Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1080534
ML www . machinerylubrication.com | January - February 2019 | 33 Crude oil extracted from the ground is filthy with particulate and other contaminants. A s it progresses through the ref ining process, it becomes a "cleaner" fluid. Obviously, some filtration occurs as part of the refining process, but the question becomes how much and to what degree. Even if the refinery was able to achieve and maintain a zero partic- ulate ingression condition, the base oils are then loaded into railcars, tanker trucks or tanks aboard sea-going vessels, which is when things begin to go sideways. What methods are used at this time to guard against particulate contam- ination? Keep in mind that we have not even begun to discuss water contamination or the cross-contam- ination of lubricants. When the base oils are received at the blending plant, what cleanli- ness controls are in place? What is the strategy for breathers on the bulk oil storage tanks? Don't overlook additive cleanliness, as it doesn't do any good to maintain clean base oils and then contaminate them with dirty additives. Let's assume your base oils are stored in a tank at the blending plant with questionable ingression methods, and the additives are also of questionable cleanliness. Now they are mixed together in a blending vessel. How are these lubri- cants mixed? In small batches, this could involve something as simple as a paddle in a handheld electric drill. Was the container flushed with clean base oil? What about the mixer? Was it exposed to the environment? Is the blending vessel left open and exposed while mixing occurs? For larger blends, how are they kept clean? Again, is there an accept- able particulate ingression strategy? Are the mixers flushed with a clean base oil? Are the vessels kept sealed to limit ingression? Some plants employ a "sparging" type of process to mix lubricants. What is the cleanliness of the air in use? Is dry instrument air utilized? What is the plant air like at your facility? Once the lubricant is blended, is it filtered when it is put in its final packaging? What are the ingression prevention methods on the railcar, truck or tanks for the finished lubri- cant? For packaged lubricants, what is the cleanliness of the container? Drum manufacturing consists of grinding and welding, which not only creates metal particles but almost guarantees that particles will get into the drum or grease keg. For this reason, many companies request drums with liners. What about plastic containers? What strategies are in place to ensure these containers are clean? Experts agree that you should filter the lubricant at every step in the process, from refining to final packaging. How can you ensure this occurs? You have little, if any, control over what happens to the lubricants before you receive them. Hopefully, I've painted a picture of what can go wrong. I'm not implying that this is happening or that it will occur, but how can you be sure? Until you demand that your lubricants arrive in a clean, cool and dry state, it is unlikely to happen. Why would refineries and additive companies bother to keep the lubricant components clean? Just like every other industry, there is pressure to keep costs down. Why should blending plants be concerned with filtering the oil, especially if you aren't demanding it? The Benefits of Cleaner Lubricants I can almost guarantee that the oils you receive at your plant are several cleanliness codes dirtier than what you should be putting into your machines. Cleaning your lubri- cants as little as one cleanliness code can provide a 35 percent increase in equipment life. How much is a 35 percent life extension worth to you and your organization? Have you lost customers due to missed deliveries? Of those, how many were the direct result of a reliability- or downtime-related issue? Some suppliers are working to provide cleaner lubricants. ose who are have said they are doing so in response to customers demanding it. Several customers have even written their cleanliness require- ments into their service agreement, which is a great idea. FINAL */20/17 */19/16 */18/15 */17/14 */16/13 */15/12 */14/11 INITIAL */26/23 X 5 X 7 X 9 X>10 X>10 X>10 X>10 */24/21 X 3 X 4 X 6 X 7 X 9 X>10 X>10 */22/19 X 1.6 X 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 7 X 8 */20/17 X1.3 X 1.6 X 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 */19/16 X 1.3 X 1.6 X 2 X 3 X 4 63% of lubrication professionals do not filter lubricants before placing them into storage, according to a recent survey at MachineryLubrication.com Potential life extension of hydraulic systems when lubricant cleanliness is increased.