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Oil Analysis Without Particle Counting?
Robin Sahadeo, Technical Advisor, Caribbean Analytical
Services Ltd.
I would tend to disagree with the lab manager and continue with
particle count testing even though the oils are generally clean.
My reason is because fluid cleanliness is critical in hydraulic,
compressor, turbine and many other applications.
Particulate contamination accounts for 80% of failures in general
hydraulic systems, causing damage to all moving parts including
pumps, motors, valves and controls. Particle contamination can
lead to performance degradation, abrasive wear, filter plugging,
leakage, valve sticking, intermittent failure and system failure.
All these effects spell one word and that is "trouble".
Problems of this nature can lead to unexpected downtime and for
a power generation facility this means power outages (and a lot
of dissatisfied customers). There is also revenue loss caused
by downtime, the cost to repair and replace worn parts and there
is always a safety issue.
Also, many insurance companies insist on particle count analysis
as one of the basic screen tests that must be performed when there
is an issue with equipment warranties. Another important consideration
is the ease at which your oil can be contaminated.
Water contamination (leak in oil cooler or even condensation
of water on the sides of rusty sumps), machine burns, system generated
debris, defective breather, poor filling techniques (top up) and
worn wiper seals in hydraulic applications; are just a few of
the possible causes of particle contamination and some of these
problems can occur without any warning.
Particle contamination is so dangerous to the health and reliability
of your equipment that cost of performing the tests cannot compare
to the cost of an unexpected failure caused by particle contamination.
Particle count analysis is therefore a test that you should insist
on having. Failure to monitor oil cleanliness will cost you more
in the long run.
See other responses
to this Readers Challenge.
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