FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT 1970
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
"Bio-Based High Temperature Chain Lubricating Oil and Process of
Preparation Thereof
2. APPLICANT
(a) NAME: Mint Agri Research & Development Pvt Ltd
(b) NATIONALITY: Indian Company
(c) ADDRESS: Mint Biofuels Limited
S.No. 1073/1,2,3,
Mutha Road, Pirangut. Pune - 412 111
3. PRREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
COMPLETE
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

Bio-Based High Temperature Chain Lubricating Oil and Process of
Preparation Thereof
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a high temperature chain lubricating oil, and more particularly, to a highly lubricant, biodegradable, polar and non-toxic bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil for conveyor chains and process for preparation thereof.
Background of the invention
Adequate and effective lubrication is crucial for proper functioning and long service life of a chain conveyor. Poor lubrication of the chain conveyor leads to ' stoppage of conveyor as drive power will not be able to pull the chain of the conveyor because of higher torque requirement due to friction in number of joints and wheels. Moreover, in the longer use of such conveyor with increased use of drive power chain gets elongated in the joints and ultimately fails.
In case of conveyor passing through ovens and such high temperature applications, lubricating oil may get evaporated and cause poor lubrication as well as high consumption.
For high temperature application, the lubricating oil will change the viscosity and become thin and may get dropped on the articles carried by the chain causing quality problems of finished goods in case of conveyors used in surface coating process. If the initial viscosity is increased to take care of dropping due to thinning then high viscosity oil may not reach in crevices of joints resulting in poor lubrication.
Further problem of the petroleum based or even synthetic lubrication oil is the evaporation at high temperature causing heavy consumption of the oil during use.

The vapours of such oil can affect environment and also have risk of fire due to low flash point.
The drawbacks of the prior art
1. The lubricity of the petroleum based or synthetic oils is low requiring high power to transfer the load at specific speed. Thus the power consumed is high to cover the high friction load.
2. Due to less viscosity-index of the prior art high temperature lubrication oils, the application viscosity is kept higher at room temperature of 40° C probably around 300 cSt. This high viscosity oil may not enter the crevices and cause poor lubrication in the chain. Such crevices are in bearings and joints. If such high viscosity oil is not used, then the oil will get thin at high temperature and can fall on the articles being carried by the conveyor causing serious problems of quality in case of conveyors in surface coating lines.
3. Flash point and evaporation rate at high temperature is another critical parameter. Petroleum based oils do not withstand high temperatures and synthetic based oils are also having constraints in both parameters. Result of high evaporation is drying of conveyor and causing poor lubrication. The vapours cause pollution and sometimes fire risk with lower flash point. Moreover, the consumption is also higher due to evaporation.
4. The oiis used in conventional lubrication are non-polar and hence they are poor in creating thin film withstanding high pressure as well as adhesion with substrate.
5. The present high temperature chain lubricants, being non degradable and toxic, ETP (effluent treatment plant) is essential for disposals.

Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a highly lubricant polar, bio-based high temperature withstanding non-toxic and biodegradable lubricating oil having high viscosity index for chain conveyors that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
Objects of the invention
An object of the present invention is to provide a highly lubricant, polar, bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil having superior lubricity and thin film strength leading to enhanced service life of the chain.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the high temperature chain lubricating oil having high viscosity index, high flash point and low evaporation rate so as to have less consumption and no risk of fire.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a process for the preparation of biodegradable, non-toxic bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil that provides superior lubricity and thin film strength.
Summary of the invention
Accordingly, the present invention provides a highly lubricant, biodegradable, non-toxic bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation. The bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation comprises polyol ester of vegetable oil in a range of 65 % by weight to 70 % by weight. Further, the bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation comprises polyalfaolefins 100 in a range of 30 % by weight to 35 % by weight. Furthermore. the bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation comprises an antioxidant for example di-tert-butyl-p-cresol, in a range of 0.25 % by weight to 0.5 % by weight.
The present invention further provides a process for the preparation of the bio-

based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation.
Brief description of the drawings
Figure I shows a flowchart for a process of preparation of a bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation, in accordance with the present
invention.
Detailed description of the invention
The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiments.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a highly lubricant biodegradable, polar, non-toxic, bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation that provides superior lubricity and thin film strength thus causing reduced friction leading to less power consumption of the drive and enhanced service life of the chain. The high viscosity index of the bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation allows application in the crevices and fine gaps of the joints and bearings while the viscosity is maintained high at elevated temperatures to avoid dripping and dropping in the oven.
The bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation of the present invention maintains viscosity at higher temperatures up to 300° C. The bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation of the present invention has high viscosity index, high flash point and low evaporation rate. In another aspect, the present invention discloses a process for the preparation of the formulation of biodegradable, non-toxic, bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oit.

The highly lubricant, polar, biodegradable, non-toxic and bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation (herein after "the bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation'") comprises polyol ester of vegetable oil in a range of 65 % by weight to 70 % by weight. The examples of the vegetable oil include Pongamia pinnata and mustard oil. In an embodiment, the vegetable oil is selected between Pongamia pinnata oil and mustard oil based on desired temperature range of 250° C or 300° C respectively. Further, the bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation comprises polyalfaolefins in a range of 30 % by weight to 35 % by weight. The polyalfaolefins used is of grade 100. Furthermore, the bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation comprises an antioxidant in a range of 0.25 % by weight to 0.5 % by weight. In an embodiment, the antioxidant is di-tert-butyl-p-cresol.
The biodegradable, non-toxic, bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation is prepared by a process (100) as illustrated in figure 1.
The process (100) starts at (10). At step (20), the process (100) includes preparing a methyl ester of vegetable oil by esterification and transesterification process. Esterification and transesterification processes in combination convert the vegetable oil into the vegetable oil methyl ester. The examples of the vegetable oil include Pongamia pinnata and mustard oil. In an embodiment, the vegetable oii is selected between Pongamia pinnata oil and mustard oil based on desired temperature range of 250° C or 300° C respectively. In accordance with the present invention, vegetable oil is selected owing to the fatty acid profile of the seed oil and the inherent lubricity. In an embodiment, Pongamia pinnata or mustard oil is selected having free fatty acids content less than 15%, methyl ester is selected having ester content of minimum 96.5 % and acid value of 0.05 mg KOH/g maximum.

At step (30), the process (100) includes adding trimethylol propane to the methyl ester in presence of an alkaline catalyst, for example, sodium methoxide, under a predefined vacuum thereby converting the methyl ester into a polyol ester. In an embodiment, the vacuum is 1 torr or less.
At step (40), the process (100) includes blending the polyol ester with a polyalfaolefins to form a mixture. In an embodiment, the polyalfaolefins is of 100 grade and the polyalfaolefins 100 have viscosity of 100 centistokes at 100° C. However, .it is. understood that other grades of polyalfaolefins can be used for alternative embodiments of the bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation.
At step (50), the process (100) includes adding an antioxidant to the mixture to enhance the oxidative stability of the formulation. Specifically, the antioxidant is di-tert-butyl-p-cresol. The process (100) ends at step (60).
The invention is further illustrated hereinafter by means of examples. Example 1: Preparation of an acid catalyst mixture
The acid catalyst mixture was prepared by dissolving about 0.7 % by weight to 0.8 % by weight of concentrated sulphuric acid in about 32 % by weight to 36 % by weight of methanol. Acid catalyst mixture was prepared at ambient temperature.
Example 2: Preparation of a base catalyst mixture
The base catalyst mixture was prepared by dissolving about 1.3 % by weight to 1.4 % by weight of potassium hydroxide in about 20 % by weight to 25 % by weight of methanol. Base catalyst mixture was prepared at ambient temperature.
Example 3: Preparation of methyl esters of vegetable oil by esterification
In this process, free fatty acids of the vegetable oil were converted into a methyl ester. For converting free fatty acid of vegetable oil to the methyl ester, acid catalyst mixture was slowly added to about 100 % by weight of vegetable oil at

60° C in a reactor within 15 minutes to 20 minutes to form a reaction mixture. The reaction mixture was kept under stirring for about 80 minutes to 90 minutes. Acid layer was removed by transferring the reaction mass to a settler and allowed to settle for about 30 minutes to 45 minutes at ambient temperature and pressure. During settling period phase separation occurs and top layer of acid-methanol mixture and bottom layer of acid esterified vegetable oil were formed. The top layer of acid-methanol mixture was sent for distillation for methanol recover}'. The bottom layer of acid esterified vegetable oil layer was purified by filtration and drying to form vegetable oil methyl ester. Further, the bottom layer of acid esterified vegetable oil layer was transferred to a separate reactor for transesterification process.
Example 4: Preparation of methyl esters of vegetable oil by transesterification
In this process, triglycerides of vegetable oil were converted into methyl ester. For converting triglycerides of vegetable oil to the methyl ester, the base catalyst mixture was slowly added to the acid esterified vegetable oil within 15 minutes to 20 minutes to form a reaction mixture. The reaction mixture was kept under stirring for about 80 minutes to 90 minutes. The reaction mixture was transferred to the settler and allowed to settle for about 30 minutes to 45 minutes at ambient temperature to remove glycerin layer. During settling period phase separation occurs and top layer of esterified vegetable oil and bottom layer of glycerin, methanol and potassium hydroxide mixture were formed.
Bottom layer of glycerin was removed and sent for further processing and recovery. The esterified vegetable oil layer was purified by filtration and drying to form vegetable oil methyl ester.
Example 5: Preparation of propyl esters of vegetable oil
Methyl ester of vegetable oil was converted to propyl ester by adding trimethylol propane and sodium methoxide under vacuum of 1 torr.

Example 6: Formulation of bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil
The bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation was prepared by blending about 65 gm to 70 gm propyl esters of vegetable oil with 30 gm to 35 gm of polyalfaotefins 100 and 0.25 gm to0.5 gm of di-tert-buvyl-p-cresol.
Advantages of the invention
1. The lubricity of the bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil of the present invention is much higher than petroleum based or synthetic based chain lubricating oils presently in use due to inherent quality of vegetable seed oils used for the formulation. This results in less energy and power consumption used by drive of the conveyor. The friction is substantially reduced resulting in much longer life to the chain and track of the conveyor.
2. Unlike mineral oil based or synthetic based high temperature chain lubricants, vegetable oil based lubricant of the present invention has polar nature resulting in thin film having better adhesion to the substrate giving superior thin film strength. This improves the load bearing capacity and life of the chain.
3. The viscosity index of bio-based oil of the present invention is more than 200 resulting in smaller viscosity changes between application viscosity at room temperature and operating viscosity at elevated temperature up to 300° C. Hence compared to present chain oils, lower viscosity can be used for application allowing oil to properly reach crevices and small gaps of the joints and bearings of the chain. This improves the lubricity performance. At the elevated temperature, the viscosity still remains higher, eliminating the dripping.

4. The high temperature chain lubricating oil of the present invention has less evaporation losses resulting in reduction in the requirement of the lubricant and extension of re-lubrication interval.
5. The high temperature chain lubricant oil of the present invention has high flash point and less risks of fire in the high temperature area.
6. The high temperature chain lubricating oil of the present invention is green and bio-based. Hence it is non-toxic. After evaporation, there is no pollution in the environment as well as being biodegradable, its disposal is simple and without any harm to the environment.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omission and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

We Claim:
1. A bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation for
conveyor chains having superior lubricity and thin film strength leading to
enhanced service life of the chain, the bio-based high temperature chain
lubricating oil formulation comprising:
polyol ester of vegetable oil in a range of 65 % by weight to 70 % by weight;
polyalfaolefins in a range of 30 % by weight to 35 % by weight; and
an antioxidant in a range of 0.25 % by weight to 0.5 % by weight,
2. The bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vegetable oil is selected from any one of Pongamia pinnata oil, mustard oil and combinations thereof.
3. The bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antioxidant is di-tert-butyl-p-cresol.
4. A process for a preparation of a bio-based high temperature chain lubricating oil formulation, the process comprising the steps of:
preparing a methyl ester of vegetable oil;
adding trimethyloi propane to the methyl ester in presence of an alkaline catalyst under a predefined vacuum thereby converting the methyl ester into a polyol ester;
blending the polyol ester with a predefined proportion of polyalfaolefins to form a mixture; and
adding an antioxidant to the mixture.

5. The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the vegetable oil is selected from any one of Pongamia pinnaia oil, mustard oil and combinations thereof.
6. The process as claimed in claim 4. wherein the conversion of methyl ester into propyl ester is adapted to be carried out under vacuum of 1 torr.
7. The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the alkaline catalyst is sodium methoxide.
8. The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the antioxidant is di-tert-butyl-p-cresol.