Condition monitoring of fuels and lubricants used in industrial and marine plant and equipment is one of the main weapons in the fight to reduce premature failure of engines, gearboxes and hydraulic systems.
While many tests worldwide are still carried out by trained chemists in oil test laboratories, there is a definite place in all maintenance programs for onsite testing. Regular onsite sampling and analysis of fuel, lubrication and hydraulic oils enables the engineer to assess the condition and performance of the machine oil over time, allowing adjustments to be made to ensure maximum operational performance and avoiding critical downtime. A result in two minutes versus two weeks has obvious benefit, especially if the result is quantitative and trended.
Kittiwake Developments Ltd., the UK based specialist producer of oil test kits, equipment and sampling products provides the tools necessary for industrial engineers to conduct these crucial maintenance routines. Determining the presence of water in oil, degradation of TBN (Total Base Number) and rises in TAN (Total Acid Number) can be among the first indicators of potentially expensive and possibly catastrophic failure of the plant.
Water in oil can enter from many sources including condensation, leakage and malfunction of oil treatment systems. It will rapidly cause corrosion, cavitations and instability of additive packages and encourage the growth of microbes. Testing for water in oil is essential to maintain and protect equipment, preventing damage in advance.
TBN testing is particularly important for engine oil, as it is continuously exposed to acidic combustion products and these must be neutralised before they can corrode engine parts. The TBN of oil is the measure of the alkaline reserve, or the ability of the oil to neutralise acids from combustion. Maintaining a correct alkaline reserve is critical in preventing unnecessary corrosion of the upper piston, piston rings and top end bearing. Additionally, low TBN is indicative of reduced oil detergency.
TAN is a measure of both the weak organic and strong inorganic acids present within oil. Testing for TAN is essential to maintain and protect equipment, preventing damage in advance. A rise in TAN is indicative of oil oxidation due to time and/or operating temperature.
DIGI test cell
The new DIGI test cell from Kittiwake is one piece of essential equipment that no plant room should be without. Designed to analyse multiple oil breakdown characteristics, the dual purpose DIGI Test cell can measure both ‘Water in Oil (0.02-1%, 0-10%, 0-20%, 200-10000ppm)’ and ‘Total Base Number’ (0-80 TBN) in one unit. This ‘easy-to-use’ device provides a fast and accurate digital measurement for each parameter, allowing the engineer to effectively monitor the condition of the oil and the equipment in which it is used and immediately act upon the results.
The latest DIGI test cell collection offers an extended base number range, stronger construction, reduced weight, improved ease of use and the latest in transducer technology. The cell features an easy-to-read display with step by step test instructions, a built in memory which automatically records previous test results, a clear LCD display showing direct readouts in ppm, % water or TBN. The pre-programmed software built into the cell takes the user through a step-by-step process to analyse the oil sample and deliver a result in just two minutes.
The TAN (0-6) Drop test kit contains all necessary reagents and equipment for a fully portable TAN test. Using a small sample size and a clear container, the result is shown by a colour change after adding titrant (drop wise from a dropper bottle) into the mixing vessel.
