Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/325287
34 | May - June 2014 | www.machinerylubrication.com C o n t a m i n a t i o n C o n t r o l Choosing the rIght oIl FIlter location IN the treNChes Great emphasis has been placed on contamination control within lubricating systems. By limiting the amount of contaminants entering the lubricant, you can effectively extend the life of the equipment and the oil. Reducing the ingression rate is one part of achieving maximum machinery reliability; the other part is removing contaminants as quickly as they are introduced. Perhaps the most common method of removing contaminants is utilizing filtration. Filters come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be installed in multiple locations. A filter is the best line of defense to remove contaminants once they have entered the machine. With filtration systems, there are many options that must be considered to make sure the system is as efficient as possible. One of the first considerations is the filter material. The construction material can make a difference in the filter's ability to do its job well. For instance, fiberglass filters have more pores and thus generally have a higher dirt-holding capacity. Fiberglass also holds up to acidic environments better than traditional cellu- lose-type media. One of the benefits of cellulose is that it can absorb some water from the oil being filtered. For each filter media decision, there are also filter elements that must be considered as well. Two common types of filter elements are surface-type and depth-type elements. With surface-type elements, the majority of particles are trapped on the filter's surface. These are typically constructed of a single layer of material that oil flows through and that traps particles as they pass by. As their name suggests, depth-type media have more depth than surface-type elements. In depth filters, oil flows in a tortuous path throughout the media, and particles are trapped throughout the depth of the filter. Since these filters require the oil to remain in contact with the media for a longer period of time, they also tend to have a higher differential pressure or pressure drop across the elements. Care must be taken when using these types of filters in a supply-line application, as they can reduce oil flow to lubricated components downstream and lead to equipment failures. Both media and filter materials can be designed to work in a variety of applications and are regularly used in tandem with each other in different locations throughout a system. Depending on the system design and overall machine criticality, several filtration wes CAsh NorIA CorPorAtIoN Filter location options