Machinery Lubrication

Machinery Lubrication May-June 2020

Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation

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32 | May - June 2020 | www . machinerylubrication.com I have been told that viscosity at 40 degrees C is a good indicator as well. W hich instru- ments or methods will give me the most accurate soot level?" ere are several available tests that can detect soot load in diesel oil. As a screen test with a lower cost, FTIR is a great indicator of soot. It is capable of measuring more than a dozen parameters, with some more reliable than others depending on the susceptibility to interference in the established wavenumber region. While the data collection is rela- tively easy, there are challenges with "What is the best method to detect soot in diesel oil? Our labs use Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as a primary means of measuring soot in used diesel engine oils. "What are the corrective actions for a high particle count? Is there any standard particle count for fresh oil?" ere are multiple correc- tive actions for a high particle count. Selecting the appropriate action will depend on the operational and environmental conditions. If a high particle count is noticed in a compo- nent through oil analysis, the first question you should ask is where are the particles originating. e initial reaction is usually to change or filter the oil. However, determining where the particles are coming from can save time, money and numerous headaches down the road. Simply removing the particles only focuses on the failure symptom and not the root cause. Common root causes of high particle counts include new oil, ventilation and breathers, seals, wear generation, service and manu- facturing debris, and filter dumping or bypassing. New Oil It is a common misconception that new oil is clean. In fact, when tested straight from an unopened drum, most new oils have particle counts that are in some cases 32 times dirtier than what you would prefer to have in your equipment. Ventilation and Breathers Every machine "breathes," so proper precautions must be taken to ensure that clean, dry air is entering the system. Otherwise, particles will build to uncontrollable amounts over time. Wear Generation Some particles measured during a particle count may not be strictly contamination from outside sources but rather the effect of this contam - ination in the form of wear debris. Service and Manufacturing Debris Even brand-new equipment must be inspected for cleanliness. Often new components are not flushed or cleaned after assembly. is will lead to high particle counts after installation. Filter Dumping or Bypassing Systems with built-in filtration may run dirty because of opera - tional conditions or a flaw in the design. In this case, all the particles that you assume are being caught by the filtration system are being sent throughout the internal components. While this is by no means a complete list of potential causes of high particle counts, it does repre - sent some of the most common. e best practice is to determine how the particles are entering or being generated by the system. It has been proven that exclu - sion of particles is 10 times more cost-effective than removal. ere- fore, exclusion should be the first priority, and then a focus can be placed on removal. Keep in mind that new oil particle counts vary widely, and many factors contribute to high particle counts. e simple truth is that new oil should be assumed to be dirty, and it must be cleaned before being used. ASK THE EXPERTS

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