Lubrication oil contamination

Recycle and other services frequently require absolute elimination of lubricating oil contamination of the gas. The cylinder must operate with no oil. 

Bieger T., Hellou J., and Abrajano T. A. (1996) Petroleum biomarkers as tracers of lubricating oil contamination. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 32, 270-274. 

Deactivation of zeolite-based SCR systems can be divided into two main categories hydrothermal deactivation by steam in the exhaust system or chemical deactivation by different chemicals found in an exhaust stream of typical fossil fiiel engine. Steam is present in the exhaust, since it is a by-product of burning fossil fuels, while different chemicals might be present due to lubrication oil, contaminants in the fuel, or they may be originating from a different catalyst in the exhaust system. 

Oil whose characteristics have changed since original manufacture and which is suitable for recycling. This is an umbrella category that includes used lubricating oils of all types as well as dirty or contaminated fuel or other oils that can be economically recycled. 

In selec ting the machines of choice, the use of specific speed and diameter best describe the flow. Figure 10-67 shows the characteristics of the three types of compressors. Other considerations in chemical plant service such as problems with gases which may be corrosive or have abrasive solids in suspension must be dealt with. Gases at elevated temperatures may create a potential explosion hazard, while air at the same temperatures may be handled qmte normally minute amounts of lubricating oil or water may contaminate the process gas and so may not be permissible, and for continuous-process use, a high degree of equipment rehability is required, since frequent shutdowns for inspec tion or maintenance cannot be tolerated. 

Single-acting air-cooled and water-cooled air compressors are available in sizes up to about 75 kW (100 hp). Such units are available in one, two, three, or four stages for pressure as high as 24 MPa (3500 IbFin"). These machines are seldom used for gas compression because of the difficulty of preventing gas leakage and contamination of the lubricating oil. 

Contamination from Bearing Lubrication Oii. A barrier seal is required on the outboard side of the dry gas seal, between the gas seal and the compressor bearing. The primary function of the barrier seal, typically buffered with air or nitrogen, is to prohibit the flow of bearing lubrication oil into the gas seal. Contamination of the dry gas seal from lube oil can occur when the barrier seal fails to function as intended. 

Lubrication skid. The gas turbine lubrication skid is usually independent of the steam turbine skid as the lubrication oil is usually synthetic due to the high temperatures in the gas turbine. Another reason is due to water contamination of the lubrication oil from the steam turbine. It is advisable to have the lubrication system be totally independent. The gas turbine lubrication skid would report to the gas turbine controller. Since the lubrication system is also used for providing cooling, it is usually operated for about 20 minutes after the gas turbine is shutdown. The lubrication skid contains at least three pumps, two pumps in which each can provide the head required and a third pump, which is usually recommended to be a DC drive for emergency use. These pumps and their control fall under the drive level hierarchy. 

The contact seal can be used under 1,000 psig. It is more complex, but has the advantage of not leaking while shut down. The contact seal is used extensively in refrigeration service where the compressor is part of a closed loop, and the shutdown feature is desirable. As mentioned, the seals must have a source of cooling and buffer fluid. In many cases, this fluid is lubricating oil. If contamination is not a problem, a combined lube and seal system can be used. 

Extending the inteiwal between oil changes in automobiles and machinery is another way to conserve lubricants. Oil life is limited by depletion of oil additives, overheating, chemical contamination, and contamination of the oil by foreign particles. Using improved additives and filtering of particles, oil life can be considerably extended. 

Lubricating oil analysis, as the name implies, is an analysis technique that determines the condition of lubricating oils used in mechanical and electrical equipment. It is not a tool for determining the operating condition of machinery. Some forms of lubricating oil analysis will provide an accurate quantitative breakdown of individual chemical elements, both oil additive and contaminates, contained in the oil. A comparison of the amount of trace metals in successive oil samples can indicate wear patterns of oil wetted parts in plant equipment and will provide an indication of impending machine failure. 

Spectrographic analysis allows accurate, rapid measurements of many of the elements present in lubricating oil. These elements are generally classified as wear metals, contaminates, or additives. Some elements can be listed in more than one of these classifications. Standard lubricating oil analysis does not attempt to determine the specific failure modes of developing machine-train problems. Therefore, additional techniques must be used as part of a comprehensive predictive maintenance program. 

The flash point of an oil is the temperature at which it gives off, under specified conditions, sufficient vapor to form a flammable mixture with air. This is very different from the temperature of spontaneous combustion. The test is an empirical one and the result depends upon the instm-ment used and the prescribed conditions. For example, the flash point may be closed or open , depending on whether the test apparatus has a lid or not. As far as lubricating oils are concerned, the test is of limited significance, although it can be indicative of contamination (for example, the dilution of crankcase oil by fuel). 

Another liquid contaminant is unburned fuel. A poor-quality fuel, for example, may contain high boiling point constituents that will not all burn off in the combustion process and will drain into the sump. The practice of adding kerosene to fuel to facilitate easy starting in very cold weather will eventually cause severe dilution of the lubricating oil. Excessive use of over-rich mixture in cold weather will mean that all the fuel is not burnt because of the lack of oxygen and again, some remains to drain into the sump. 

Some 70-85 per cent of failures and wear problems in lubricated machines are caused by oil contamination. Clean oil extends machine and oil life and gives greater reliability, higher productivity and lower maintenance cost. Hence, some type of filter is an essential part of virtually all lubrication systems. 

Reconditioning is the removal of contaminants and oxidation products (at least in part) but not previously incorporated additives. It may also involve the addition of new oil and/or additives to adjust the viscosity and/or performance level. This process is sometimes referred to as laundering or reclamation . The method treats used lubricating oil to render it suitable for further service, either in the original or a downgraded application. Two types of treatment are generally employed. 

With the increased speed and horsepower capabilities of modem chain drives, the role of lubrication has increased in importance. The precision roller chain is actually a series of connected journal bearings and it is essential that lubrication minimizes the metal-to-metal contact of the pin/bushing joints of the chain. Many factors affect lubrication performance and chain life including heat, improper lubrication, windage, contamination, and oil viscosity. 

Applications Over the last 20 years, ICP-AES has become a widely used elemental analysis tool in many laboratories, which is also used to identify/quantify emulsifiers, contaminants, catalyst residues and other inorganic additives. Although ICP-AES is an accepted method for elemental analysis of lubricating oils (ASTM D 4951), often, unreliable results with errors of up to 20% were observed. It was found that viscosity modifier (VM) polymers interfere with aerosol formation, a critical step in the ICP analysis, thus affecting the sample delivery to the plasma torch [193]. Modifications... 

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