Modelling of lubricant oil alkalinity in diesel engines

Abstract During the operation of a diesel engine, alkaline additives are gradually exhausted in neutralizing the acidic products of combustion. This is manifested by the decrease in total base number (TBN) value of engine oil during usage. The present work is an attempt to model the rate of TBN depletion in a diesel engine. Various models in vogue are discussed. A correlation between ‘system variables’ and the rate of TBN depletion is presented. Methods of multiple regression analysis are applied to the experimental data to establish the correlation. The coefficient of correlation for the proposed model is 0.9888. At 99% confidence level the chi-square test is successful, proving that the regression model is acceptable.