|
The metalworking fluids market, valued at approximately $7.5 million, is acknowledging the growing concern of worker exposure by offering safer, less-toxic products.
Midwest Biologicals, Inc. (Woodburn, IN) has developed a soy-based metal-removal fluid (MRF), called VitaEdge™, that offers increased safety and outstanding performance. When compared to standard petroleum-based fluids, VitaEdge performed as well as or better when machining steel and aluminum for the functions of any standard MRF: cooling and lubricating the cutting surface as it removes small metal chips; and, allowing faster, more accurate machining to be done. Because soy is a primary ingredient in VitaEdge, it offers biodegradability, nontoxicity, low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions, a high flash point, and (perhaps, most noticeably) no offensive odor. Another company, Pantera, Inc. (Torrington, CT) is creating an entire line of soy-based lubricants for the metalworking industry. Pantera’s products offer biodegradability, extended tool life, easy disposability, and soap-and-water cleanup. Pantera has estimated that more than 97 million gallons of lubricants are used each year. However, by providing higher-performing, easy-to-clean products, the company has proven that Pantera Oil takes less than half the volume of existing lubricant to operate the same metalworking machine at the same speed. Soy oil offers excellent lubricity and high performance, and provides a safer alternative to petroleum. Using a soy-based product also helps to lower the costs associated with environmental compliance, including disposal costs. Logical Choice for Biodegradable Industrial Lubricants Many industries rely on lubricants to perform at a high level day after day. Worker safety and environmental health may not always be at the top of list of concerns of management. The USB has focused on developing soy-based lubricants that not only offer a nontoxic and biodegradable formulation, but perform as well as or better than their petroleum counterparts. Synthetic oils offer another alternative to petroleum-based lubricants. However, synthetic oils are more expensive than soybean oil and fail to offer much of a performance advantage over soy-based lubricants. These soy-based lubricants offer exceptional lubricity, providing up to 25% less friction when compared to petroleum-based lubricants. Soy engine oils lower oil consumption, reduce exhaust emissions, and reduce engine wear by 66%. When compared to petroleum oil, soybean oil offers high viscosity index, low evaporation loss, and low volatility. The benefits of soy-based lubricants extend beyond performance into safety, too. Soy-based lubricants are nontoxic to humans, wildlife, and aquatic animals. They are also biodegradable, eliminating the risk of soil and water contamination from accidental spills. These lubricants provide a 37% reduction in unburned hydrocarbons and a 50% reduction in carbon monoxide, contributing to cleaner air requirements set in place by government regulations. With these regulations increasingly determining which types of chemicals are used when exposed to the environment, soybean-based lubricants are continuing to gain market share. Ultimately, if biodegradable oils are required as lubricants, the availability of soy, coupled with its price advantage over other vegetable oils, will make it a logical choice. Environmentally Friendly Hydraulic Fluids Several companies are manufacturing soy-based hydraulic fluids. Two in particular that have worked with USB are Terresolve Technologies (Eastlake, OH) and Renewable Lubricants, Inc. (Hartville, OH). Both companies have committed to the development of environmentally responsible products that can replace traditional petroleum-based hydraulic fluids. Terresolve has developed three lines of hydraulic fluids made from soybean oil. All are readily biodegradable and nonhazardous, which makes them particularly useful in applications where leakage or spillage causes environmental damage. This helps decrease the costs of insurance and reduces the disposal fees commonly associated with petroleum-based hydraulic fluids. Terresolve’s products can be used in any conventional hydraulic system, with no changes or additions required. The Terresolve product line of hydraulic fluids also meets and/or exceeds the following criteria: Canadian Environmental Choice Program Parameters, European DIN 51524 Part II, Proposed ASTM standard for HM hydraulic fluids, and Denison HF-O. Renewable Lubricants also has developed three lines of hydraulic fluids. Its Bio-Hydraulic Oil line is readily biodegradable and is formulated to perform in hydraulic systems that require anti-wear, -rust, and -oxidation properties. The Renew-Hydraulic Fluid line combines vegetable-base oil and renewable re-refined mineral-base oil to improve the performance of both while offering exceptional performance at a competitive cost. Renewable Lubricants has patented their antioxidant/anti-wear technology as Stabilized™ High Oleic Base Stocks (HOBS). This technology boosts the viscosity index of crop oils to synthetic levels. It also improves the thermal shear stability of the formula and increases load capacity. Renewable Lubricants, Inc.’s formulations are designed to meet OEM specifications. Soy-Based Industrial Products Are Greener, Too For years, the chemical industry has relied on petroleum as an ingredient in thousands of products. Numerous industrial product manufacturers use petroleum or petroleum-derived substances in their formulations. However, environmental regulations increase the cost of refining crude oil into fuel and intermediate chemicals, while making bulk chemical production in the United States more expensive. Using petroleum in chemical products and applications heightens our dependence on foreign markets. It also creates a hazard to our environment and human health. The use of renewable agri-based feedstock provides an environmentally safe alternative to using petroleum. In less than 10 years, the USB has determined that soybean oil is a suitable replacement for petroleum in adhesives, coatings and inks, lubricants, plastics, and solvents. In recent years, the USB has helped fund products that offer a replacement to, or an additive for, petroleum-based products in these markets. These soy-based products offer comparable performance, economics, and environmental safety to manufacturers and end-users. While the lubricants industry uses a lot of petroleum, one particular example of a successful, environmentally safe, renewable soy application in the lubricants industry is in the total-loss lubricants market. Total-loss lubricants typically find their way into the environment via spillage or leaking. Using a soy-based total-loss lubricant eliminates a toxic chemical leaking into the ground and provides increased biodegradability. The solvents industry also has seen rapid success with soy-based products. A soy-based gel used to strip paint is nontoxic and safe enough to use with bare hands, and can strip up to five layers of paint or varnish with a single application. An industrial cleaner and degreaser that combines soy and corn byproducts has proven to clean and cut grease better than petroleum-based products, without any offensive odors or harmful chemicals. Its manufacturer has been issued a patent for its innovative formulation. Both products are biodegradable and offer increased safety to consumers and the environment. Using soybean oil in place of petroleum provides a competitive, environmentally friendlier alternative for manufacturers. The use of soy reduces or eliminates the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and offensive odors. It significantly increases the biodegradability of a product. It provides a nontoxic alternative that eliminates or reduces hazards to humans, wildlife or vegetation. Soybean oil also provides good economics. As petroleum and natural gas have tripled in price over the past two years, soybeans have dropped from almost $7 per bushel to less than $5 per bushel. Soybean oil, more specifically, has fallen from over $0.25 per pound to less than $0.17 per pound. Lower regulatory costs and reduced liability add to the long-term economic savings of soy. By using a renewable resource grown in our own backyard, it also lessens our dependence on foreign oil-producing nations. The United Soybean Board - September 2001 |
One alternative to petroleum-based lubricants is soy-based products. The United Soybean Board (USB), composed of 62 U.S. soybean farmers, oversees soybean check-off funded investments in foreign market development, human and animal health and nutrition, research and development of new uses, and agronomic research in soybeans.