Historically, hydrocarbon, chemical process and inert industrial gas compressors used conventional mineral oil based lubricants. However, these lubricants often failed when they encountered temperature extremes, extreme dilution or chemically hostile gases.

CPI performance lubricants offer many advantages over conventional mineral oils. Some of the advantages include excellent chemical inertness, high viscosity index, low pour point, good hydrolytic stability and complete demulsibility. They also offer good natural lubricity, excellent thermal stability, resistance to hydrocarbon dilution, low volatility and both elastomers and metal compatibility.

A history of successful applications development at CPI Fluid Engineering has led to product acceptance and approval by most major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Our polyalkylene glycols (PAGs) have earned the distinction of "factory fill" by more major OEMs than any other PAGs for hydrocarbon gases in North America. Many OEMs make the use of our products mandatory for their warranty.
In a chemical process, gas purity and catalyst poisoning are very important considerations. CPI uses the highest quality base fluids with proprietary additive packages to formulate lubricants for inert process and industrial gas compressors. Our lubricants will not harm the catalyst or contaminate the gas stream. CPI has earned approval for both polyalphaolefins (PAOs) and PAGs from UOP, whose catalysts are widely recognized throughout the chemical industry. By having both PAO and PAG fluids approved, CPI can supply the optimum lubricant for a wide range of process gas and hydrocarbon gas applications.
In process and hydrocarbon gas applications, the lubricant must satisfy the basic lubrication requirements of the compressor. In addition, the lubricant must resist chemical degradation and dilution, prevent chemical corrosion, and lubricate under temperature extremes. CPI has a wide range of base fluids that we formulate to suit your specific application. With such a wide choice of lubricants, CPI can meet the requirements of almost any application.
Viscosity is the most critical requirement when lubricating hydrocarbon gas compressors. To select the optimum lubricant, the customer provides the compressor operating conditions and a complete gas composition including the amount of each component present. Water, hydrogen sulphide (sour gas), asphaltenes or other trace contaminates, including possible solids, must be considered.

CPI's applications engineers use computer modelling to determine the potential lubricant dilution. Based on the dilution, experience with similar applications, and the compressor manufacturer's requirements, the engineer selects the proper lubricant.