The oil in an industrial machine does not wear out which means that the oil does not generally deteriorate.
But this being said the oil gradually loses its ability to carry out the basic functions of reducing friction, dissipating heat, and lubricating the parts of the machine.
This loss in oil quality that reduces the lubrications’ quality is caused by the self-generated contamination of the various components that are present within the oil.
Factors such as the viscosity changes caused by futile oxidation or dilution, oxidation due to overheating, water entry into the system, and the gradual depletion of the additive package play an important role in deteriorating the oil.
Apart from these factors, there are other components as well that play a role in oil degradation to a lesser degree such as lean air-fuel ratios, operation of equipment in over-cooled conditions, poor quality fuel, and disconnection or malfunctioning of emission control systems.
You can avoid all of this by doing timely oil drains. In this blog post, we will describe the conditions that contribute to oil degradation and the importance of regular oil drains.
Water Contamination
The biggest contributor of oil degradation is water contamination, hence it is your job to make sure that no water enters the system.
Any water entry into the turbine or the hydraulic system can cause severe damage, typically in systems that have very low tolerances such as the hydrostatic transmission pump that is used in piston pumps.
Water contamination is sometimes caused by condensation due to dramatic changes in temperatures.
If the oil in the turbine or hydraulic system starts to appear milky, it is an indication that the water level in the system has increased.
This means that you will need to take prompt action to protect the hydraulic and turbine system. Draining the oil is the best option to protect your turbine and hydraulic system.
You can also replace the oil or remove the water from the system using a special filtration system that is primarily used for this purpose.
If you have a gasoline engine then the combustion of one gallon of gasoline will produce about one gallon of water. If moisture enters the gasoline engine it will cause corrosion, rusting, separation of additives from base oils, and buildup deposits.
Similarly, water entering the oil of a diesel engine is also very harmful, typically if you have used poor-quality oil. Low-quality fuel generally has a higher rate of sulfur content so when water combines with sulfur oxides, dangerous acids are formed which will immediately attack the bearings surfaces.
Hence to avoid such situations you will need to carry out oil drains to reduce the chances of water contamination.
Additive Depletion
When base oils are blended and formulated using additives, these elements slowly use up the base oils and affect its performance. Due to the extreme pressure and anti-wear, agents get depleted when they are deposited on the metal surfaces.
The dispersants and detergents are used up when they come in contact with the contaminated particles present in the oil.
The additives are there to protect the system but become depleted when they counteract the acid formation within the oil.
So if the oil is not drained and is allowed to remain in service for an extended period of time then the additive package will eventually become depleted or ineffective.
Therefore to keep the additives working you will need to drain the old oils and replace them with new ones.
About Micro-Lube
Micro-Lube is one of the most trustworthy industrial lubricant providers in the Edmonton region. We have a complete range of products and offer oil filtration, dispensing, and storage products and solutions.
At Micro-Lube, you can find a wide range of lubricants for almost any kind of machine. We help provide you with the best lubricant for your machines and several other products related to filtration, dispensing, chain, conveyor, and more. For more informationcontact us today.
The oil in an industrial machine does not wear out which means that the oil does not generally deteriorate.
But this being said the oil gradually loses its ability to carry out the basic functions of reducing friction, dissipating heat, and lubricating the parts of the machine.
This loss in oil quality that reduces the lubrications’ quality is caused by the self-generated contamination of the various components that are present within the oil.
Factors such as the viscosity changes caused by futile oxidation or dilution, oxidation due to overheating, water entry into the system, and the gradual depletion of the additive package play an important role in deteriorating the oil.
Apart from these factors, there are other components as well that play a role in oil degradation to a lesser degree such as lean air-fuel ratios, operation of equipment in over-cooled conditions, poor quality fuel, and disconnection or malfunctioning of emission control systems.
You can avoid all of this by doing timely oil drains. In this blog post, we will describe the conditions that contribute to oil degradation and the importance of regular oil drains.