Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1336798
24 | January - February 2021 | www . machinerylubrication.com CONTAMINATION CONTROL & LUBRICANT RECONDITIONING and sludge to begin appearing in the oil. So just like the human body, if we do not correct the contamination issue, lubricants will break down and machines will fail. Staying healthy and clean is how we prevent getting the flu and becoming sick. Managing these six areas is like taking vitamins or antibiotics to prevent lubricant and machine failure. Contamination control management is important in any industrial plant. It's good to start with setting cleanliness standards for new lubricants being delivered and setting strict standards for lubricants in use. To achieve or meet the lubricant objectives in any facility, strict cleanliness standards and procedures must be set and followed for new lubricants coming into the facility and lubricants in equipment. Step 1 – Contamination Limits and Standards e first and most important step is setting cleanliness limits for new lubricants delivered on-site. Yes, new lubricants! Even new lubricants can be contaminated enough to cause serious damage to equipment like turbine bearings and hydraulic systems. is is the starting point for the lubricants on-site. A process or standard should also be set for how new lubricants are received, handled, and dispensed. Starting with the machine, determine how clean and dry each lubricant needs to be. Each piece of equipment can have various types of metals, different clearances and specifications that determine how clean and dry its lubricant needs to be. Cleanliness also refers to moisture, not just solid particles. Some machines are more susceptible to water damage than others because of the metal parts they are constructed from. Remember, heat air and water create oxidation and rust. In a perfect world, contamination limits should be set during the commissioning of equipment before ever being put into service. Determining the contamination limits needed for equipment will indicate how clean new lubricants delivered on site need to be. Step 2 – Receiving New Lubricants Once you set the cleanliness limits, contact the lubricant supplier and let them know the ISO cleanliness needed for each lubricant they supply. Ask for verification or authentication records showing the cleanliness for each lubri- cant delivered. If the lubricant supplier consistently does not meet the contamination limits you have set or will not provide the information you ask for, it's time to look for a supplier that will. When lubricants are delivered, place every- thing in a designated quarantine area. Take a sample of each container of lubricant for personal verification and label "DO NOT USE." e delivered lubricant should remain in quarantine until oil analysis test results come back and are verified to be within the contamination limits you have set. If the lubricant is not within the set limits, send it back or filter until you have lowered contamination to acceptable levels. All lubricants should remain in quarantine until contamination limits are verified and approved. en, it's time to either move the lubricant into bulk storage or place it directly into the machine. If you do store the lubricant, make sure it is properly labeled with the ISO cleanliness reached, the date, brand and viscosity, and that it is ready to use. Step 3 – Lubricant Storage and Handling e way lubricants are stored and transferred can have a huge impact on the cleanliness of the lubricants going into your machines. Although lubricant storage is starting to become more important in the 21st century, a lot of industrial plants do not make lubricant storage a priority. Even today, I often see lubricants stored in the most awful conditions: outside with no protection from the atmosphere or just collecting dust in the dirtiest areas of the plant. When lubricants are stored outside, there is no way to control temperature. Frequent tempera- ture changes will cause condensation and moisture buildup inside the container. Water can pool and eventually seep into uncovered containers, contaminating the lubricant. I work with customers on understanding the importance of controlling atmospheric conditions as well. Storing lubricants in a climate-controlled environment helps keep the lubricant dry and clean like you paid for. The duration of storage is another important aspect to think about. Lubricants do not last forever, so managing the amount of time lubricants are in storage is important. e shelf life of a lubricant is based largely upon the its additive package. Typically, the heavier the additive package is, the shorter the lubricant's shelf life. For example, an oil containing extreme-pressure additives could start losing performance in as little as six months. Conversely, some lightly-additized turbine oils may have a shelf life of three years. Storage conditions play a big part in how long a lubricant will last. If oil is stored for extended periods of time, create a recirculation schedule to agitate the oil and re-suspend the additives in the oil. is would be a work order produced for every quarter with a procedure having someone connect a filter cart and circulate each lubricant for approximately two to four hours. If lubricants are stored in bulk tanks, utilize the circulation function to agitate the oil. Remember to always follow the first-in/ first-out (FIFO) rotation and clearly label every container with the date and condition so storage time is not accidently extended. Manufacturers' labels will fade or tear over time, so clear, consis- tent labeling is critical in the storage process. Managing the amount of lubricant stored is also important. Lubricants should not sit for extended periods of time. Lubricant storage and labeling procedures should be posted and followed to ensure lubricants are still in good operating condition. When it comes to transferring lubricants from bulk storage into your equipment, you'll need people with both the right equipment and the right training to do the job properly. I repeat: training is important! Over the past five years, I have noticed a big difference in workers who have some lubrication training versus the ones who don't. I think the big difference is that too many people believe "oil is oil and small amounts of dirt won't hurt." Training will show you how wrong that mindset is very quickly. It also gives people a boost of confidence. When they know