IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i1p154-d1559082.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Proactive Maintenance and Data-Driven Optimization of Mineral Lubricating Oil in a Gas Engine Cogeneration System Extending Oil Change Intervals for Cost Savings and a Reduced Environmental Footprint

Author

Listed:
  • Krzysztof Pytel

    (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, AGH University of Science and Technology, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland)

  • Roman Filipek

    (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, AGH University of Science and Technology, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland)

  • Adam Kalwar

    (PGNIG TERMIKA E.P. SA, ul. Rybnicka 6c, 44-335 Jastrzebie-Zdroj, Poland)

  • Małgorzata Piaskowska-Silarska

    (University of the National Education Commission, ul. Podchorazych 2, 30-084 Krakow, Poland)

  • Wiktor Hudy

    (University of the National Education Commission, ul. Podchorazych 2, 30-084 Krakow, Poland)

  • Jana Depešová

    (Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 1, 949 01 Nitra, Slovakia)

  • Franciszek Kurdziel

    (PGNIG TERMIKA E.P. SA, ul. Rybnicka 6c, 44-335 Jastrzebie-Zdroj, Poland)

Abstract

This study investigates the operational properties of mineral lubricating oil in gas engines used in cogeneration systems, with a focus on factors contributing to the degradation of lubricating properties critical for energy efficiency and system management. The research was conducted on a 4.3 MW gas engine operating for about 90,000 machine hours, using natural gas as fuel. Data obtained from SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems and laboratory analysis were utilized to establish oil quality criteria, enabling the prediction of oil degradation and optimization of oil change intervals. Parameters including viscosity, contamination levels, Total Base Number (TBN), and Total Acid Number (TAN), were identified as significant indicators of oil performance and engine reliability. The findings revealed that oil change intervals could be extended by an average of 37% compared to standard schedules, thereby minimizing unnecessary maintenance downtimes, enhancing system availability, and increasing electrical and thermal energy output. Optimized oil utilization reduced material costs for oil and filter replacements, lowering expenditures from 3021 to 1887 EUR per machine hour. Additionally, the predicted Global Warming Potential (GWP) for prematurely consumed oil amounted to 68 × 10 3 kg CO 2 eq., while avoidable waste generation reached 18.2 m 3 of mineral oil. Regular oil analysis conducted every 1000 operating hours proved critical for early detection of oil degradation, supporting proactive maintenance strategies and ensuring optimal engine performance and longevity.

Suggested Citation

  • Krzysztof Pytel & Roman Filipek & Adam Kalwar & Małgorzata Piaskowska-Silarska & Wiktor Hudy & Jana Depešová & Franciszek Kurdziel, 2025. "Proactive Maintenance and Data-Driven Optimization of Mineral Lubricating Oil in a Gas Engine Cogeneration System Extending Oil Change Intervals for Cost Savings and a Reduced Environmental Footprint," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-30, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:1:p:154-:d:1559082
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/1/154/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/1/154/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Józef Ciuła & Iwona Wiewiórska & Marian Banaś & Tadeusz Pająk & Piotr Szewczyk, 2023. "Balance and Energy Use of Biogas in Poland: Prospects and Directions of Development for the Circular Economy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-12, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ciuła, Józef & Generowicz, Agnieszka & Gronba-Chyła, Anna & Kwaśnicki, Paweł & Makara, Agnieszka & Kowalski, Zygmunt & Wiewiórska, Iwona, 2024. "Energy production from landfill gas, emissions and pollution indicators–Opportunities and barriers to implementing circular economy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    2. Grzegorz Przydatek & Agnieszka Generowicz & Włodzimierz Kanownik, 2024. "Evaluation of the Activity of a Municipal Waste Landfill Site in the Operational and Non-Operational Sectors Based on Landfill Gas Productivity," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-16, May.
    3. Mateusz Nowak & Wiktor Bojarski & Wojciech Czekała, 2024. "Economic and Energy Efficiency Analysis of the Biogas Plant Digestate Management Methods," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-19, June.
    4. Krzysztof Pilarski & Agnieszka A. Pilarska & Alicja Kolasa-Więcek & Dariusz Suszanowicz, 2023. "An Agricultural Biogas Plant as a Thermodynamic System: A Study of Efficiency in the Transformation from Primary to Secondary Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-15, November.
    5. Józef Ciuła & Elżbieta Sobiecka & Tomasz Zacłona & Paulina Rydwańska & Aneta Oleksy-Gębczyk & Tomasz P. Olejnik & Sławomir Jurkowski, 2024. "Management of the Municipal Waste Stream: Waste into Energy in the Context of a Circular Economy—Economic and Technological Aspects for a Selected Region in Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-25, July.
    6. Anna Kochanek & Józef Ciuła & Agnieszka Generowicz & Olena Mitryasova & Aleksandra Jasińska & Sławomir Jurkowski & Paweł Kwaśnicki, 2024. "The Analysis of Geospatial Factors Necessary for the Planning, Design, and Construction of Agricultural Biogas Plants in the Context of Sustainable Development," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-23, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:1:p:154-:d:1559082. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.