By Jim Fitch
Practicing Oil Analysis Magazine
Hot oil has typically received the most press, even in this publication. After all, oil is not like fine wines that get better over time. In fact, even the very best wine will stress-out when exposed to too much heat. For instance, most wines will age roughly twice as fast at 77°F compared to 55°F, which is why connoisseurs and collectors prefer cellar temperature to store their liquid assets.
In 1903, Svante Arrhenius won a Nobel Prize when he figured out the relationship between temperature and most chemical reaction rates. Often called the Arrhenius Rate Rule, it relates to the fact that lubricants, once they’ve exceeded their base activation temperature, will degrade or oxidize twice as fast for every 10°C (18°F) increase in temperature.