Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/544388
52 | July-August 2015 | www.machinerylubrication.com ML What is Used Oil? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defi nes used oil as "any oil that has been refi ned from crude oil or any synthetic oil that has been used and as a result of such use is contaminated by phys- ical or chemical impurities." Oils used as lubricants, hydraulic fl uids, heat transfer fl uids, buoyants and for other similar purposes are considered used oil. Some examples include engine oil, transmis- sion fl uid, lubricating oil, hydraulic oil, gear oil, transformer fl uid, cutting oil, tempering or quenching oils, greases and brake fl uid. Used oil does not include oils made from vegetable- or animal-based oils, oil wastes that have never been used (e.g., virgin oil spills), antifreeze, kerosene, or petroleum distillates used as solvents. must be sent offsite because they are too badly contaminated with different viscosity/ base oils and chemicals, or your plant does not have the volume to justify onsite recy- cling, make certain that the used lubricants are handled and processed in an environ- mentally acceptable manner by a waste-removal/recycling company. A number of recycling organizations are avail- able, but you must ensure that you are dealing with a reputable company that processes the oil correctly in compliance with your local laws and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. Is Reclaiming the Best Option? Keeping your oils in service as long as possible is benefi cial to your business in many ways. The cleaner and drier the oil, the longer your machines will last. There- fore, cleaning your oils while they are still in service and not allowing them to be used to the point of no return (viscosity degrada- tion/oxidization) makes perfect sense. To achieve this, you fi rst must know which oils can be reclaimed. Typically, reclaimable oils include hydraulic oils, turbine oils, circu- lating oils for bearing lubrication, paper machine oils, gear oils, quench oils, some metalworking fl uids, transformer oils, some synthetics and several specialty fl uids. Next, you need to determine your oil's remaining useful life through oil analysis. Do not just rely on inter val-based oil changes for your reclamation program. You may be leaving the oil in the machine too long. Employ a quality laborator y to conduct the testing and make sure you have a baseline sample from the new oil as a reference for the viscosity, cleanli- ness and additive levels. This will help you discover what's happening to the oils in your machiner y and how their life is being impacted. The oil should be tested for the following: • Viscosity at 40 degrees C (ASTM D445) • Acid number (ASTM D664) • Rotating pressure vessel oxidation test (ASTM D2272) • Water separation at 130 degrees F (ASTM D1401) • Trace metals analysis (ASTM D5185) • Cleanliness level standards (ISO 4406:99) • Pressure differential scanning calorim- etry (ASTM D6186) Plant personnel should be trained to read sample reports and to take samples correctly with the right equipment. You may need to outfi t your machinery with better breathers, quick connects and fi lters to keep as much contamination out of the machines/systems as possible. Reclamation involves the oil being fi ltered and cleaned of debris, sludge and fi ne particles. Centrifuging is also used to remove suspended particles and some water. Many oil reclamation units dry the oil by heating it and applying a vacuum. Vacuum dehydrator units can be utilized onsite and are great assets if the costs can be justifi ed. If not, you will need to have your oils reclaimed offsite. Selecting a Reclamation Company To help determine a prospective recla- mation company's credibility and expertise, it is important to ask a few simple ques- tions, such as whether the oil is tested before and after it is reclaimed, if particle count data is provided at the site during reclamation, what the cost savings associ- ated with reclamation are, if the oil can be refortifi ed legally and accurately onsite, whether the original formulators are involved, and how the reclamation will impact the machine's warranty. In conclusion, all plants should have a coordinated plan for managing used lubri- cating oil, including how much oil is reclaimed and how much is recycled. Cleaner production methods and a focus on minimizing waste are the fi rst steps to reduce used oil. However, once the oil reaches the end of its useful life, it should be either reclaimed or recycled. If reclaimed, the oil may continue to serve its designed function for many more operating hours. Rigorous testing and record-keeping will be necessary for this approach. If the used oil is a mixture of contami- nants and waste oils or has been severely degraded and cannot be reclaimed, then it should be reprocessed by a recycler or repurposed into fuel. Of course, all of this is dependent on the type of contamination in the used oil. Finally, be sure to follow all local laws and the EPA's regulations for used oils. If you do not, harsh fi nes may be imposed. About the Author Michael Brown is an industrial services technician with Noria Corporation. He has more than 20 years of experience in heavy manufacturing and holds Machine Lubrica- tion Technician Level I and Machine Lubricant Analyst Level I certifi cations through the Inter- national Council for Machinery Lubrication. Contact Michael at mbrown@noria.com. 61% of industrial plants reclaim or recycle used oil, based on a recent poll at MachineryLubrication.com BACK PAGE BASICS