least one third inlet and in which in step a′, the method comprises mixing together the at least one base oil component and the at least one first additive component in the mixing vessel by flowing them through the mixing vessel and past the at least one second static mixer to produce a mixture of the at least one base oil component and the at least one first additive component. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the at least one first additive component comprises at least one dispersant viscosity modifier and the at least one second additive component comprises at least one pour point depressant. 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the at least one first additive component comprises at least one pour point depressant and the at least one second additive component comprises at least one dispersant viscosity modifier. 
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the at least one first additive component comprises at least one dispersant and the at least one second additive component comprises at least one metal-containing detergent. 
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the at least one first additive component comprises at least one metal-containing detergent and the at least one second additive component comprises at least one dispersant. 
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 7  in which the dispersant is a dispersant viscosity modifier. 
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the at least one base oil and the at least one first additive component and the at least one second additive component are mixed in the absence of any zinc dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphate. 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the at least one first additive component comprises at least one detergent and the at least one second additive component comprises at least one detergent booster. 
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the at least one first additive component comprises at least one detergent booster and the at least one second additive component comprises at least one detergent. 
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the at least one second additive component comprises at least one anti-foam additive and the at least one first additive component is at least one lubricant additive which is other than an anti-foam additive. 
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the at least one second additive component comprises at least one friction modifier additive and the at least one first additive component is at least one lubricant additive which is other than a friction modifier additive. 
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the elongate mixing vessel further comprises:
 at least one fourth inlet downstream of the at least one first static mixer and 
 at least one third static mixer which is downstream of the at least one first static mixer and which is downstream of the at least one fourth inlet 
 
       and in which the method further comprises:
 introducing at least one third additive component into the mixing vessel through the at least one fourth inlet; and 
 mixing the at least one third additive component in the mixing vessel with the at least one base oil component, the at least one first additive component and the at least one second additive component in the mixing vessel by flowing them through the mixing vessel and past the at least one third static mixer to produce a mixture of the at least one base oil component and the at least one first additive component, the at least one second additive component and the at least one third additive component. 
 
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 15  in which the at least one third additive component is mixed in the mixing vessel with the at least one base oil component, the at least one first additive component and the at least one second additive component in the mixing vessel by flowing them through the mixing vessel and past the at least one third static mixer at a temperature which is different to the temperature at which the components are flowed past the at least one first static mixer and which is different to the temperature at which the components are flowed past the at least one second static mixer, if present. 
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 15  in which the at least one third additive component which is introduced into the mixing vessel through the at least one fourth inlet comprises at least one zinc dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphate. 
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the elongate mixing vessel has a volume of less than about 1 litre. 
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the total residence time of all the components in the elongate mixing vessel is less than about 1 minute. 
     
     
         20 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the lubricant composition is substantially non-aqueous. 
     
     
         21 . A method of preparing a substantially non-aqueous lubricant composition comprising at least one base oil component, at least one first additive component and at least one second additive component which method comprises:
 introducing into an elongate mixing vessel comprising at least one static mixer, at least one base oil component, at least one first additive component and at least one second additive component; the at least one first additive component being introduced into the mixing vessel separately from the at least one second additive component; and   mixing the at least one second additive component with a mixture of the at least one first additive component and the at least one base oil component in the elongate mixing vessel using the at least one static mixer.