Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1316458
20 | November - December 2020 | www . machinerylubrication.com Fighting Back Against Lubricant Contaminants Contamination control and lubricant reconditioning is one of the most important lifecycle stages on the Ascend Chart." " Contamination control and lubricant recondi- tioning is one of the most important lifecycle stages on the Ascend Chart. Contaminant exclu- sion and removal are somewhat obvious when it comes to extending the life of the lubricant and machine, but this part of the chart should be looked at as an in-depth guide to contamination control. Starting with the Platform level and working inward accomplishing tasks and goals throughout each factor increases the performance of the lubrication, assets and even personnel within the facility. Let's jump right into the three levels of contamination control and get a good overview of how this lifecycle stage progresses through the ascend chart. The Platform Level: Contaminant Exclusion and Removal e outermost ring is called the Platform level. is level is considered the foundation of the contaminant control section. ese two factors are the low-hanging fruit or first-step actions that should be taken when building a lubrication program. e first factor, (C1P) Contamina- tion Exclusion, is crucial to the longevity of a lubricant. Keeping contaminants out of the lubricant may at times be more challenging, depending on the environment of the asset. ere could be steam or spray nearby, it could be a humid coastal environment or an extremely hot or cold environment. All of these conditions can allow contaminants to enter the lubricant in one way or another. One of the first actions should be to review the current documentation and procedures. is includes the proper steps on topping up lubricants, initially filling new equipment and implementing hardware such as desiccant breathers and quick-connects at the fill and drain ports. If the facility is unable to install hardware due to scheduling a shutdown or personnel workload, the next alternative should be to at least use dedicated seal- able and refillable containers or use disposable funnels to top-up or fill your machines. Contaminant exclusion really means to take the steps necessary to prevent contaminant ingression. As stated in a Machinery Lubrication article by Jim Fitch, "the cost of excluding a gram of dirt is probably only about 10 percent of what it will cost you once it gets into your oil." When some contaminants do make it into the lubricant, which will happen because no program is perfect, the facility will need to consider the next Factor of this life-cycle stage, (C2P) Contamination Removal. e purpose of contamination removal is to remove contaminants as quickly as they enter the machine. Now, removing contaminants can be tricky if the proper Paul Farless | Noria Corporation Overview CONTAMINATION CONTROL & LUBRICANT RECONDITIONING