vosolub

VOSOLUB
New formulations of sunflower-based biolubricants
with high oleic acid content
Newsletter N°2
1. Newsletter introduction
2. Project partners interview (Anne PAULHE-MASSOL from
ARTERRIS and Jean-Claude PIERRON from PROVENCE
HUILES)
3. VOSOLUB project overview
4. Dissemination and events
5. Demonstration tests: focus on curve rail grease
1. Newsletter introduction
Welcome to the second issue of the VOSOLUB project newsletter!
This issue highlights work carried out on the project, news and upcoming events, as well as
interviews with ARTERRIS and PROVENCE HUILES partners about the project.
The publication of this newsletter occurs in a European context for bioeconomy that has
never been more constructive and encouraging. First, a bioeconomy observatory has
been launched by the European Commission (IP/13/113) to map progress and measure
the impact of the development of the European Union’s bioeconomy. The observatory will
notably gather data to follow the evolution of markets, to map EU, national and regional
bioeconomy policies, research and innovation capacities, and the scale of related public
and private investments. Second, the Commission is considering a new public-private
partnership (PPP) on bio-based industries to accelerate the development of the sector.
This PPP, which is very likely to be set up by the EC, will help support industrial research
and innovation to overcome the innovation “valley of death”, the path from research to the
marketplace.
This supportive environment should help to accelerate innovation and market uptake of
biobased products including biobased lubricants.
2. Project partners interview (Anne PAULHE-MASSOL and JeanClaude PIERRON)
Anne PAULHE-MASSOL, Head of R&D and Innovation at
ARTERRIS
The VOSOLUB project is a demonstration project that aims at
testing, under real operating conditions, new formulations of
sunflower-based biolubricants with high oleic acid content.
Sunflower seeds are produced by arterris.
Q1. Could you please tell us a bit about ARTERRIS’ interest in the project?
ARTERRIS is a major agricultural cooperative in South of France. The cooperative brings
together 15 000 cooperators and 1300 employees. Its activities cover several areas: field
crops, vines, arboriculture, market gardening, seed production, animal nutrition and
production, agricultural distribution
2. Project partners interview (Anne PAULHE-MASSOL and JeanClaude PIERRON) (continued)
distribution and agro-food processing.
ARTERRIS is involved in the VOSOLUB project to investigate other applications and
markets for high oleic acid sunflower seeds.
Q2. What is ARTERRIS’ exact role in VOSOLUB ?
In VOSOLUB, ARTERRIS provides the high oleic acid sunflower seeds that are used to
produce the base oils of the project.
Q3. Could you explain the main characteristics of the high oleic sunflower seeds?
The high oleic acid sunflower seeds have an oleic fatty acid content which is more than
90%.The varieties of sunflower seeds are provided by our seed company partner PIONEER
and come from special breeding without genetic modification.
Q4. What is the current surface area cultivated with high oleic sunflower in France? How do
you see the demand evolving for this crop in the coming years?
In France, 700 000 ha are sown with sunflower. Oleic sunflower represents 50% to 60% of
this area. High oleic sunflower (oleic content>90%) is only produced by ARTERRIS. This
production was started two years ago with a few hundred hectares. In 2013, 1 600 ha are
grown with high oleic sunflower and ARTERRIS plans to increase this production every
year to meet the increasing demand for both food and non-food applications.
Q5. Are there any particular constraints for cultivating high oleic sunflower? Would it be
feasible to cultivate high oleic sunflower or other high oleic crop in other parts of Europe?
First, it should be noted that ARTERRIS is located in an area with excellent climatic
conditions to obtain a high content of oleic fatty acid. There is probably no other region in
Europe as perfectly suited for this crop.
The constraints involved in cultivating high oleic sunflower are mainly to be found in the
supply chain management. Along the whole production chain (seedling, harvest, transport,
storage...), the cooperative has to ensure that high oleic seeds do not mix with other
varieties of sunflower seeds (to avoid quality degradation). In practice, this calls for the
setting up of procedures on the one hand and for quality control by rapid analyses in the
whole chain on the other hand.
Contact: Marie PAULHE-MASSOL, [email protected]
2. Project partners interview (Anne PAULHE-MASSOL and JeanClaude PIERRON) (continued)
Jean-Claude PIERRON, Technical expert at PROVENCE
HUILES
The high oleic sunflower oil used in VOSOLUB project to formulate
the biolubricants is produced by PROVENCE HUILES in Vitrolles
(France).
Q1. Jean-Claude, could you tell us a bit about PROVENCE HUILES’ interest in the project?
PROVENCE HUILES, in combination with GHM (Grandes Huileries Médiaco), specialize in
the production of vegetable oils intended for human consumption
The company processes medium sized batches of oils, specifically grape seed oil. High
oleic sunflower oil with high content of oleic acid is a logical extension of this; the quantities
required for biolubricants are of the same order.
Q2. What is PROVENCE HUILES’ exact role in VOSOLUB ?
GHM (Grandes Huileries Médiaco) is responsible for crushing high oleic sunflower seeds
produced by ARTERRIS. PROVENCE HUILES receives the oil and refines it.
Q5. What is the added value of PROVENCE HUILES in the supply chain of high oleic
sunflower oil for biolubricant manufacturers?
PROVENCE HUILES is of an appropriate size, suitable for the potential tonnage of
biolubricant production. It also has adequate capacity to produce specific oil batches with
the required high oleic acid content.
Contacts:
Jean-Claude PIERRON, [email protected]
3. VOSOLUB project overview
VOSOLUB Partners
Concept and objectives of VOSOLUB Project
One of the most important barriers to the adoption of
biolubricants onto the market is their higher price
compared to mineral oil based lubricants. In order to
improve the market penetration of biolubricants, it is
therefore necessary to decrease their purchase cost.
The formulations tested in VOSOLUB project use
new base oils (developed in the framework of
IBIOLAB project, see interview of Carine Alfos) that
are obtained from:
 A new variety of oil seeds: very high oleic
sunflower seeds give an oil with a very good
resistance to oxidation and good flow properties.
 A new refining process: a soft refining process is
used instead of complete and classical refining
(reducing the processing costs due to the tailoring
of refining to oils and elimination of useless steps).
The new variety of oil seeds in combination with the
soft refining process allow us to obtain base oils with
high stability, with a low impact on the environment
and at a lower cost compared to polyolesters
VOSOLUB contribution
By demonstrating under real conditions the technical
and environmental performance of lubricants based
on very high oleic sunflower oil and by implementing
a European industrial network of supply of high
oleic sunflower base oil, the VOSOLUB project will
offer an important alternative feedstock for the
deployment of the biolubricant market in Europe and
the development of a new generation of biolubricants
as effective and cheap as the existing mineral
lubricants. In addition, the soft refining process
enables the reduction of the environmental impact
associated with the production of the base oil.
VOSOLUB at one glance
4. Dissemination and events
WEBSITE
Project meetings
The
VOSOLUB
website is available
since February 2013.
It provides general
information on the
project. All content
will be reviewed and
updated on a regular
basis.
(www.vosolub.eu)
Eighteen-month meeting in Barcelona
The eighteen-month VOSOLUB meeting took place in Barcelona (Spain) on
11 April 2013. The work performed to date was reviewed as well as the
progress of the deliverables. The main topic discussed was the preparation
of the demonstration tests with the presentation of the work done during the
last months and the results of the analytical tests. The global approach and
questionnaires for LCA was also presented. Management issues, financial
state of the project as well as dissemination activities were also discussed.
Will be avail
PROJECT
DOCUMENTS
Project
documents
are
available
on
VOSOLUB
website
(brochure,
poster,
presentations…).
VOSOLUB in the press
Back in July 2012, the VOSOLUB project was presented in a special report
dedicated to biolubricants entitled “Biolubricants: the sector gradually
organises itself”. This report was published in the French magazine
FORMULE VERTE (a magazine dedicated to renewable raw materials and
ingredients) and several project partners were interviewed (ITERG, MOTUL,
VALBIOM).
The full special
report
can
be
accessed from the
VOSOLUB website
in the “news press”
area.
Relevant events
The
VOSOLUB
partners will shortly
participate in the
following events:
Foire agricole de
Libramont
(Libramont, Belgium)
The
Libramont
agricultural, forestry
and agri-food fair is a
huge
open-air
exhibition
that
welcomes more than
200
000
visitors,
along with 1 800
exhibitors
and
brands, on a site
covering 300 000 m²
every year.
From 26 to 29 of July,
ValBiom
will
be
present at the fair
with a stand entirely
dedicated
to
biobased
products
including
biolubricants.
Brochures of
the
VOSOLUB
project
will be distributed.
5. Demonstration tests
Focus on curve rail grease
In VOSOLUB project, three users will demonstrate the use of bio lubricants for a specific application, and their
performances will be compared with mineral lubricants. In this issue, we focus on the curved rail grease
application.
INTRODUCTION
RS CLARE has a lot of experience in supplying Curved Rail Grease into the UK rail market. Large
customers include Network Rail and London Underground Ltd.
For the VOSOLUB project, RS CLARE is working with the end-user Sheffield Stagecoach Supertram
and is supplying an eco-label compliant grease into a curved rail application whilst running back-toback comparisons with a mineral oil based grease.
There is no performance specification for an eco-label grease – the eco-label merely states that
greases shall be ‘fit for purpose’.
RS CLARE has deemed that the eco-label grease to be trialled at Sheffield Supertram should have
similar performance properties to commercially available curved rail greases that are being supplied
into the Rail Industry.
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
RS CLARE will carry out the physical performance tests documented above on the eco-label
grease and on a mineral oil based grease, XP788, which is still being sold into the UK rail
industry. A comparison report will be issued for the VOSOLUB project. BFB OIL RESEARCH
will carry out the biodegradability and aquatic toxicity testing.
INSTALLATION OF THE DEMONSTRATION SITES
Two greases will be supplied to Stagecoach Supertram for back-to-back trial purposes. One will
be mineral oil based and the other will be the bio-based grease produced for the VOSOLUB
project. The greases will be used to reduce wear between the wheel flange and side rail,
avoiding costly rail replacement in curved sections.
Two trial sites will be chosen, with similar radius curves and traffic. Application of grease to the
curved section will be via a trackside Grease Distribution Unit (GDU) supplied by Portec Ltd.
The PW Hydraulic GDU is activated via a plunger when a train or tram passes. Output can be
adjusted to ensure adequate grease carry around the curve. The lubricator holds 3 x 12.5kg of
grease – this will last approximately 3 months before top-up is required.
The trial will last around 12 months to ensure both winter and summer conditions are
experienced. RS Clare staff will visit the trial site every 1 – 2 months to monitor performance
and take measurements / samples as required.
Width of the side rail will be measured at each site when the trial is set up. Sheffield Supertram
will use their monitoring technology throughout the trial period to measure rate of wear and
wear patterns for both the bio and mineral oil based greases.
Information
If you would like
information,
please
contact Paul Wilson
(Technical Manager)
or
Julie
Bullock
(Product
Development
Chemist):
[email protected].
uk
[email protected].
uk