CONDITION monitoring specialists, WearCheck, helps to boost the availability and reliability of components so that customers can operate more efficiently and save time and money on maintenance. The company’s website contains invaluable information on condition monitoring – a few expert lube tips are as follows:
Foaming is affected by oil level
In a circulating system, it is crucial to check the oil level before introducing antifoam agents to address a foaming problem. Foaming issues can be caused by oil levels that are both too high and too low. Insufficient oil could lead to the formation of a vortex inside the reservoir at the circulating pump’s inlet, drawing in air. If there is too much oil in the circulating system, it could result in oil coming into contact with a surface of the machine that it should not, which could result in slinging the oil, or churning it.
Sometimes, the amount of foam may prevent an oil-level reading from being taken. While it is never advisable to insert any solid object into an oil reservoir without knowing its internal shape and size, you may be able to insert plastic tubing (clear) straight down to the bottom of the reservoir. Create a seal by covering the top of the tubing tightly, and extracting it – this should show the real oil level.
Thermal failure in lubricants
Lubricants can thermally degrade for a variety of reasons and causes. Unlike oxidation, thermal failure can occur in new lubricants with healthy additive packages. However, many of the symptoms of oxidation are also symptoms of thermal degradation.
One of the most common causes of thermal failure in hydraulic fluids and some lubricating oils relates to aeration, i.e. entrained air bubbles. These bubbles can become rapidly compressed in hydraulic pumps and in the squeeze zones of bearings. This results in high localised temperatures. Hot surface carbonization is another form of thermal failure. When an oil thermally degrades, problems associated with sludge, varnish, deposits, viscosity change and additive decomposition will often occur.
Gearbox sump
Overfilling a gearbox sump can be just as damaging as underfilling it. Overfilling may cause air entrainment and foam, overheated oil and leakage due to overflow. Over time, oxidation may occur due to increased temperatures and exposure to air.
