Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
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32 | September - October 2020 | www . machinerylubrication.com PERSPECTIVE specific ways in which to validate this concern through analysis. Basic visual inspections are the most simplistic method of identifying adhesive wear-related concerns. Machine surface inspections must take place with the asset out of service while visual inspections, where applicable, of debris generation accumulated at inspection ports such as BS&W (Bottom Sediment & Water) bowls and CMPs (Condi- tion Monitoring Pods) can be observed while the asset is in service. Generally, these visual inspections only work to identify adhesive wear during the later stages of wear to due incipient wear often being smaller than the human eye can observe. During visual inspections it is imperative for the observer to specifically look for noticeable wear on the machine surfaces in question and report any noted visible anoma- lies so that detailed planning and action can be promptly initiated if necessary. It is always good practice to incorporate machine surface inspections during outages and turn arounds as a failsafe if other indicators or analysis has been overlooked or omitted. Borescope inspection are another visual analysis tool that should be utilized to look for adhesive wear generation. is advanced visual inspection will provide much greater detail on any related concerns and will provide insight to adhesive wear much earlier in the generation process. e use of this analysis and inspection tool is often triggered in response to a noted concern during predictive maintenance such as vibration or oil analysis but can be utilized as a stand-alone tool during scheduled downtime. Vibration analysis is another option commonly utilized for detection of wear development and generation. While traditional vibration analysis will provide awareness of wear and failure related concerns further along in the process, high-frequency analysis focused on impacting may aid in obtaining valuable information during the earlier stages of surface wear development. Oil analysis can also aid in the identifica- tion of adhesive wear. While early detection of adhesive wear is not commonly distinguished in particle population growth due to limited release of surface material in the initial stage of wear generation, there are additional measures within oil analysis that may provide indications of the increase potential for adhesive wear to occur. One specific parameter worth observing is the trending of wear and friction control additives. While this task can sometimes be difficult due to certain elements showing up as both additive packages as well as contaminants in the system the case for doing so cant still be made. If there is a sound understanding of the asset at hand and oil analysis in general, identifying the loss of the wear and friction control additives in the system that may fore- cast the initial advancement of adhesive wear debris can still be done. As advanced adhesive wear generation begins to increase in the asset, prized information obtained through spectro- metric analysis, particle counting, moisture analysis, patch testing, ferrous density, and analytical ferrography will provide specific detail with regards to the volume, size, shape, and potential source of the issue. It is essential to note that all detection analysis methods have their place and utilizing multiple analysis tools will aid in identif ying and va lidating concerns throughout this process. Prevention As reliability professionals, we need to have a sound understanding of wear generation, why it arises, and how to address or minimize its occurrence. As we have already noted in the sources section of this article, adhesive wear is generally caused by over or under- loading and improper lubricant selection. Properly identifying loading concerns during the installation phase and utilizing the correct lubricant makeup that takes into account the application, film thickness, temperature, surface stressors, and environment will make a strong case for minimizing the concerns of adhesive wear generation. Furthermore, identifying moisture ingression, addressing alignment concerns, and properly monitoring the asset through the detection and analysis methods noted will provide additional support to minimize the chance of this problem occur- ring during operation. ML References • Noria Corporation Oil Analysis III Training Manual. Tulsa, OK: Noria Corporation • W.F. Gale and T.C. Totemeier. Smithells Metals Reference Book (8th Edition), Butter - worth-Heinemann, 2004 • https://onyxinsight.com/wind-turbine-fail- u r e s - e n c y c l o p e d i a / b e a r i n g - f a i l u r e s / adhesive-wear/ • https://www.tribonet.org/analyzing-the-evo- lution-of-adhesive-wear/ • https://www.wmv.nl/adhesive,_abrasive_and_ tribo_oxidative_wear_prevention.htm • Trevor M. Hunt. Handbook of Wear Debris Analysis and Particle Detection in Liquids, Elsevier Science Publishers LTC, 1993 • Noria Corporation Wear Particle Atlas, Noria Corporation, 2012 About the Author Matthew Adams is a technical consultant for Noria Corporation, concentrating in the field of predictive maintenance. He has experi- ence in multiple condition-based maintenance technologies and focuses the majority of his attention on lubrication program development, training and general consulting. Matthew holds a Machine Lubricant Analyst (MLA) Level III certification and a Machinery Lubrication Technician (MLT) Level I certi- fication through the International Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML). Contact Matthew at madams@noria.com to find out how Noria can help you maintain the compres- sors at your facility. Figure 3: Examples of adhesive wear particles Chunky Striations Fatigue