Q & A

"Should I follow the equipment manufacturer's recommendations on a specific brand of lubricant?"

This is an operational and monetary question as much as it is a mechanical maintenance question.

The fundamental issues are:

1. Is the machine still in warranty?

2. Am I required to use this particular lubricant to maintain warranty?

3. Do the instructions give me sufficient information regarding lubricant specifications so that I can use my own judgment in selecting a suitable alternative?

4. Do I have a product on-hand that has nearly identical fundamental characteristics, such as viscosity, viscosity index, oxidation resistance, wear resistance, demulsibility, corrosion protection, etc.?

5. Will the addition of another lubricant mean greater complexity and greater operational cost for this piece of equipment?

There is generally no magic in a product brand name. There are exceptions, and in those cases, the equipment manufacturer will let you know up front what is necessary for you to maintain warranty.

Today's Tip

• There are several suppliers of special adsorbents that can be used to remove acids from used oil. These powder-like materials, sold in bulk or cartridges, have the ability to selectively strip acids from partially oxidized oils. For instance, a used turbine oil with an acid number of 0.6 can be brought back to a level below 0.1 (near the original, new-oil level) using these materials. Commonly used adsorbents include fuller's earth and activated alumina; ion exchange resins can also be used for this purpose. There are certain risks and disadvantages to reclaiming used oil in this way, including possible depletion of certain additives and the migrating of minerals from the adsorbent into the oil.

• Get your free subscription to Machinery Lubrication magazine. Go to:
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Book Bits

From the book "Practical Lubrication for Industrial Facilities":

The most valuable synthetic lubricant types excel in high film strength and oxidation stability. However, while there are many high film strength oils on the market, these may not be appropriate for some process machine applications. High film strength oils based on extreme pressure (EP) technology and intended for gear lubrication may typically incorporate additives such as sulfur, phosphorus and chlorine which are corrosive at high temperatures and / or in moist environments. Sensitive to this fact, a reputable lubricant manufacturer thus would not offer an EP industrial oil with corrosive additives as a bearing lubricant for pumps, air compressors, steam turbines, high speed gear reducers and similar machinery.

For more information about the "Practical Lubrication for Industrial Facilities" go to:

http://www.noria.com/secure/product_detail.asp?catalogid=4

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Lube-Tips is published by Noria Corporation. Oil Analysis and Lubrication Experts