Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1475671
12 | July - August 2022 | www . machinerylubrication.com During flushing, RCC made sure that the f low rate gave a Reynolds number greater than 4100 to achieve turbulent flow without causing a pres- sure increase above 1 bar. Temperature was also a concern, needing to maintain under 48 C. e recommended cleanli- ness level target was SAE AS 4059 REV F cpc 6. e cpc in this code stands for Cumulative Particle Count. During the filterability trial, RCC installed two off line filter housings fitted with 3-micron media on the flush line and return line combined with a breather on the reservoir. When the first sample was taken from the battery pre-filter's return line, a cleanliness level of SAE AS4059F cpc 11 was found. After f lushing, onboard particle counters read a final cleanliness level of SAE AS4059F cpc 2, and this result was achieved in a flushing cycle averaging 24 minutes rather than 2 hours. In an envi- ronment where time is critical, both on and off the race track, these results were just what the team needed. But, as mentioned above, it is always a good idea to verify onsite oil or fluid analysis results through sampling and lab testing. Fortunately, Wayne had that covered as well with the help of a Luneta Condition Monitoring Pod (CMP) installed on the flushing rig's reservoir. Trust, But Verify Making it fast and simple to inspect fluid visually and take reliably clean samples day in and day out helps encourage good practices, allowing users to verify onsite analysis and catch obvious problems visually before they lead to failure. Hubball says it fits right in with his vision for RCC's systems. "It just makes life so much easier," Hubball said, "What's in the reservoir? What's going on visually? Bringing in the Condition Monitoring Pod was really about the ease-of-use for us and how we integrate it into the day-to-day process of taking verification samples. We wanted to provide clients a full package solution, and the Luneta CMP helps us do that." Anyone who is responsible for the reliability or maintenance of a critical machine (even one that does not travel at triple-digit speeds around hairpin turns) can glean a useful lesson from the world of Formula One: Even when speed is an absolute priority, and you have all the cutting-edge condition monitoring tech- nology you could need, simple visual inspections and laboratory results still play a vital role in any serious reliability or maintenance effort. ML COVER STORY Condition Monitoring Pod (CMP) Using a sight glass like the Luneta CMP gives operators and technicians a visible inspection window into the condition of lubricants and machines. Users can quickly inspect oil level, color and clarity, oil aeration and foaming corro- sion, varnish, wear debris and other key inspec- tions. Adding a sight glass to your equipment can provide valuable insights without adding signifi- cant costs, improving your chances of identifying root causes and symptoms of failure before they lead to unplanned downtime. START YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION machinerylubrication.com