Noack Volatility

Description

Determines the evaporation tendency of motor oils at high temperatures, which directly affects oil consumption and viscosity changes during operation.

Trust the quality control of your lubricants to the advanced RENA laboratory, where the accuracy of results is guaranteed by state-of-the-art automated equipment. Our Noack volatility analysis is not just a number, but your tool for optimizing maintenance costs for your fleet or industrial equipment, allowing you to unmistakably distinguish premium base oils from cheap alternatives prone to rapid burn-off. The Noack test (ASTM D5800) simulates the extreme operating conditions of motor oil in the piston ring zone and the upper cylinder area of a modern internal combustion engine. An oil sample is placed in a special crucible and heated to a strictly controlled temperature of 250 °C. The sample is maintained at this temperature for exactly 1 hour. Throughout the test, a constant air flow at a reduced pressure (vacuum of 20 mm H2O) is maintained over the oil surface, ensuring the continuous removal of volatile fractions. The physics of the process lies in the fact that light hydrocarbon fractions of the base oil transition into a gaseous state at high temperatures. Upon completion of the one-hour heating cycle, the crucible is cooled, and the remaining sample is precisely weighed on high-precision analytical balances. The difference between the initial and final mass, expressed as a percentage, represents the evaporation loss. This is a critical parameter, as the loss of light fractions leads to a disproportionate increase in the concentration of heavy fractions and additives, causing a sharp rise in the kinematic and dynamic viscosity of the oil (thickening) and promoting the formation of high-temperature deposits (carbon and varnish).