How to start with Oil Analysis

[Rolly]

Sorry if I post my question here, I don't received any response from where I post it.
Has someone have any experience on how they start with their oil analysis program from scratch and care to share with me

Hello, I'm Rolly from the Philippines and I have convinced our people in our plant to adopt an oil analysis lab here. I would like to ask help from people in similar industry and provide me a feedback regarding my inquiry. I know that there are around 100-200 test on oil and this is what I think that is applicable and priority one when setting up an oil lab in mining, please advise if I am right or I miss something. We plan to purchase the equipment one at a time so I think we will be starting with a particle counter
1) NOACK Volatility Test - detect amount of oil lost due to evaporation
2) Particle test count - for fluid cleanliness
3) Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer for wear metal debri analysis
4) Karl Fisher Titration Test to detect moisture in ppm
5) Total Acid Number - determine acid content for change oil interval
6) Kinematic Viscosity
7) Off-line filtration - although not an oil lab instrument, this goes parallel with particle test count
8) Test for Soot and Sulfur

 

[BOBISTHEOILGUY]

If it was me, I'd start out with the basic wear and oil condition monitors (3) and (6). This would allow you to see wear and viscosity. Give you a better overall picture of oil and engine condition at a glance. If viscosity is thickening, you can take action. Now as to why this is happening, a soot and sulfur test would be nice but not as important to know the oils condition. Wear #'s increase or spike, you'll have a better visual on if Si leaking past as well. Generally speaking, I'd say you'll be able to work with less equipment up front with this monitoring program, and be able to start extending your drains with those to start, saving not only equipment from downtime but able to increase uptime with the extended drain saving enough money on oil purchases to afford expanding your lab equipment.

The noack test is nice, but the Kinematic Viscosity test will show if oil is thickening thus either soot increase ,burn off or TBN depletion causing oil to oxidize would be the possibilities, so then you'd want the TBN, soot/sulfur and noack test equipment to determine that. If I had to choose between those , I'd go for the TBN next then soot/sulfur before noack. If you see high levels of soot with increase of viscosity, then you'd know from that as the cause.

You can by looking at just the oil's condition and wear #'s determine if the oil can extend without having tbn readings. One thing that can clue you in on this is the viscosity increase, showing oxidation levels maybe increasing. This too can be a cause of increase viscosity in conjunction of soot or noack. Either way, with just the two I suggested, I believe it will get you up and running the fastest with quicker results if I had to pick.

bob