Analysis of Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EALs) for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Dams
Abstract
This report explores the use of environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) dams in the Pacific Northwest. This report also identifies above-water and in-water structures where these lubricants would be useful. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) defines EALs in document 800-R-11-002. However, this definition has a range of ambiguity; therefore, the authors of this report propose a tiered definition in which Tier 1 EALs undergo testing to demonstrate that they meet requirements of toxicity, biodegradability, and bioaccumulation. Tier 2 lacks some test data, but it is made of materials that the EPA considers to be consistent with an EAL. The authors assessed 21 lubricants that met either Tier 1 or Tier 2 EALs. The authors found EALs met performance requirements comparable to the mineral oils currently used in USACE dams. In fact, there are already EALs being used effectively in USACE dams as well as with dams operated by other organizations. The authors also found that the costs of EALs is competitive with that of mineral oil lubricants and that EALs can be readily used in USACE dams.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1081506
Entities
People
- Joseph R. Wilson
- Michelle T. Wynter
- Timothy M. Paulus
- Victor Frank Medina
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center