BIO-BASED GENERAL PURPOSE LUBRICANT: LUBE 'N LOOSEN

Revision Date: 8/01
Process Code: Navy/Marines: ID-99-99, SR-01-99, SR-04-99; Air Force: FA01, MT01, AD01; Army: VHM
Usage: Navy: Low; Marines: Low; Army: Low; Air Force: Low
Alternative for: Conventional Petroleum-Based General Purpose Lubricants
Applicable EPCRA Targeted Constituents: N/A
Overview: Lube’N Loosen is an environmentally responsible general purpose lubricant formulated from 100% non-hazardous vegetable oil derivatives and liquid wax esters. Lube’N Loosen frees sticky mechanisms, loosens rusted parts, stops squeaks, and may be used as an assembly lubricant. Since Lube’N Loosen is ounce-for-ounce more expensive than other petroleum based lubricants, it is important that it is applied in the quantity and frequency specified by the manufacturer. The product will only be cost effective on a per spot, per month basis, if the consumer follows the manufacturer’s directions.

 

Compliance Benefit: The substitution of vegetable-based general purpose lubricant for conventional petroleum-based lubricants may allow longer intervals between spot applications, thereby reducing oil consumption and waste disposal. The decrease in the amount of used lubricant generated will decrease the maintenance labor requirements. Vegetable-based lubricants are subject to higher spill reporting thresholds than petroleum-based lubricants under 40 CFR 355 and EO 12856.

The compliance benefits listed here are only meant to be used as a general guideline and are not meant to be strictly interpreted. Actual compliance benefits will vary depending on the factors involved.

 

Materials Compatibility:
No materials compatibility issues were identified.

 

Safety and Health: There are minimal safety and health concerns with vegetable-based oils.  This product has no hazardous ingredients and no exposure limits.

 

Benefits:
  • Biodegradable
  • Non-aerosol
  • Non-flammable
  • Non-toxic
  • Sustainable product agriculturally derived, formulated entirely from vegetable oils
  • Contains no petroleum materials/distillates

 
Disadvantages:
  • Vegetable-based oil costs more than the conventional kerosene-based lubricant (the higher cost is offset by the decreased frequency of applications)

 

Economic Analysis: An economic analysis, assuming that vegetable-based Lube N’Loosen requires a third fewer number of applications and half as much product to provide lubrication equivalent to that of conventional kerosene-based general purpose lubricant, is presented below. Information was obtained from bio-based product evaluation reports conducted by the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center.

Assumptions:

  • Labor cost: $20/hr.
  • Labor: 0.5 hour to lubricate 100 spots
  • For equivalent wear and friction reduction, conventional kerosene-based lubricant requires 10 applications per spot per month and Lube N’Loosen requires 3 applications per spot per month.
  • Lubricant cost: Kerosene-based - $0.16/oz, Lube N’Loosen - $0.69/oz.
  • Fluid ounces required per application: Kerosene-based - 0.5, Lube N’Loosen - 0.25

Annual Operating Cost Comparison for Vegetable-Based Lubricant vs.
Conventional Kerosene-Based Lubricant Cost

  Lube 'N Loosen1 Conventional2
Operational Costs:    
Labor: $360 $1,200
Lubricant Costs: $621 $960
Total Operational Costs: $981 $2,160
Total Recovered Income: $0 $0
Net Annual Cost/Benefit: -$981 -$2,160

Economic Analysis Summary

  • Annual Savings for Lube 'N Loosen: $1,179
  • Capital Cost for Diversion Equipment/Process: $0
  • Payback Period for Investment in Equipment/Process: N/A

Note: There is no payback period because there is no capital cost.

Click Here to view an Active Spreadsheet for this Economic Analysis and Enter Your Own Values. To return from the Active Spreadsheet, click the reverse arrow in the Tool Bar.

 
Approving Authority: Approval is controlled locally and should be implemented only after engineering approval has been granted. Major claimant approval is not required.

 
NSN/MSDS:
Product NSN Unit Size Cost MSDS*
Lube 'N Loosen 9150-00-223-4119 4 oz $4.60 Click me


*There are multiple MSDSs for most NSNs.
The MSDS (if shown above) is only meant to serve as an example.

 

Points of Contact: Navy:
Mr. Brad Hollan
Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center
1100 23rd Avenue
Port Hueneme, CA 93043-4370
Phone: (805) 982-1320
DSN: 551-1320
FAX: (805) 982-4832
Email: hollanbl@nfesc.navy.mil

 
Vendors: International Lubricants
P.O. Box 24743
Seattle, WA  98124-0743
Phone: (206) 762-5343
Fax:  (206) 762-7989
Email: contact@lubegard.com
URL:  www.lubegard.com/industrial/workshop.html

 
Sources: Evaluation of Bio-Based Industrial Products For Navy and DoD Use: Lubegard Lube N’Loosen Biodegradable All-Purpose Lubricant, Technical Report Number TR-2106-ENV, April 1999.

 

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