Oil Analysis slate - Part II
MOHAMED IBRAHIM, VA CAT IV, API-SIRE, CLS, MLE, MLAIII, MLTII, VIM, VPR, LLAI, ARP-E, CRL, CMRP
Senior Mechanical Engineer at Qatar Energy, Member of ICML technical committee , Certified vibration Analyst CAT IV and ARP-E from Mobius, certified Machinery Lubrication Engineer and Machinery Lubrication Analyst III
Introduction:
Oil analysis slates are tailored based on specific applications to address unique requirements, operational conditions, equipment types, and critical parameters. This section dive into various application-specific oil analysis slates in general, highlighting key parameters, tests, and considerations pertinent to each application.
1. Industrial Machinery and Equipment:
- Parameters:
Viscosity, acidity, oxidation, wear metals, contaminants.
- Tests:
Spectroscopy (ICP, AES), viscosity measurement, FTIR, particle counting.
- Reference:
ASTM D7416 - Standard Practice for Analysis of In-Service Lubricants.
- Key Considerations:
Monitor gearboxes, hydraulic systems, compressors, pumps, turbines, and other industrial equipment to assess lubricant condition, detect wear patterns, and optimize performance.
2. Automotive and Transportation:
- Parameters:
Engine oil condition, transmission fluid, coolant contamination, fuel dilution.
- Tests:
Elemental analysis, viscosity index, fuel dilution test, TAN/TBN, etc ....
- Reference:
ASTM D5185 - Standard Test Method for Multielement Determination in Used Lubricating Oils by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES).
- Key Considerations:
Evaluate engine oils, transmission fluids, hydraulic fluids, and lubricants in automotive, fleet management, aviation, marine, and transportation applications to ensure vehicle reliability, performance, and safety.
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3. Power Generation and Utilities:
- Parameters:
Transformer oil condition, turbine oils, hydraulic fluids, electrical insulating oils.
- Tests:
DGA (Dissolved Gas Analysis), moisture content, dielectric strength, RPVOT, Viscosity, acidity, oxidation, wear metals, contaminants, MPC, etc ....
- Reference:
ASTM D923 - Standard Practices for Sampling Electrical Insulating Liquids.
- Key Considerations:
Monitor transformer oils, turbine oils, lubricants, and critical systems in power generation, utilities, renewable energy, and energy production facilities to ensure operational reliability, efficiency, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
4. Marine and Offshore Applications:
- Parameters:
Marine engine oils, hydraulic fluids, gear oils, seawater contamination.
- Tests:
Saltwater intrusion, elemental analysis, viscosity, water content.
- Reference:
ISO 8217 - Petroleum products — Fuels (class F) — Specifications of marine fuels.
- Key Considerations: Evaluate lubricants, fuels, and fluids in marine, offshore, shipping, and naval applications to withstand harsh environments, prevent corrosion, and ensure operational integrity.
Conclusion:
Tailoring oil analysis slates according to specific applications enables organizations to address unique challenges, requirements, and operational conditions across diverse industries and sectors. By implementing application-specific oil analysis programs, utilizing standardized test methods, monitoring key parameters, and adhering to industry references and guidelines, organizations can optimize equipment performance, ensure reliability, comply with regulatory requirements, and mitigate risks associated with lubricant degradation, component wear, and operational failures.
In the next parts we will talk more in details about the oil analysis slate for the famous turbo machinery like gas and steam turbines, centrifugal compressors, gearboxes, etc ...
Condition Monitoring / Reliability Engineer lSO 18436-2 CAT -III Certified Vibration Analyst
1yGood
Thank you for this Mr Ibrahim, it's a key point, that the test slate must be adapted as a function of the machinery type and of the fluid type! Say, I see that, in the power generation section, you have RPVOT rather than RULER, what has inspired this choice? Regards.