Oil Can Talk: Oil Sensors Meet Lab Analysis

摘要

Lubricants do not just lubricate. Beside of avoiding wear and reducing friction they collect a lot of important data. This way they provide reliable answers to the following questions: Are there any signs of component wear or indication of damages; Is the oil contaminated, e. g. by particles or water; Has the oil to be changed, e. g. due to oil oxidation or additive depletion. The best established method to detect the information which is hidden in the oil is the analysis of the lubricant in a specialized laboratory. A small reference sample needs to be taken and analyzed. Specialized experts interpret the provided raw data, formulate diagnose statements and recommend necessary actions. The other option to the offline laboratory is the installation of an online sensor. During the last few years the market for online oil sensors has increased. New sensor types which are able to inform about various parameters have been developed, are in the test stage or already in use. In general the most important fact is to find out the best suitable monitoring parameters to get the real picture of the oil ageing process of the application. This paper gives an overview about laboratory methods, which are required for different machine and oil types. It will show which on-line sensor types are available and how the sensor signal correlates to established laboratory tests or failure modes.