Innovative Radiotracer Techniques for the Development of New Generation Engines and Lubricants 2008-28-0023

New environmental regulations require for car constructor and lubricant manufacturer reduction of engines emissions. This implies new set-up like post treatment systems (catalyst, DPF), reduction of oil consumption and new engine settings and design. Due to those modifications, new problems appear like lubricant dilution by fuel, clogging and poisoning of post treatment system, wear, etc. Those new engines become more and more complex and settings must be more and more precise, manufacturer need accurate tools to measure and understand those new problems. In this paper, we describe the latest results obtained using or combining innovative radionuclide techniques for real-time oil consumption (including blow-by contribution), real-time monitoring of poisoning of after-treatment systems, real-time monitoring of fuel dilution and real time wear measurement. New radiotracer techniques are powerful tools to better understand and solve these different issues. Radiotracers can be selected in order to mark the different functions of the lubricant (base oil and additives) without modifying their properties, and to perform real-time measurements in operating engines.