Clean Oil Guide
Clean Oil Guide
Clean Oil Guide
The importance of
Oil Maintenance
1 µm
Tobacco smoke
100 µm
Grain of salt
3 µm
Bacteria
70 µm
8 µm Human hair
Coal dust
40 µm
Naked eye visibility
25 µm
Pollen
Contents
Introduction
Maintenance is the largest single controllable expense in a
manufacturing plant. With as many as 80% of all machine
failures related to contamination in the oil, pro-active methods
are saving industries considerable costs every year.
3
4
1
Oil
contamination
control
Ø 5 μm
Oilgroove Oilgroove
Force
Roller
Ø 1 μm
5
1
Oil
contamination
control
Particle Contamination
Solid particles account for the majority of all failures in an oil
system.
The most harmful are clearance size particles of similar size
or slightly bigger than the dynamic tolerance between the
moving parts in the oil system (figure 1, on page 5).
Dynamic tolerances in an oil system are extremely fine.
Figure 2 indicates the finest tolerance found in different types
of components.
When tiny abrasive particles such as sand and dust get into
the oil system they flow with the oil into critical machine
components and are wedged in the fine clearances. This
leads to micro cracks being initiated in the surface of e.g. a
ball bearing. The load and stress cycles will spread subsurface
cracks resulting in degradation of the metal and releasing large
spalls (figure 3, on page 7).
6
1
Oil
contamination
control
Water Contamination
Water accounts for a major part of mechanical failures. In
some heavily water contaminated oil systems e.g. in the
paper industry, water is the predominant cause of failing
components.
Water reduces the lubricity of the oil, due to the lower
viscosity and poor load capacity of water. When water is
exposed to the high pressures found in load zones in e.g.
bearings and gears, the water droplets collapse (implode). The
resulting micro-jets create micro-pitting in metal surfaces and
can even result in metal-to-metal contact when water vapor
pushes the oil away momentarily.
Free hydrogen ions in the water can further worsen the
situation, since they migrate into machine components making
steel brittle and prone to crack.
Water also results in corrosion and erosion leading to pitting
damage (see figure 28 in appendix, page 42).
8
1
Oil
contamination
control
Oil Degradation
Oxidation
Oil degradation products or soft contaminants are a
Sludge widespread problem in most industries. They are precursors of
Varnish deposits often referred to as varnish which are known to cause
problems in both hydraulic and lube oil systems.
When oil degrades due to elevated temperatures, water or
chemical contamination e.g. copper, the composition and
functional properties of the oil are changed, resulting in the
following products being formed:
• Acids
• Polymerized compounds which are dissolved
in warm oil (referred to as sludge or resins)
• Varnish precipitating out as deposits on colder
machine components
Figure 5:
Varnish on
valve plunger
9
1
Oil
Conamination
control
Acid Contamination
Acid can be found in oil as by-products of oil degradation,
combustion of gas or fuel, hydrolysis of Ester-based fluids etc.
The amount of acid in oil should be limited, since acid will
cause chemical corrosion of machine components and shorten
the lifetime of the oil, just to mention a few of the unwanted
effects.
Oil Sampling
The purpose of oil sampling is to utilize the oil as a messenger
telling how the machine is doing. This can prompt pro-active
actions in order to achieve the highest level of machine
performance and reliability at the lowest possible cost. The
initial samples serve to establish benchmarks and to identify
the machines with critical levels. The routine sampling is
done to document that goals are met and can also provide
indications of abnormal wear that needs to be addressed.
11
2
Oil
sampling
5 times
• a certified particle free glass or hard plastic bottle
Flush (100-200 mL)
min. • a cloth
1L
• an open oil container of approx. four litre (one US gallon)
Don’t
touch
glass
the container
4. Open the sample bottle while keeping the cap in your
hand to avoid contaminating it
5. Place the bottle under the oil flow without touching
the sampling valve or the drain pipe
6. Fill the bottle to approximately 80% full.
7. Place the cap on the bottle immediately after taking
Step 7
the sample.
8. Close the sampling valve.
9. Fill in label and stick it onto the sampling bottle.
10. Pack the sampling bottle in plastic bag and cardboard
container, and send via mail or courier.
Figure 8:
Oil sampling between the pump and offline filter
12
2
Oil
sampling
13
2
Oil
sampling
Vacuum pump
Step 1
above the lowest part of the tank, in the center of the tank.
Max.
80%
Be careful not to let the tube touch the walls or the bottom
of the reservoir.
Strapping the sample tube to a rod may help to position the
tube. Utilizing a fixed pitot tube installed one third above the
Step 4
When you have sealed the bottle, make sure that the label is
filled in with all the information as per example on page 13.
Figure 10:
Oil sampling
with a vacuum pump
14
3
Oil sample
analysis
15
3
Oil sample
analysis
Diesel engine lube oils require testing for fuel dilution, soot,
base number (BN), and so on. Different applications will
demand different types of oil analyses. This booklet will focus
on the five analyses performed most frequently.
Every oil system should have a log where analysis results are
registered. The logbook must also contain information about
oil type, oil changes, break-downs, targeted ISO cleanliness
code and oil analysis results.
16
3
Oil sample
analysis
Viscosity
Viscosity is the single most important property of a lubricant.
It separates machine surfaces under load, rotation and other
stress factors. Changes in viscosity as small as 15% in either
direction can cause malfunction and severe machine wear.
Figure 13:
Equipment to test
dynamic viscosity (cP)
17
3
Oil sample
analysis
Particle Counting
Since particle contamination of oil is one of the main reasons
for a machine to break down, monitoring the level of hard
contaminants is vital. The ISO 4406/1999 method for coding
the level of contamination of solid particles is a classification
system that converts a given particle count into an ISO class. It
ISO 11/10/6 is not a test method.
ISO 15/13/8
Figure 14:
Test membranes
and microscopic
photographs of various
contamination levels
ISO 24/23/20
18
3
Oil sample
analysis
450,000 particles ≥ 4 micron Number of particles per 100 ml fluid after their size ranges
120,000 particles ≥ 6 micron More than Till ISO Class
14,000 particles ≥ 14 micron 8,000,000 16,000,000 24
4,000,000 8,000,000 23
In the ISO classification table 2,000,000 4,000,000 22
(on the right), this oil sample has a
1,000,000 2,000,000 21
contamination class of 19/17/14.
500,000 1,000,000 20
250,000 500,000 19
Some laboratories give the particle
130,000 250,000 18
counting per millilitre in stead of per
64,000 130,000 17
100 millilitre (mostly USA).
32,000 64,000 16
16,000 32,000 15
Note: The ISO class is a logarithmic
8,000 16,000 14
scale; that is, a double in particle
counts leads the ISO class to increase 4,000 8,000 13
19
3
Oil sample
analysis
AS / NAS Classes
The American standard NAS 1638 has been changed to AS4059
(issue E), which is considered to be a significant advance
because it presents data in terms of cumulative counts (>X µm)
rather than interval mode (X-Y µm), introduces a cleaner
(Class 000,) and extends the size range to smaller sizes (>4 µm)
for increased sensitivity.
20
3
Oil sample
analysis
If, for example, the current oil cleanliness in a gear box is found to be ISO 22/20/17
and the oil is cleaned to an ISO cleanliness code of 16/14/11, it can be expected that the
lifetime of the gear is prolonged 2.5 times. For every oil-filled system, a cleanliness goal
should be specified. This is the basic requirement to ensure reliability at the lowest
possible price.
Figure 17 & 18 show the recommended ISO cleanliness levels in hydraulic, lube oil and
gear systems. New oil is typical contaminated with particles to ISO 19/17/14.
*) The amount of dirt passing the pump per year, if the oil passes with a capacity of 200 ltr/min,
8 hours a day, 230 working days per year
21
3
Oil sample
analysis
Moisture Level
Most laboratories start with a water screening test called the
crackle test. Here, a drop of the tested lubricant is applied
to a hot plate (160°C). The moisture in the oil will evaporate,
causing it to crackle. This test is mainly an indication of water
in oil, and no sign of crackles normally means less than 0.1
percent (1000 ppm) water in the tested oil. If the crackle test
shows signs of moisture, then a more accurate test method is
needed.
Figure 19:
Equipment used for
the indirect Karl Fisher
method
22
3
Oil sample
analysis
Rule of thumb:
Caution: AN new + 0,5 mg KOH/g
Critical: AN new + 1,0 mg KOH/g
Rule of thumb:
Caution: BN new minus 50 percent
Critical: BN new minus 70 percent
Figure 20:
Equipment for testing acidity
23
3
Oil sample
analysis
Element Analysis
Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (AES) is used to determine the
level of additive elements, wear metals and contamination in
lubricant. The trend is of highest importance, so it is vital to
have a baseline showing the additive package in the new oil.
How it works:
Superheating the sample turns oil and its elements into ‘light-
bulbs’ which emit atomic light. The light is analyzed to see
which wavelengths are present and of which intensity. The
wavelengths correspond to a specific element (for example,
iron) and the intensity defines the concentration (given in
ppm). The concentration of a given element/metal is the total
of both very fine particles and chemically dissolved metals in
the oil.
Al 2 20 - 30 above 30
Si 5 10 - 15 above 15
Cu 5 30 - 40 above 40
Ferrous Density
- 15 above 20
(PQ, WPC, DR)
25
3
Oil sample
analysis
26
3
Oil sample
analysis
27
4
Oil
cleaning
methods
Glass fibre based pressure filter Reduces the content of solid particles
Electrostatic filter Reduces the content of solid particles, and oil degradation products
All the above technologies are commercially available. However the glass fibre
based pressure filter and the cellulose based offline filter, are often preferred due
to their superior efficiency and economy. Both of these oil filter techniques work
best under constant conditions, i.e. steady flow and pressure.
The cellulose based depth filter is often placed in a separate offline circuit also cal-
led kidney loop filtration, and with such stable conditions, it retains the majority
of contaminants found in the oil. The glass fibre based pressure filter could be
installed in an oil cooling circuit or as a full-flow “last chance” filter upstream of
the oil system.
Filter types
The best method for capturing and retaining fine particles as well as water and
varnish is by installing an offline filter. An offline filter should operate continuously,
circulating the oil volume in the system many times per day. With a low pressure
and low flow rates a dense filter medium with very fine filtration can be selected
(< 3 micron filtration).
The cellulose based offline filter is like a maze where the oil passes through
several layers of cellulose. The largest particles are retained on the surface of the
filter insert whereas the smaller particles enter the filter insert and are retained
within the filter material, this ensures a high dirt holding capacity. This type of
28
4
Oil
cleaning
methods
filter can also be installed in a by-pass circuit, throttling the pressure of the system
pump. Using a cellulose based offline filter also enables removal of water, by
absorption or coalescing, and removal of oil degradation products such as sludge/
varnish from the oil.
Varnish can be removed from oil systems through the detergent/dispersant
additives in the oil, but the oil needs to be clean from particles, water and sludge
before the additives are free to do the varnish cleaning job. Since sludge and
varnish precipitate out of cold oil, typically between 10 - 40◦C (50 - 100◦F), cooling
the oil in the offline filtration circuit combined with a cellulose based depth filter is
highly effective.
The CJC™ Offline Oil Filters removes oil degradation products such as sludge and
varnish through polar attraction to the filter medium. A combination of adsorption
and absorption fills each cellulose fibre with oil degradation products until the
insert is completely saturated. The CJC™ Filter Inserts can hold up to 4 kgs (8 lbs)
of varnish depending on type.
Conventional inline pressure filters are typically glass fibre based, because they
need to operate under high pressure and high flow conditions, while creating as
little restriction as possible. The filter element is pleated in order to increase the
surface area and reduce the pressure drop.
Since they are installed after the main system pump, they often live a tough
life with cyclic flows and many stops and starts, which is very harmful for the
efficiency of any filter. Capturing and retaining fine silt particles is therefore very
difficult, which is why most of these inline filters have a rating of 10 – 30 micron.
However, many already captured particles will be released again when the filter is
exposed to pressure shocks at stop/start.
The glass fibre based pressure filter is capable of removing solid particles only
– and due to the relatively small filter depth and volume, it has a restricted dirt
holding capacity.
Modern oil systems often combine the two cleaning systems, where the
offline filter removes the contamination and the inline pressure filter
serves as security or “last chance” filter before critical components.
29
4
Oil
cleaning
methods
Element housing
O-Ring
End cap Filter
seal element
Filtered oil
returned
to oil circuit
Core
Unfiltered oil Support
Medium entry under layer
support high pressure
Support layer
30
4
Oil
cleaning
methods
Filter Insert
Made of corrugated wood cellulose discs rotated at 90°
to the next and bonded together. This gives a series
of connected surfaces with corrugations running north-
south and east-west.
Filter housing
Particles pass
Function through the
filter maze until
The CJC™ Offline Oil Filter has a large dirt holding they are trapped
capacity of approximately 4 L solids, up to 2 L of water
and 4 L oil degradation products (varnish). The CJC™
Offline Oil Filters typically only need replacing every
12 months.
31
5
Basic
filtration
definitions
NU ßX - 1
ßX = E= x 100
Test filter ND
ßX
NU
Figure 25: Multipass test
Source: ISO Standards
32
5
Basic
filtration
definitions
Example 1 Example 2
Filter type Glass fiber based Cellulose based
pressure filter insert offline filter insert
Cost of element/insert € 35 / $ 50 € 200 / $ 300
Dirt holding capacity 0.085 kg / 0.18 lbs 4 kg / 8 lbs
Cost per kg/lb removed dirt € 412 / $ 278 € 50 / $ 40
33
6
Installation
methods
Installation Methods
Offline filtration
34
6
Installation
methods
FLOW
If the inline
In-line filter is not changed
filter regularly it will clog
and allow particles
to pass through the
by-pass valve.
System
pump
H2O
FLOW
SUMP
Contaminated
Millipore
Millipore membrane.
membrane. Sample Sample taken
taken after offline before offline
filtration. filtration.
35
7
Economy
Economy
Before investing in a filtration system, a cost benefit study
should be carried out. The involved costs can be divided into
two groups:
36
See the calculation of the cost for removing 1 lb dirt on page 33.
8
Ordering
a filtration
system
37
9
CJC™ Oil
Maintenance
Systems
CJC™ Desorbers
• Water contaminated oil – even with strong
emulsions
• Hydraulic, lube and gear oils – up to ISO VG 1000
(depending on Desorber type)
• Removes both free, emulsified and dissolved water
• Suitable for most oils even engine oil, paper
machine oil, EAL, etc.
CJC™ Desorbers do not retain particles and varnish, thus
a separate CJC™ HDU Fine Filter is recommended.
38
10
Handling of oil
and oil systems
39
11
Recommendations
for buying oil
Claims
If the oil supplied does not fulfill requirements, returning
the consignment might be considered. If the problem can be
corrected, new samples must be approved. The supplier must
pay all costs, including machinery failure and downtime.
40
11
Recommendations
for buying oil
• Visual inspection
• Viscosity @ 40◦C
• Density
• Total Acid Number of finished product
• Air bubble separation time
• Contaminants, gravimetric or ISO cleanliness code
41
12
Appendix
Appendix
Life Extension Table - Cleanliness Level, ISO Codes
21/19/16 20/18/15 19/17/14 18/16/13 17/15/12 16/14/11 15/13/10 14/12/9 13/11/8 12/10/7
2 1.6 3 2 4 2.5 6 3 7 3.5 8 4 >10 5 >10 6 >10 7 >10 >10
24/22/19
1.8 1.3 2.3 1.7 3 2 3.5 2.5 4.5 3 5.5 3.5 7 4 8 5 10 5.5 >10 8.5
1.5 1.5 2 1.7 3 2 4 2.5 5 3 7 3.5 9 4 >10 5 >10 7 >10 10
23/21/18
1.5 1.3 1.8 1.4 2.2 1.6 3 2 3.5 2.5 4.5 3 5 3.5 7 4 9 5.5 10 8
1.3 1.2 1.6 1.5 2 1.7 3 2 4 2.5 5 3 7 4 9 5 >10 7 >10 9
22/20/17
1.2 1.05 1.5 1.3 1.8 1.4 2.3 1.7 3 2 3.5 2.5 5 3 6 4 8 5.5 10 7
1.3 1.2 1.6 1.5 2 1.7 3 2 4 2.5 5 3 7 4 9 6 >10 8
21/19/16
1.2 1.1 1.5 1.3 1.8 1.5 2.2 1.7 3 2 3.5 2.5 5 3.5 7 4.5 9 6
1.3 1.2 1.6 1.5 2 1.7 3 2 4 2.5 5 3 7 4.6 >10 6
20/18/15
1.2 1.1 1.5 1.3 1.8 1.5 2.3 1.7 3 2 3.5 2.5 5.5 3.7 8 5
1.3 1.2 1.6 1.5 2 1.7 3 2 4 2.5 6 3 8 5
19/17/14
1.2 1.1 1.5 1.3 1.8 1.5 2.3 1.7 3 2 4 2.5 6 3.5
1.3 1.2 1.6 1.5 2 1.7 3 2 4 3.5 6 4
18/16/13
1.2 1.1 1.5 1.3 1.8 1.5 2.3 1.8 3.7 3 4.5 3.5
Hydraulics and Rolling Element
Diesel Engines Bearings 1.3 1.2 1.6 1.5 2 1.7 3 2 4 2.5
17/15/12
1.2 1.1 1.5 1.4 1.8 1.5 2.3 1.8 3 2.2
Journal Bearings 1.3 1.3 1.6 1.6 2 1.8 3 2
16/14/11 Gearboxes and
and Turbo 1.3 1.2 1.6 1.4 1.9 1.5 2.3 1.8
others
Machinery 1.4 1.2 1.8 1.5 2.5 1.8
15/13/10
1.2 1.1 1.6 1.3 2 1.6
Figure 27: Life Extension Table, cleanliness level
25,000 6,250 3,250 2,250 1,563 1,250 1,000 750 500 391
10,000 2,500 1,300 900 625 500 400 300 200 156
500 125 65 45 31 25 20 15 10 8
260 63 33 23 16 13 10 8 5 4
100 25 13 9 6 5 4 3 2 2
1% water = 10,000 ppm. | Estimated life extension for mechanical systems utilizing mineral-based fluids
Example: By reducing average fluid moisture levels from 2,500 ppm to 156 ppm, machine life (MTBF)
is extended by a factor of 5
Published by:
C.C. JENSEN A/S
Svendborg, Denmark
Print:
Tryk Team
Svendborg, Denmark
Sources:
”Chemistry in electrical apparatuses”
Lars Arvidsson
Västeras PetroleumKemi AB
C.C.JENSEN A/S
Manufacturing & Headquarters
C.C.JENSEN A/S
Løvholmen 13 | DK - 5700 Svendborg | Denmark
Tel. +45 6321 2014 | Fax: +45 6222 4615
[email protected] | www.cjc.dk
- or give us a call.