Reliability Direct February 2003 Newsletter

Inspecting new oil deliveries should be a key part of any lube oil analysis program. Yet, often this proce is overlooked, due partly to the assumption that new oil is always clean oil. This assumption could not be further from the truth. In fact, new drum oil has many times been found to have particle counts reaching into the ISO 21/18 range. The same can be said for bulk oil deliveries as well. Although new oil cleanliness is a big issue, even more important is assurance that the additive package has not been compromised. The problems that can arise are, in most circumstances, a result of how the product is handled in delivery. Therefore, the larges area of concern for the end user lies with bulk oil deliveries where product is commonly handled several times before delivery to the end user by tanker.

First Things First - "Your Oil Supplier: There have been many reported instances of new oil being put into service, only to have a severe foaming issue or demulsability problem arise. Although these are not the only problems the end user can face after delivery, there are steps that can be taken to assure that they donot occur. Here are some points and questions to consider prior to product delivery and inspection:

1. Build a relationship with your lube supplier. Visit the location and tour the facility. Most quality suppliers should welcome the opportunity for you to tour their facility. If you meet resistance, be wary.

2. Ask Questions and take note of the following:

Is there a loading procedure in place to prevent product cross contamination between batch and reservoir and tanker? There should be.
Is there a procedure in place for flushing or cleaning tankers/hoses between product deliveries? A tanker load of detergent motor oil delivered prior to turbine oil delivery could cause a problem if not flushed thoroughly between shipments.
Is the facility clean and well organized?
Can you filter new oil deliveries? Most suppliers today offer particulate filtration services from the tanker to assure the oil off-loaded to your reservoir is clean.
Can you provide onsite oil analysis with product delivery? Many suppliers today provide onsite particle counting while the product is being off-loaded. This is a great offering, as you will know the cleanliness of the oil going into your reservoir and whether or not it meets the minimum equipment OEM specification for cleanliness.

Inspect Oil Deliveries - Inspecting your new bulk oil delivery is important for several key reasons. A new oil fill for a turbine reservoir will be a significant investment for the plant. Volumes of up to 10,000 gallons are common and can reach costs exceeding $30,000. It will also be the lifeblood of the components for which it lubricates. In this regard, inspecting the new oil should be considered a critical first step in assuring the best service performance is achieved from your new oil product. Here are some key reasons for inspecting your new oil delivery:

1. Provide assurance that you received the correct product.

2. Assurance that the product was not compromised during handling and delivery.

3. Product Warranty.

Three Steps to Success - The first step in inspecting your new oil delivery is to take a sample. This is a critical step; the sample must be taken properly and in the correct place. The sample should be taken at the tanker's hose end. In most bulk oil applications, depending on product quantity and application, two 500 ml bottles should suffice. (One bottle should be sent to the lab and one should be kept as a retain sample).

The second step is to keep the retain sample. It is critical in case a probllem appears after the oil has been in service for a time. With such a sample, the in-service oil can be analyzed and compared to the retain oil. The retain oil should be kept for one year. (An excellent tool for comparison of retain and in-service oil samples is the TMEH1 Portable Oil Analyzer. Through its comparative operation the TMEH1 indicates changes in oil condition affected by water content, fuel contamination, metallic content and oxidation, to within a typical repeatability factor of better then five per cent. These results in turn provide an indication of the loss of lubricating properties of the oil and also of and mechanical wear in the equipment in which the oil is used.)

The third step is choosing the lab analysis to be performed. Remember, this sample is for determining the product quality and baseline data for trending. At a minimum, the following tests are recommended for assuring product quality and baseline data on new bulk oil deliveries:

Recommendations noted are provided for new turbine oils - Particle Count (ISO 4406), Water by Karl Fischer Method (ASTM D1744), Viscosity (ASTM D445), Acid Number (AN) (ASTM D664), Water Separation (ASTM D1401), Trace Metals (ASTM D4951), Foaming Tendency (ASTM D892), Rust Prevention (ASTM D665), Rotating Pressure Vessel Oxidation Test (RPVOT) (ASTM D2272)

Lubrication can easily be taken for granted and its importance minimized in a get-the-job-done kind of culture. If we treat lubricants as the lifeblood of our machinery and not a bothersome detail, we can realize significant economic benefits through extended lubricant service life, minimizing lubricant waste streams and improving equipment reliability.