“Lubricant selection needs careful engineering assessment”

By OEM Update Editorial August 1, 2020 11:57 am IST

As industry focus on improving total cost of ownership, industry expectations evolved with respect to lubricants that can offer longer oil and components life, improve efficiency and productivity of machines.
Praveen Nagpal, Chief Technology Officer, Shell India

Shell Lubricants offers a range of mineral and synthetic lubricants catering to needs of varied industrial applications. Major factor that influences selection is type of lubricants which helps reducing total cost of ownership without compromising the reliability of equipment, said Praveen Nagpal, Chief Technology Officer at Shell India. Praveen is responsible for establishing the Shell Technology Leadership through strong collaboration with OEMs, customers and industrial bodies, implementing concepts of Total Cost of Ownership and sustainable environment.

What is the kind of lubricant to be selected for industrial applications? General purpose or synthetic?
Industrial applications use both type of lubricants – mineral (general purpose) and high-performance synthetic lubricants. In past few years, industry is gradually upgrading into synthetics due to increase in severity of application, increased focus on energy saving and reduce downtime.

What are the factors that influence selection?
Lubricant selection requires careful engineering assessment irrespective of mineral (general purpose) or high-performance synthetic lubricants. Correct selection depends on understanding the equipment, operating conditions and OEM specification. Also major factor that influences selection is type of lubricants which helps reducing total cost of ownership without compromising the reliability of equipment. All said, timely availability of the selected products and services is an important consideration to keep systems running 24X7. As industry focus on improving total cost of ownership, industry expectations evolved with respect to lubricants that can offer longer oil and components life, improve efficiency and productivity of machines.

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Shell Lubricants offers a wide range of mineral and synthetic lubricants catering to needs of industrial applications like power, metals, construction, mining, sugar, oil and gas, auto component and general manufacturing. With customers in centre of our offering, Shell research and product development teams have developed a wide range of mineral and synthetic categories basis application demand and value for customers.

Shell Tellus range includes many high-performance hydraulic oils widely used in India in general manufacturing, cement, steel, power, construction and mining industry. Recently we launched the next generation synthetic portfolio of hydraulic oil Tellus S4 VE last year, which has excellent control on oxidation and has energy saving capability which will be helpful for industrial applications like plastic moulding and construction equipment to reduce the energy consumption and maximise oil life.

Shell Corena, our industry leading compressor oil range, is widely used by many OEMs and individual service providers, where we have demonstrated 2X superior oil life and separator life compared to regular grade oils. Our synthetic Shell Corena S4 portfolio has been offering high performance for many years in Indian market now with an oil life of 10,000 hours and increased separator life. These have saved critical downtime and operating costs for our customers.

Shell Omala gear oil series caters to demand of low stress to very high severity heavy-duty applications. We also have carbon neutral claim product for wind industry from next generation PAO named Shell Omala S5 Wind. In addition to this, full range of mineral and synthetic Turbine oil under the Shell Turbo range, which is proven for long lasting oil life and varnish free operations and wide range of grease products, from mineral to synthetic, under the Shell Gadus brand.