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Originally posted by Hussam Adeni:
Sam,

Condition monitoring is best applied to large systems and larger the better, hence it is best utilised for corporations having large fleets.

The science behind it is quite simple, the larger the body or mass or fluid the more time the lube has to 'rest.' During the process, the material and energy balances (MEB) are maintained and the fluid "recuperates and rejunevates." Further baffles in tanks allow the finest of wear and metallic debris to "precipitate." Additionally on line filters remove bulk of the wear debris. Many OE's recommend a sump size of ten to twelve times the flowrate.

Major engine manufacturers ( marine engine manufacturers ) like Wartsila recommend ( demand would be more appropriate) a "finite lube life" based on changes to lubricant. The drain is based on depletion of TBN, drop in viscosity, "water content," Flash Point.

MANN feels differently. German engineers feel lube has "infinite life" provided water content and Flash points are in order. This means lubes can be used for thousands of hours if viscosity and TBN are maintained. This can easily be done by a process of 'sweetening", where I higher TBN oil is charged to compensate for drop in TBN, in short TBN is boosted. Similiarly viscosity too can be corrected by addtion SAE 30 or SAE 50 oil to meet SAE 40 requirements.

It is against this background of extending lubricant life and thereby obtain economy that condition monitoring finds its rightful place.

In India condition monitoring or regular analysis is provided by the MNC Lubricant suppliers, like Castrol, Shell, Mobil etc.. who provide a wear metal analysis by ICP technique. The services provided by IOC, HPCL, BPCL leave much to be desired.

Predict Technologies, a US based company provides Ferrography through its labs in India. It may be noted that wear analysis by Ferrography is adopted for advanced wear. This means that this process is capable of doing analysis for large particle sizes only (+ 12 microns or thereabouts). For wear analysis of smaller particles ICP is the quite reliable.

Submission of wear analysis ( by email/courier) is followed up with a visit by the Lube representative, who discusses various aspect of the report and recommends suitable action. Trend or graphical representation is done to map the metals and indicate 1. safe limits 2. Go-no-go signal and 3. Danger zone.

Hussam Adeni

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