Oil Condition Monitoring | SciMed

Spectro Microlab 40 all-in-one automated lubricant analysis system

Paul Vanden Branden — Fri, 10 May 2019 11:35:08 +0000

The MicroLab® combines automation and artificial intelligence in an all-in-one oil analysis tool, making on-site oil analysis possible for any fleet.

Simple to use – no special operator required
Fast – results in less than 15 minutes
Easy to read reports – color-coded alarms and maintenance actions

MicroLab 40 is designed primarily for fleets operating equipment with hydraulic components or heavy equipment gears and transmissions. This would include off-road mining and construction vehicles as well as over-the-road equipment with hydraulics such as bucket trucks, fire engine ladder trucks or any type of lorry and HGV. The MicroLab 40 is also used in applications for offshore drilling equipment. In addition to the basic oil chemistry and extended elemental analysis provided with the MicroLab 30, the MicroLab 40 model includes a particle counter which provides critical analysis for cleanliness of hydraulic oils and gear oils to determine the health of those oils and mechanical condition of those components.

Monitoring equipment and oil health with oil analysis

The four automated MicroLab tests provide a complete look at equipment and oil condition.

Mechanical condition parameters indicate potential equipment failure:

Wear metal analysis
Contamination (glycol, dirt, water)

Oil condition parameters indicate potential degradation and contamination:

Viscosity
Oil chemistry (Total Base Number, oxidation, nitration)
Contamination (glycol, water, soot, particle count)
Oil additive levels

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Minilab 53

Dancahill — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 13:11:32 +0000

Oil analysis provides early indications of equipment wear mechanisms and identifies the root causes of corrosion. On-site oil analysis eliminates the wait associated with sending samples off-site and enables immediate decision making.

The MiniLab 53 delivers comprehensive on-site oil analysis, providing immediate actionable results, saving time and reducing costs. The MiniLab 53 answers the questions:

• Is it the right oil?
• Is the oil clean?
• Is it dry?
• Is it fit for use?
• …and most importantly – Is the machine in good condition?

The MiniLab 53 seamlessly integrates with the on-board TruVu 360 software module. Samples, Batches, Routes and Sample Lists are created in TruVu and downloaded to the MiniLab 53. Once measurements are made, the data is automatically transferred to the user database.

Highlights of this system include:
• Easy to interpret results
• Generates sample and trend reports automatically
• Colour-coded alarm limits prompt maintenance actions

Features and benefits:
• Increased equipment availability by reducing unexpected downtime
• Early identification and trending of machinery wear and failure modes allows preventative maintenance before a catastrophic failure occurs
• Measures oil chemistry, sources of contamination and machinery wear debris
• Makes it easy to track and trend the key oil parameters necessary for optimising machinery health
• Reduced maintenance costs
• Extends component lifetime through effective contamination control
• Proactively schedules maintenance based on the predictive analytics of machine wear, rather than reacting to unexpected component failure
• Extends oil drain intervals based on oil chemistry
• Verifies that nay new oil is the right oil and fit for use
• Features a portable viscometer and FluidScan, allowing QA testing at the receiving dock and in-service testing at the machine
• Fast, simple and user-friendly
• Comprehensive oil analysis in less than 10 minutes
• Can be operated by plant staff; no chemist required
• Easy to interpret results and maintenance actions
• Generates sample and trend reports automatically
• Colour-coded alarm limits prompt maintenance actions

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Spectro Field Lab 58 Expeditionary Fluid Analysis System

Dancahill — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 13:08:24 +0000

The Spectro Q5800 is a rugged, portable expeditionary fluid analysis system that gives operators in the field the ability to perform comprehensive, mobile lubricant sampling. The battery-powered device enables complete lubricant assessment for condition monitoring and rapid results that permit informed maintenance decisions.

The Q5800 includes three major components:

• A Filtration Particle Quantifier (FPQ) unit that provides particle counts as well as abnormal wear metal analysis using XRF technology.
• A solvent-free kinematic viscometer at 40°C that measures lubricant kinematic viscosity.
• An infrared spectrometer featuring an innovative flip-top cell which tests for TAN/TBN, water content, soot, oxidation and mixed up fluids using infrared technology.

Features and benefits:
• Rugged design for on-site, field-based use
• Immediate results for faster decision making
• Tests all types of lubricating fluids and asset compartments
• Accurately detects potential failures before they happen
• Easy to transport; includes a backpack for device and accessories
• Integrated software for comprehensive fluid analysis
• Touch screen interface; battery operated with Bluetooth and WIFI
• Immediate results for faster decision making

Product information and application
• Q5800 Expeditionary Fluid Analysis System
• A comprehensive solution for expeditionary ‘on the move’ oil analysis
• Connecting elemental analysis to particulate count: A new technique to detect failures.

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SpectrOil 100 – The Next Generation of Oil Analysis Spectrometers

Dancahill — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 13:05:11 +0000

Introduction

For almost 30 years, Spectro Scientific has specialised in the development of instruments for machine condition monitoring based on oil and fuel analysis. Spectro’s sole focus has been to design and market instruments optimised for one application, rather than general purpose instruments that can be used for a variety of applications. All SpectrOils are user-friendly and reliable; they are the workhorses of commercial and military oil analysis laboratories that require the rapid analysis of wear metals, contaminants and additives in lubricants.

SpectrOils measure trace quantities of elements dissolved or suspended as fine particles in natural or synthetic petroleum-based products using the time-tested and reliable rotating disc electrode (RDE) technique. Spectro continually innovates both by inventing new products and by enhancing existing ones in response to customers’ needs for more capabilities or automation. The new SpectrOil Q100 maintains this tradition and was designed from the ground up with the user, the application, and the in-service oil analysis laboratory in mind.

Features
The SpectrOil Q100 uses the same technology and design concepts that Spectro has successfully applied over the years to the SpectrOil M family of spectrometers. It is the next step in design and performance utilising the most up-to-date solid-state electronics and optical systems.

SpectrOil Q100 also fulfils the requirements of ASTM D6595 Standard Method for Determination of Wear Metals and Contaminants in Used Lubricating Oils or Hydraulic Fluids by Rotating Disc Electrode Atomic Emission Spectrometry.

Highlights

• The SpectrOil Q100 has a standard configuration that includes 22 elements:
o Wear Metals: Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Ag, Sn, Ti, V, Zn
o Contaminants: B, Ca, K, Si, Na
o Additives: Ba, B, Ca, Cr, Cu,Â Mg,Â Mo, P, Si, Z

• An additional 13 elements (Sb, Bi, As, In, Co, Zr, W, Sr, Li, Ce, Nb and Rh) can be added at any time without the need for hardware upgrades.
• The SpectrOil Q100 is customised for laboratory environments.
• The easy addition of a coolant program is possible without the need to make modifications to the existing unit.
• It has the smallest rotating disc spectrometer in the world: Size (L x W x H): 26 in. x 16 in. x 29 in. Weight: 165 lbs
• The SpectrOil Q100 has overall better limits of detection than previous photomultiplier systems. The latest • • • • SpectrOil Q100 instrument uses a unique double layer optic with multiple CCD detectors. A total of 15 CCD detectors are mounted on the Rowland Circle in order to cover the wave-length range from 200 to 800 nm of the elements of interest. The new CCD optical system version has the following advantages over old photomultiplier tubes systems.

The Optic
The heart of the new SpectrOil Q100 is an innovative and state-of-the art charge coupled device (CCD) optical system. The Paschen-Runge design of the optical system provides the necessary resolution and light throughput to process the spectra of all configured elements in less than 30 seconds.

The SpectrOil Q100 optic contains a dual layer of CCD detectors making it a compact, yet extremely capable system. The design eliminates the need for photomultiplier tubes with their inherent instability and limited analytical expansion capabilities.

Product Information and Application
• SpectrOil Q100 Data Sheet
• Overview of Rotating Disc Electrode (RDE) Optical Emission Spectroscopy for in-service oil analysis

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SpectroFluidscan 1000 Handheld Lubricant Condition Monitor

Dancahill — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 13:01:04 +0000

SpectroFluidscan Q1000 was made possible due to years of experience and extensive research and development based on the customer’s need to have an on-site lubricant analysis capability. FluidScan represents the state-of-the-art in infrared technology and can be used to quickly check the condition of lubricants such as hydraulic fluids, engine oils, turbine oils and gear oils for degradation and the presence of contaminants.

The Spectro Fluidscan Q1000 is a handheld condition-based maintenance monitor that protects machinery by determining when a lubricant needs to be changed due to excessive contamination or degradation. Its detection capabilities can determine lubrication contamination, degradation and cross-contamination at the point of use by measuring key oil condition parameters in both synthetic and petroleum based lubricants and fluids. FluidScan can readily determine:

• TAN
• TBN
• oxidation
• nitration
• sulphation
• additive depletion
• incorrect lubricant
• water
• glycol
• soot
• glycerine and FAME in biodiesels

The Spectro Fluidscan Q1000 is unique because of its advanced design and technology, and its exceptional capabilities above and beyond standard infrared analysis including:

• Ability to measure TAN and TBN with superb correlation compared to the complex and time consuming titration laboratory methods.
• Multivariate calibrations are applied so that quantitative readings can be obtained even with complex contaminated samples. A research database of commonly used lubricants and chemometric techniques to automatically subtract the presence of interferants. The result is better accuracy and quantitative analytical data.
• Spectra matching software is used to create the best possible correlation of the unknown sample with different families of lubricants already in the FluidScan memory. Support from our applications group is available to create spectra for if no perfect match is found.
• The patented flip-top cell design allows for the easiest, most reliable and fastest results. The cell design eliminates the common problem of fringing effects found in conventional cells.
• The patented flip-top cell is even capable of analyzing greases, eliminating the need of ATR cells. The design offers an improved alternative to ATR with better limits of detection, lower noise and improved repeatability.
• The FluidScan can determine glycerin, TAN, FAME and water for biodiesel fuels.
• The included FluidScan Monitoring Manager database software can be used to synchronise the FluidScan with a personal computer to archive, trend and report results.
• Default alarm limits for analytical results are included to provide warnings of impending problems. They can be customised and modified to represent local equipment usage and trends.

Product Information and Application
• Spectro FluidScan Q1000 data sheet
• Infrared Spectroscopy for the determination of TAN and TBN in machinery lubrication oils
• FluidScan application library
• White paper FluidScan overview

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Spectro LNF 200 Series

Dancahill — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 12:57:15 +0000

Application
• Machine condition-based monitoring

Description
• particle counter
• wear particle classifier
• ferrous monitor

The Spectro LNF Q200 series features LaserNetFines, the world’s best particle counter technology. With an intuitive, configurable GUI and no calibration required, the Q200 series is fast, accurate and easy to use.

Sample preparation is efficient with the LNF. Viscosities up to 320cSt can be processed without dilution due to the wide dynamic range. And unlike conventional light blockage particle counters, there are no flow control valves that need adjusting when testing different sample viscosities.

The advanced design makes it much more than just a particle counter: the LNF also calculates free water in ppm, and differentiates contaminants. Several models are available providing particle counts and codes, abnormal wear classification and ferrous wear measurement.

Features:
• particle count for all particles >4 micron to 100 micron
• highest saturation limit, up to 5,000,000 particles/ml with a coincidence error <2%
• viscosity range ISO15 to ISO320, undiluted
• images through dark fluids containing up to 2% soot with automatic laser gain control
• error corrections for water and air bubbles
• particle counts and codes per ISO 4406, NAV 1638, NAVAIR 01-1A-17, SAE AS 4059, GOST, STM D6786, HAL, and user-defined bins
• export formats include SpectroTrack and AMS Machinery Health Manager

Options include:
• Ferrous monitor to measure ferrous content: Ferrous wear measurement is a critical requirement for monitoring machine condition. The high sensitivity magnetometer measures and reports ferrous content in ppm/ml, and provides ferrous particle count and size distribution for large ferrous particles.
• In-line magnetometer: The design of the magnetometer with the LNF flow cell enables measurement of both ferrous content and total particle count on the same sample, eliminating the need to measure ferrous content on another instrument.

Classification of wear particle shape
The Q200 directly images wear particle silhouettes, and counts and classifies wear particles over 20 microns as cutting wear, sliding wear, fatigue wear, non-metallic or fibres. This allows operators to determine the type of wear debris, wear mode and potential source from internal machinery components.

Dynamic viscosity measurement
The Q200 uses its laser and two transducers to measure viscosity, calculated from the fluid flow rate and pressure. The LNF will calculate the 40C kinematic viscosity from fluid density input.
AutoSampler for high throughput sample processing
The AutoSampler is a low cost solution for automatic and unattended processing of a batch of up to 24 samples. The AutoSampler may be added to existing LNF installations by the end user with minimal setup.

Models available:
• SpectroLNF Q210: LNF Particle counter
• SpectroLNF Q220: LNF Particle counter with wear particle shape classifier
• SpectroLNF Q230: LNF Particle counter, automatic shape classifier, and ferrous monitoring with a magnetometer

Dimensions
35.6 cm (H) x 36.8 cm (W) x 78.7 cm (L)
(14 in x 14.5 in x 31 in)

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SpectroT2FM Q500 Analytical Ferrography Laboratory

Dancahill — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 12:53:08 +0000

Application
• Machine condition based monitoring

Description
The SpectroT2FM Q500 Analytical Ferrography Laboratory is a complete analytical system for the separation and interpretation of wear and contaminant particles in used lubricant oils, hydraulic fluids, coolants and fuels. It consists of the T2FM Ferrogram maker, a bichromatic microscope, video camera and image capture software.

The SpectroT2FM Q500 is fast because there is no delay time as sample is pumped through plastic tubing before reaching the ferrogram surface. The T2FM delivers the entire sample and all the particles contained therein onto the ferrogram surface. A crystal clear rinse is obtained without fail for every ferrogram. There are no last minute drips of oil sample onto the ferrogram leaving distracting halos around the particles when viewed under the microscope.

A bichromatic microscope is used to view and examine ferrograms made with the SpectroT2FM Q500. The bichromatic microscope is equipped with both reflected (red) and transmitted (green) light sources so that the ferrogram may be illuminated from both above and below the microscope stage. With bichromatic illumination, metal particles, which reflect light, appear bright red, whereas nonmetallic particles appear green because light transmits through them.

A video camera connected to a computer displays, prints, stores and retrieves ferrographic images. Comparison of old ferrograms with ferrograms from recent lubricating oil samples allows determination of evolving wear modes inside a machine or engine.

Analytical test
• particle shape classification
• wear metals
• contamination

Features and benefits
• Ferrography assists in the diagnosis of the origin, characteristics and distribution of wear particle debris.
• Efficient separation of wear and contaminant particles from fluid samples.
• Rapid preparation of ferrogram.
• No deformation of particles.
• Separates particles up to 800µm in size.
• Easy to operate.

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SpectroVisc 3000 Series Portable Kinematic Viscometers

Dancahill — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 12:46:24 +0000

The devices are designed to determine kinematic viscosity in the field for applications where immediate results are essential for determining the health of critical equipment.

SpectroVisc Q3000 viscometers use a patented split cell design that enables measurement of kinematic viscosity using only a few drops (60µL) of oil.

Application:
The SpectroVisc Q3000 series viscometers are portable, solvent-free, temperature-controlled kinematic viscometers, providing high-accuracy measurements for easy detection of viscosity variations caused by contamination, mix-up and oil degradation.

The SpectroVisc Q3000 series includes two models:

• SpectroVisc Q3000 portable viscometer 10-350 cSt @ 40° C
• SpectroVisc Q3050 portable viscometer 1-700 cSt @ 40° C

Analytical Test
• Viscosity in new or used oils

Benefits and features
• Direct kinematic viscosity measurement: A measure of a liquid’s flow under the influence of gravity is provided at a constant temperature, so viscosity can be compared and trended with prior readings. Requires no density check, temperature measurement, instrument pre-configuration or calculation.
• Split-cell capillary channel: Using a very small sample size; the sampling chamber controls temperature while infrared sensors measure flow and trajectory, delivering immediate results.
• Self-contained with high-resolution touch screen, battery and microprocessor: Enables easy operation, in sunlight or low light, drawing minimal power for a 6-hour battery life. Requires no PC.
• Small sample size: Small sample size of 60µl (about 4 drops) is easy to obtain without impacting lubricant level.
• Temperature controlled – 40°C ± 0.1°C: Each sample is held to a constant temperature for consistently accurate readings without additional pre-test measurements.
• Works with transparent and opaque oils: Provides accurate results for even the dirtiest samples.
No cleaning solvent necessary: Eliminates worry about solvent disposal in remote locations. Fewer items to carry.
• Weighs less than 1.8 kg (4lbs): Designed for remote locations, the SpectroVisc Q3000 series includes a hinged cover that protects the sample chamber and touch screen while being carried by hand, in a toolbox or in a knapsack.
• Battery operated: Stays charged for more than 6 hours. Built-in universal charger for use worldwide; region-specific power cable included.

The SpectroVisc units can be ordered as a combination kit with the FluidScan® Q1000 or Q1100 portable infrared fluid condition monitors.

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Spectro FDM 6000 Fuel Dilution Meter

Dancahill — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 12:40:20 +0000

The Q6000 Fuel Dilution Meter (FDM) is a portable fuel dilution meter that can be used in the laboratory or in the field to provide rapid and accurate measurements of fuel contamination in engine oil.

The Q6000 was designed with a patent-protected sampling method using an innovative ‘fang’ design. The sampling occurs using a headspace system with repeatability of <+5 percent RSD up to 15 percent fuel content. The headspace vapour sampling approach also eliminates the need to heat fuel-laden samples and does not require the use of solvents.

Fuel dilution in lubrication oil can cause serious engine damage. For example, in diesel engine crankcases, contamination can be caused by excessive idling, defective injectors and loose connections. Fuel dilution can also cause intercooler leakage in aircraft hydraulic systems.

The Q6000 detects contamination in less than two minutes, allowing operators to make immediate decisions. The device requires just a small sample in a disposable vial. The analysis results are displayed in percent fuel so operators can make rapid decisions about maintenance actions. In addition, the intuitive touchscreen and audio prompts guide the operator through the testing process.

Benefits and features:
• innovative headspace sampling fang design ensures excellent repeatability (<+5% RSD)
• 0.2 to 15% fuel dilution measurement range
• disposable FDM vials eliminate carryover contamination
• onboard memory allows use of up to three stored calibration profiles
• sample ID entry and data file export via USB cable
• battery powered, lightweight, optional hard case for transit

Fast and easy to use:
• small sample required in disposable FDM vial – no solvents needed for cleaning
• test results within a minute for direct measurement of fuel dilution
• result in % fuel displayed, allowing immediate maintenance actions
• colour touchscreen
• audio prompt feature guides operators through testing

Resources and downloads:
• Spectro Scientific Q6000 FDM Data Sheet
• Application Note: Accurate Fuel Dilution in the Field Using the Q6000 – A Comparison to Gas Chromatography

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