Contaminants in lubrication oil are machinery killers! High levels of particulate in lube oil are closely linked to machine failure, unexpected downtime, and loss of revenue. Effectively removing these invisible contaminants means an increase in efficiency and productivity, and, as a result, profit is increased. That's why many business owners are reviewing their lubricating and reliability strategies.
With many business owners realizing the value in effective lubrication management, more and more are investing in technology to efficiently remove the contaminants from the oil. But where do these contaminants come from, and how can we prevent them from wreaking havoc in our diesel engines? Below we look at the main sources of oil contamination that can occur in your engine.
Business owners are focusing on contamination control to improve organizations' efficiency, productivity, and revenue.
New Oil
Even brand new oil already carries harmful particulates.
When oil is delivered, it already contains contaminants from its own manufacturing process. Choosing a high-quality lube oil will have fewer harmful particles, but an effective filtration system is a must! Once delivered, proper storage is imperative. If stored in humid or dusty conditions, the lube oil will become contaminated. Depending on how long the oil is stored, the lubricating oil can become substantially contaminated before even entering the machinery.
Prevention:
Correct storage of the new lubricating oil will help prevent further contamination. The oil must be stored indoors and in a properly sealed container, avoiding exposure to potential air contamination. Filtering lube oil before it enters the engine is also advisable. A portable oil filtration cart or a kidney loop system gives the best results. An IOW centrifugal oil filter is suitable for both filtration setups. It is particularly effective at removing the maximum contaminants from lube oil by utilizing filtration technology available exclusively through IOW Group. Find out more about the complete IOW centrifugal oil filter range here.
Internal
Internal contaminants include the natural by-products of the operation within the machinery.
Rust, soot, seal material, and metal are all examples of harmful internal particles that contaminate the oil. Internal contamination contains many abrasive particles, which are highly damaging to your engine's crucial components. The difficulty with abrasive particles in lubricating oil is they breed more harmful particles due to the damage created within the machinery. Even the lube oil itself can degrade and oxidize over time to produce abrasive contaminants. Therefore it is essential to monitor oil cleanliness, protect the oil viscosity and prevent abnormal wear situations from developing out of control.
Prevention:
Incorporating an efficient filtration system will be your biggest ally in the battle against contaminants inside your engine. Primary filters quickly clog and will not remove the smallest particles from the lube oil. A secondary filter such as an IOW centrifugal oil filter will remove the maximum contaminants and continuously clean the oil while the machinery is running. Combined with a choice of CentriClean SCU (Separator Control Units) remote monitors, you can ensure the IOW oil cleaning centrifuge is running optimally. When used alongside regular oil analysis reviewing the health of your lubricating system couldn't be easier!
A high particulate count provides an early warning of abnormal wear within the engine and should be further investigated. Onboard a CMA CGM maritime vessel, an IOW MP600 oil cleaning centrifuge collected over 2.5 times more sludge! When the question was asked what was in the extra dirt that had been removed, test indicated high levels of asphaltenes were what had been drawn out of the lubricating system. After a quick investigation, the source of ingress was found and repaired to increase the engine's efficiency, productivity, and lifespan. Read the full story here.
Investing in new and innovative oil filtration technology can extend machinery life and increase productivity in your organization.
External
External contamination is dependent upon the working environment.
External contaminants include dust, water, and chemical particles that can enter the system due to poor seal design, worn seal materials, or poor operational conditions. Any breathable space within machinery allows road dust, soil, rocks, or moisture to enter the system. If there are gaps in the hatches, ports, or vents, contaminants are more likely to be breathed in with little resistance.
Prevention:
Ensure that all hatches and ports are completely sealed and regularly checked and maintained when necessary. When installing equipment, ensure proper alignment is achieved to extend seal life. Regular oil analysis is also essential in identifying any peaks in contamination. Effective oil filtration is the only cure to removing these contaminants from the lube oil once it has entered. Centrifugal separators are considered the most effective form of filtration and have a fast return on investment due to reliability-based savings.
IOW centrifuges are 150% more efficient than any other centrifugal filter product currently available, cleaning the lube oil so well that engine lifespan is increased on our installations. When installed on a Caterpillar G3608 engine, the ISO oil cleanliness codes improved so much that the engine lifespan was tripled! Find the full story here.
Human
Human interaction with the machine is unavoidable and allows further contamination.
External contaminants include dust, water, and chemical particles that can enter the system due to poor seal design, worn seal materials, or poor operational conditions. Any breathable space within machinery allows road dust, soil, rocks, or moisture to enter the system. If there are gaps in the hatches, ports, or vents, contaminants are more likely to be breathed in with little resistance.
Prevention:
Proper staff training should help battle against contaminants due to human activity. Put procedures in place to ensure maintenance tasks are performed in a skilled manner to help stop any ingress. Having an effective filtration system helps remove any particles that do enter the lube oil. It also assists the improvement in oil cleanliness, making it easier to move to a reliability-based maintenance strategy. When the lubricating oil is cleaner, there is less wear on the engine components and machinery, meaning less maintenance (human interaction) is required.
Moving to a reliability focussed maintenance strategy can assist in reducing contaminants due to human interaction.
Improving machinery reliability and efficiency is an ongoing challenge where the plan needs to be constantly adjusted and adapted to maximize equipment output. Thanks to automated equipment, more sophisticated monitoring, and more advanced engineering, it is now more attainable than ever to achieve lubrication excellence and grow your organization into an efficiency-based working environment.
Oil cleaning centrifuges are considered the most efficient and fast return-on-investment oil filter you can install. Centrifuge oil filters harness centrifugal force to draw out sub-micron particles. Centrifuge oil filters improve lube oil quality and contain contaminants within the centrifuge bowl ready for disposal.
The IOW oil cleaning centrifuges are patent-protected and have unique features to improve efficiency. A central bowl disc stack helps draw out finer particles from the lube oil. The IOW centrifuge filter spins 15-30% faster than any existing competitor models meaning faster and better separation. The IOW range was externally tested by Lloyds London, it showed the IOW MP centrifugal oil filter was proven to remove more contaminants from lube oil than our competitor. Along with the centrifuge filter, IOW Group offers a choice of remote monitoring units that can extend the reach of efficiency through your organization to create great savings and help in achieving future reliability goals. Find out more about the technology here.
While contamination is tricky and unavoidable, picking the most efficient filter is easy!
Fill in the contact form below, and one of our team will be in touch.
One (1 ) IOW MP600 oil cleaning centrifuge offers the same performance as almost three (3) Mann+Hummel FM600 centrifuge filters.
