Use of FT-IR Spectrometry as a Replacement for Physical Property Testing ofRailway Lubricants

摘要

The railway industry has long used physical property tests to determine thecondition and suitability of lubricating oils for continued use in locomotive diesel engines and air compressors. This paper describes the adaptation and implementation of FT-IR spectral analysis as a means of determining lubricant physical and chemical parameters at Canadian National Rail (CNR). Specifically the paper reviews the application of traditional FT-IR measurements for fuel dilution, water contamination, insolubles loading, and oil oxidation, and describes the implementation of new measurement parameters for viscosity and total base number. A study of atomic emission and FR-IR data from over 8000 locomotive samples provides summary data on the reliability of the FR-IR for routine diesel engine oil analysis.