Contents

COVER STORY

The Hidden Dangers of Lubricant Starvation

Lubricant starvation is an almost silent destroyer. While there are telltale signs, they generally arent recognized
or understood.
July - August 2012

20

FROM THE FIELD

INDUSTRY FOCUS

Understanding Engine Oil

Bypass Filtration

New Advances in Wear Debris Analysis

When combined with a full-ow lter, bypass ltration offers the

benets of lower wear generation rates, lower oil consumption,
higher combustion efciency and longer oil life.

12

The recent advances in wear debris particle analysis cater to the need
for portable equipment that is easy to use while also addressing the
level of skill and training of onsite personnel.

24

CONTAMINATION CONTROL

Effective Varnish Removal

from Turbine Lubrication Systems

VIEWPOINT

Evaluating the Direction

of Your Lubrication Program
Do you know where you are going with your lubrication program?
Setting a realistic goal of where you want to be is the best way to
increase the chances for success.

14
16

The mitigation of varnish-related problems in turbine systems

requires not only cleaning up the varnish precursors from the
uid and the soluble deposits from the wetted surfaces, but also
controlling their formation.

42

CERTIFICATION NEWS

LUBE-TIPS
Our readers provide excellent advice on a host of lubrication-related
issues, including a better approach for greasing bearings.

ICML and ACIMA

Sign Cooperation Agreement
The International Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML)
recently formalized its cooperation with the Costa Rican Association of Maintenance (ACIMA), signaling a new era for Costa Ricas
lubrication practitioners.

HYDRAULICS AT WORK

Carefully Consider Isolation Valves

on Hydraulic Pump Intake Lines
Find out when a more expensive ball valve is mandatory, when the
generally cheaper buttery type is the only choice and when you
should t neither ball valve nor buttery valve.

46

BACK PAGE BASICS

How Rolling Element Bearings Work

Understanding the basics of how rolling element bearings work and
their design can help you achieve added reliability at your plant.

More
Editorial Features

Departments

32 GET TO KNOW
40 NOW ON MACHINERYLUBRICATION.COM

18 PRODUCT NEWS
34 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

36 PRODUCT SUPERMARKET
38 CROSSWORD PUZZLER
41 BOOKSTORE

Oil Filters

FROM THE
FIELD

JEREMY WRIGHT | NORIA CORPORATION

Understanding

ENGINE OIL
Bypass FILTRATION

65%

Is your engines oil filter performing to

Media Pore Size
your expectation? Do you even know
The media pore size is the major determithe performance of your filter? Most people
nant in how efficient and how small of a
dont, and if they did, they would be appalled.
particle the filter can remove.
Some of the best full-flow engine filters on
When these factors are combined, a
the market perform at a capture efficiency of
of lubrication professionals use
problem arises. The physical size is usually
50 percent at a particle size of 10 microns and
bypass ltration systems at their
constrained by design. The filter cant be too
above. Thats a beta ratio of 2 for those of you
plant, based on a recent poll at
large because of all the other components that
machinerylubrication.com
keeping score, and these are considered good
we are trying to fit under the hood. The flow
in terms of full-flow engine filtration. In
rate must be high enough to feed all the lubricomparison, a beta ratio of 1,000 would be considered good in
cated
components.
This means you cant make the pore size too
terms of industrial hydraulic filtration. Why is there such a perforsmall
or
it
will
raise
the pressure differential and the bypass valve
mance difference? The following factors contribute to the variance:
will open, effectively rendering the filter useless.
Physical Size
There are a few things you can do to remedy this problem. Enter
Often limited by physical size, engine oil filters are relatively bypass filtration. Bypass filtration systems take 5 to 10 percent of
small when compared to their industrial counterparts. This small the flow that would have gone to feed the engine and cycle it
size coincides with less filter media surface area through which to through an ultra-efficient filter and back to the sump.
pass the lubricant.
With bypass filtration, the flow rate can be greatly reduced,
allowing for a much smaller pore size while retaining a normal pressure differential. The result is much cleaner oil being returned to the
sump. Smaller soot suspension and polar insolubles that are not
controlled by the full-flow filter can now be taken out of the system.

Bypass filtration offers the

benefits of lower wear generation rates, lower oil consumption,
higher combustion efficiency
and longer oil life.
Pressure Differential

The pressure differential is the change in pressure from the inlet to

the outlet side of the filter. If the pressure differential is too high, a
valve will open, allowing the oil to bypass the filter. All engine oil filters
or heads are equipped with a bypass valve. This valve is needed so the
engine does not become starved of oil as the filter clogs with debris.

Flow Rate
In most engine designs, oil must flow through the filter before
entering the engine components. Therefore, the filter must be able
to handle 100 percent of the flow rate needed to feed the moving
components of the engine.
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July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

Machinery

Lubrication
PUBLISHER
Mike Ramsey - [email protected]
GROUP PUBLISHER
Brett OKelley - [email protected]

The Beta Ratio Test

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Jason Sowards - [email protected]

Oil fi lters can be tested in a variety of ways, but one of the most common methods is the beta ratio
test. This test incorporates online particle counters positioned upstream and downstream of the fi lter,
a continuous flow of test contaminant into the main system reservoir and oil flowing through the fi lter.
The beta ratio is calculated by dividing the number of particles larger than a certain size upstream of
the fi lter by the number of particles of the same size downstream of the fi lter. For example, you may have
a beta ratio or a beta sub 5 (meaning particles larger than 5 microns) equal to 10. This means 10 particles
upstream of the fi lter would be divided by 1 downstream of the fi lter. In other words, for every 10 particles
coming in, one gets through.
If you have a higher beta ratio, say a beta ratio of 100 or a beta sub 5 equal to 100, for every 100 particles
coming into the fi lter larger than 5 microns, one makes its way through.
Every fi lter will have multiple beta
ratios. There could be a beta ratio for
2 microns, 5 microns, 10 microns, 50
microns, 100 microns, etc.
You can also use the beta ratio to
calculate capture efficiency, which is the
average performance over the fi lters life,
with the following formula:
((Beta 1)/Beta) x 100
As an example, a beta ratio of 10 would
yield a capture efficiency of 90 percent:
((10 1) / 10) x 100 = 90 percent
Therefore, 90 percent of the particles
larger than 5 microns are removed by a
fi lter that has a beta ratio of 10.

When combined with a full-flow filter, bypass

filtration offers the benefits of lower wear generation rates, lower oil consumption, higher
combustion efficiency and longer oil life.
In a case study performed by General Motors
and published by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), it was determined that engine service
life could be extended eight times when 5-micron
filtration is implemented vs. the standard
40-micron filtration.
Obviously, having cleaner oil is better for the
reliability of the engine. Theres an old saying that
oil doesnt wear out; it just gets dirty. Although
there is some validity to the idea that dirtier oil
will age quicker than clean oil, the engine oil
will have a finite life. It will need to be changed
eventually no matter how clean you keep it.
While its true that a system can remove the
majority of suspended soot, wear debris and dirt,
the oil and additives are still being decomposed
by oxidation and nitration. The depletion of
these additives will ultimately be the reason for
the oil change. The system should slow down the
rate of this depletion, but it cannot eliminate it.
Acids, fuel and coolant are just a few of the
contaminants that bypass filtration cannot

address. They too can shorten the life of the oil.

If you are shopping for one of these systems, it
is vital that you do your homework. Not all bypass
systems are created equal, and there is a plethora
of marketing material out there to make you feel
thoroughly confused. Keep in mind that while
testimonials may seem impressive, they are not
scientific proof. Make sure the manufacturer has
SAE and ISO testing to back up its claims.
When installed and maintained properly, a
bypass system can provide great benefits. Just
be sure to ask all the right questions and have
a firm grasp on the concept before settling on
a system.

About the Author

Jeremy Wright is vice president of technical services
for Noria Corporation. He serves as a senior technical
consultant for Lubrication Program Development
projects and as a senior instructor for Norias Fundamentals of Machinery Lubrication and Advanced
Machinery Lubrication training. He is a certified maintenance reliability professional through the Society
for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals, and
holds Machine Lubricant Analyst Level III and Machine
Lubrication Technician Level II certifications through
the International Council for Machinery Lubrication.
Contact Jeremy at [email protected].

SENIOR EDITOR
Jim Fitch - [email protected]
TECHNICAL WRITERS
Jeremy Wright - [email protected]
Pete Oviedo - [email protected]
Josh Pickle - [email protected]
Wes Cash - [email protected]
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Ryan Kiker - [email protected]
GRAPHIC ARTISTS
Steve Kolker - [email protected]
Gustavo Cervantes - [email protected]
Julia Backus - [email protected]
ADVERTISING SALES
Tim Davidson - [email protected]
800-597-5460, ext. 224
MEDIA PRODUCTION MANAGER
Rhonda Johnson - [email protected]
CORRESPONDENCE
You may address articles, case studies,
special requests and other correspondence to:
Editor-in-chief
MACHINERY LUBRICATION
Noria Corporation
1328 E. 43rd Court Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105
Phone: 918-749-1400 Fax: 918-746-0925
E-mail address: [email protected]

MACHINERY LUBRICATION Volume 12 - Issue 4 July-August 2012

(USPS 021-695) is published bimonthly by Noria Corporation, 1328 E.
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Copyright 2012 Noria Corporation. Noria, Machinery Lubrication
and associated logos are trademarks of Noria Corporation. All rights
reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium
without express written permission of Noria Corporation is prohibited.
Machinery Lubrication is an independently produced publication of
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and articles submitted for personal and commercial use. The opinions
of those interviewed and those who write articles for this magazine are
not necessarily shared by Noria Corporation.
CONTENT NOTICE: The recommendations and information provided in
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purport to address all of the safety concerns that may exist. It is the responsibility of the user to follow appropriate safety and health practices. Further,
Noria does not make any representations, warranties, express or implied,
regarding the accuracy, completeness or suitability, of the information or
recommendations provided herewith. Noria shall not be liable for any injuries, loss of profits, business, goodwill, data, interruption of business, nor
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July - August 2012

|3

ML

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COVER STORY

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

The

Hidden
Dangers
of Lubricant

Starvation
BY JIM F ITCH, NORIA CORPORATION

81%
of lubrication professionals have
seen the effects of lubricant
starvation in the machines at their
plant, according to a recent survey
at machinerylubrication.com

For those who strive for lubrication-enabled reliability (LER), more than 95
percent of the opportunity comes from paying close attention to the Big Four.
These are critical attributes to the optimum reference state (ORS) needed to achieve
lubrication excellence. The Big Four individually and collectively influence the state of
lubrication, and are largely controllable by machinery maintainers. They are wellknown but frequently not well-achieved. The Big Four are:
1. Correct lubricant selection
2.

Stabilized lubricant health

3.

Contamination control

4.

Adequate and sustained lubricant level/supply

The first three of the Big Four have benefited from considerable industry attention, especially in recent years. Conversely, the last one has gone relatively unnoticed yet
is no less important. Therefore, it will be the central focus of this article.
Over the past few decades, researchers and tribologists have compiled countless
listings that rank the chief causes of machine failure. Weve published many of these in
Machinery Lubrication magazine. The lists ascribe the causes of abnormal machine wear
to the usual suspects: contamination, overheating, misalignment, installation error,
etc. Theres typically a lubrication root-cause category that is a catch-all for one or
more causes that cant be easily specified or named. Ive seen terms used like inadequate lubrication and wrong lubrication.
Understandably, it is difficult for failure investigators and analysts to trace back the
exact sequence of events beginning with one or more root causes. Evidence of these
causes is often destroyed in the course of failure or in a cover-up during the cleanup and
repair. Having led several hundred such investigations over the years, Ive learned that
one root cause in particular is too often overlooked lubricant starvation.
Although most everyone knows about this in principle and realizes the common
sense of adequate lubricant supply, it is frequently ignored because many typical forms
of lubricant starvation are largely hidden from view. For instance, who notices the
quasi-dry friction that accelerates wear each time you start an automobile engine? This
is a form of lubricant starvation. Its not a sudden-death failure, but it is a precipitous
wear event nonetheless. Each time controllable wear goes uncontrolled, an opportunity is lost to prolong service life and increase reliability.
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July - August 2012

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COVER STORY

The Nature of Lubricant Starvation

Machines dont just need some lubricant or any lubricant.
Rather, they need a sustained and adequate supply of the right
lubricant. Adequate doesnt just mean dampness or the nearby
presence of lubricant. Whats defined as adequate varies somewhat
from machine to machine but is critical nonetheless. High-speed
equipment running at full hydrodynamic film has the greatest lubricant appetite and is also the most punished when starved. Machines
running at low speeds and loads are more forgiving when lube
supply is restricted. Even these machines can fail suddenly when
severe starvation occurs.
The table below illustrates how lubricants reach frictional
surfaces in numerous ways.
MEANS OF
LUBE SUPPLY

EXAMPLE
APPLICATION(S)

HOW SUPPLY IS
CONTROLLED

Grease that is
designed to stay in
place near where its
needed

Electric motor bearings,

pillow block bearings and
hinge pins

Preventing grease dryout by correct grease

selection and optimizing
regreasing interval and
frequency

Gravity flow applied

by oil-feed devices

Mechanical feed systems

such as drip lubricators,
slingers, oil rings and
splash mechanisms

Regularly checking
the functionality of the
device in use

Cross-flow lubrication by forcing oil

through the frictional
zone (by pumping)

Dry-sump circulating
systems, hydraulic
systems, oil mist, etc.

Frequently verifying that

the minimal flow rate is
sustained at each lube
point in the system

Spray lubrication

Open gears, circulating

gears and large chain
drives

Spray volume, frequency, aim and spread

Bath or flood
lubrication

Rolling element bearings

and gears that are partially or fully submerged
in the lubricant

Oil level control, controlling foam, sludge and

sediment

Lubricant
Film

Full
Film

Impaired Oil Supply

Lubricant
Film

Boundary
Contact
Figure 1. Starvation Illustrated

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July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

Common Signs of Starvation

When youre encountering chronic machine reliability problems,
think through the Big Four and dont forget about No. 4. It may
not be the type of oil, the age of the oil or even the contamination
in the oil, but rather the quantity of oil. How can you know? The
chart on page 8 reveals some common signs of lubricant starvation.

Lubricant Starvation Examples by Machine Type

Lubricant starvation can happen in a number of ways. Most are
controllable, but a few are not. The following abbreviated list identifies how lubricant starvation occurs in common machines.

There are six primary functions of a lubricating oil. These are

friction control, wear control, temperature control, corrosion
control, contamination control and transmittance of force and
motion (hydraulics). Each of these functions is adversely influenced by starvation conditions. The worst would be friction, wear
and temperature control. Even partial starvation intensifies the
formation of frictional heat. It also slows the transport of that
Good Oil Supply

heat out of the zone. This is a compounding, self-propagating

condition that results in collapsed oil films, galling, adhesive wear
and abrasion (Figure 1).
In the case of grease, starvation-induced heating (from friction)
of the load zone accelerates grease dry-out, which escalates starvation further. Heat rapidly drains oil out of the grease thickener,
causing volatilization and base oil oxidation, all of which contributes to hardening and greater starvation.
Lubricating oil needs reinforcement, which is lost when flow
becomes restricted or static. Flow brings in bulk viscosity for
hydrodynamic lift. In fact, lack of adequate lubricant supply is
functionally equivalent to inadequate viscosity from the standpoint of film strength.
Oil flow also refreshes critical additives to the working surfaces.
This reserve additive supply includes anti-wear additives, friction
modifiers, corrosion inhibitors and others. Lubricant starvation
produces elevated heat, which rapidly depletes additives.
Next, we know that wear particles are also self-propagating.
Particles make more wear particles by three-body abrasion,
surface fatigue and so on. Impaired oil flow inhibits the purging of
these particles from the frictional zones. The result is an accelerated wear condition.
Finally, moving oil serves as a heat exchanger by displacing localized heat generated in load zones outward to the walls of the machine,
oil reservoir or cooler. The amount of heat transfer is a function of the
flow rate. Starvation impairs flow and heat transfer. This puts
increasing thermal stress on the oil and the machine.

Starved Engines

Dry Starts Oil drains out down to the oil pan when the
engine is turned off. On restart, frictional zones (turbo bearings, shaft bearings, valve deck, etc.) are momentarily starved
of lubrication (Figure 2).

Cold Starts Cold wintertime conditions slow the movement

Dry Friction and Wear

Welding
and
Galling

of oil in the engine during start-up. This

can induce air in the flow line due to coldtemperature suction-line conditions.

Low Oil Pressure This can result

from numerous causes, including
worn bearings, pump wear, sludge
and extreme cold. Oil pressure is the
motive force that sends oil to the
zones requiring lubrication.

COVER STORY

Starved Journal and Tilting-Pad Thrust Bearings

Oil Groove Problems Grooves and ports channel oil to the

bearing load zones. Grooves become clogged with debris or
sludge, restricting oil flow.

Restricted Oil Supply Pumping and oil-lifting devices can

become mechanically faulty. This also may be due to low oil
levels, high viscosity, aeration/foam and cold temperatures.

Sludge Dam on Bearing Leading Edge Sludge can build up

on the bearings leading edge and restrict the oil supply.
Critical oil level
(submerge bottom tooth completely)

Optimum gear dip level is influenced

by gear type, gear size, speed, viscosity
and oil film strength. Always consult
gear manufacturer.

Figure 2. Dry Engine Starts

Dribbling Injectors Fuel injector problems can

Even oil levels just slightly too low can

sharply reduce lubricant scuffing, load
capacity (shorten gear life), increase
oil temperature (shorten oil life) and
increase oil foaming.

wash oil off cylinder walls and impair lubrication

between the piston/rings and the cylinder wall.

Clogged Spray Nozzles and Orifices Nozzles and

orifices direct oil sprays to cylinder walls, valves and
other moving components. Sludge and contaminants are able to restrict oil flow.

Figure 3. Common Splash Gear Drive

HOW IT IS DIAGNOSED OR CONFIRMED

Wet-Sump Bearing and Gearbox Starvation

BY INSPECTION

BY LABORATORY ANALYSIS

Oil Level Many wet-sump applications require

Low oil level

in a wet sump
(bath) system

Inspect oil level (level gauge), foamy

oil, excessive sludge or sediment,
shaft seal smoke, acoustics/noise,
heat gun, inspect constant-level oilers
(low supply, plugged connector)

High oil viscosity, premature oil

oxidation, sludge, varnish potential, friction polymers, adhesive
wear debris, tempered particles,
black iron-oxide particles

Low oil flow

in cross-flow
application

Heat gun, thermography, flow meters,

erratic flow meter movement, inline
sight glass flow, aerated or foamy oil,
elevated bearing-metal temperature,
high drain-line temperature

Premature oil oxidation, sludge,

varnish potential, friction
polymers, adhesive wear debris,
tempered particles, black ironoxide particles

Inadequate
regrease
volume and/or
frequency

Heat gun, thermography, acoustics/

noise, purged hardened grease,
hardened grease observed on rebuild,
defective injectors/autolubers,
depleted grease supply, cake-lock
problems, grease gun backpressure,
shaft seal smoke

Low in-service oil content of

grease, high grease consistency,
premature oil oxidation, friction
polymers, adhesive wear debris,
tempered particles, black ironoxide particles

Faulty lube
lifting or
gravity-feed
device

Wrong oil level (too high/low), cold

running, high viscosity, defective
lifter/feed device, aeration/foam,
depleted oil supply reservoir, oil
ring wobble

Premature oil oxidation, sludge,

varnish potential, friction
polymers, adhesive wear debris,
tempered particles, black ironoxide particles

Ineffective
lube spray

Inspect spray pattern, stream, target,

volume and frequency

Premature oil oxidation, sludge,

varnish, friction polymers,
adhesive wear debris, tempered
particles, black iron-oxide particles

STARVATION
ISSUE

Common Signs of Lubricant Starvation

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July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

critical control of the oil level (Figure 3).

High Viscosity Many oil-feed mechanisms (oil

rings, slingers, splash feeders, etc.) are hampered
by viscosity that is too high (wrong oil, cold oil,
etc.). Gears can channel through thick, cold oil,
interfering with splash and other feed devices.

Aeration and Foam Air contamination

dampens oil movement and impairs the performance of oil-feed devices (Figure 4).

Non-horizontal Shafts This can cause drag

on oil rings and may interfere with slinger/flinger
feed mechanisms.

Bottom Sediment and Water (BS&W) Sump

BS&W displaces the oil level. On vertical shafts,
the bottom bearing can become completely
submerged in BS&W.

Defective Constant-Level Oilers This may be

due to plugged connecting pipe nipples,
mounting errors (tilted, cocked, mounted on
wrong side, etc.), wrong level setting, empty
reservoir, etc. (Figure 5).

Defective Level Gauge Markings Level

gauges should be accurately calibrated to the
correct oil level.

COVER STORY

Level Gauge Mounting and Viewing Issues These may be

Varnish and sludge

hard to see, goosenecks, fouled gauge glass, gauge vent problems, etc. (Figure 6).

Starved Dry-Sump Circulating Systems

Restricted Oil Returns Plugged or partially plugged oil

returns will redirect oil flow away from the bearing or gearbox
being lubricated. Sometimes called drip-and-burn lubrication,
Figure 7. Plugged Oil Flow

the condition is usually caused by sludge buildup or air-lock

conditions in the gravity drain lines returning to the tank.

Worn Oil Pump When oil pumps wear, they lose volumetric
efficiency (flow decay results).
Restricted Pump Suction Line Strainers and
pickup tubes can become plugged or restricted.
This can aerate the fluid, cause cavitation and lead
to loss of prime.

Clogged/Restricted Oil Ways and Nozzles Oil-feed restrictions due to sludge, varnish and jammed particles can starve
bearings and gears (Figure 7).

Entrained Air and Foam Oil pumps and flow meters perform
poorly (or not at all) when sumps become contaminated with air
(Figure 4).

Figure 4. How Aeration Retards Oil Supply

Lack of Flow Measurement Components sensitive to oil

supply require constant oil flow measurement.

Defective or Miscalibrated Flow Meters Flow meters,

depending on the type and application, can present a range of
problems regarding calibration.

Low Oil Pressure Oil follows the path of least resistance.

Line breaks and open returns starve oil from higher resistance
flow paths and the machine components they serve.

Starved Spray-Lubed Chains and Open Gears

Defective Auto-lube Settings This relates to correctly setting

Tilted

Cocked

Figure 5. Mounting Errors of Constant-Level Oilers

the lube volume and frequency.

Defective Spray Targets/Pattern The oil spray needs to

fully wet the target location. Spray nozzles can lose aim and
become clogged (Figure 8).

Gummed Chain Joints Many chains become heavily gummed,

which prevents oil from penetrating the pin/bushing interface.

Starvation from Grease Single- and Multi-Point Auto Lubrication

Wrong Regrease Settings Regreasing settings should enable

adequate grease replenishment at each lube point.

Cake-Lock This occurs when grease is being pumped. Under

certain conditions, the grease thickener movement is restricted.
Oil flows, but the thickener is log-jammed in a line or component passage (Figure 9).

Defective Injector Flow This is due to wrong injector settings

Figure 6. What is wrong with this picture?

10 |

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

or restricted injector displacement.

starvation is what tends to go unnoticed

until failure. Then, other suspect causes
(the bearing, lubricant, operator, etc.) may
be falsely blamed.
Precision lubrication supply is a fundamental attribute of the optimum reference
state and is included in any engineering
specification for lubrication excellence. Its
one of the Big Four and thus is overdue
for significant attention.
Figure 9. Cake-Lock Grease Starvation

Lube Preventive Maintenance (PM)

Figure 8. Correct Lubricant Spray
Patterns on Open-Gear Tooth Flanks

Restricted Line Flow Exceedingly

long lines, narrow lines, numerous
bends, ambient heat or cold, etc., can
lead to partial or complete blockage
of grease flow.

Single-point Lubricator Issues

These
include
malfunctioning
lubricators from various causes.

Missed PMs may be due to scheduling, management or maintenance

culture issues.

The Crux of the Problem

Lubricant starvation is an almost silent
destroyer. While there are telltale signs, they
generally arent recognized or understood.
Of course, there are varying degrees of starvation. Complete starvation is sudden and
blatant. However, more moderate partial

About the Author

Jim Fitch has a wealth of in the trenches
experience in lubrication, oil analysis,
tribology and machinery failure investigations. Over the past two decades, he has
presented hundreds of courses on these
subjects. Jim has published more than 200
technical articles, papers and publications.
He serves as a U.S. delegate to the ISO
tribology and oil analysis working group.
Since 2002, he has been director and board
member of the International Council for
Machinery Lubrication. He is the CEO and
a co-founder of Noria Corporation. Contact
Jim at [email protected].

Starvation from
Manual Lubrication Issues

Grease Gun Lubrication

This may include an inaccurate
volume calibration, a faulty
grease gun mechanism, the
wrong relube frequency, an incorrect
relube volume or an improper relube
procedure.

Manual Oil Lubrication This would

include the wrong relube frequency,
volume or procedure.

4 Keys to Solving Starvation Problems

Using Proactive Maintenance
1. Identify the required lube supply or level to optimize reliability.
2. Establish and deploy a means to sustain the optimized supply or level.
3. Establish a monitoring program to verify the optimized supply or level is
consistently achieved.
4. Rapidly remedy non-compliant lube supply or level problems.

www.machinerylubrication.com

July - August 2012

| 11

Lubrication Programs

PETE OVIEDO JR. NORIA CORPORATION

VIEWPOINT

EVALUATING the
DIRECTION of YOUR
Lubrication PROGRAM

Are we there yet? With summer break now upon us,

this question likely will be asked countless times on
family vacation trips across the nation. Planning for these trips
typically includes asking questions such as where do we want
to go, what is our budget, what are the things we need to get
there and what can be eliminated. Obviously, the goals must
be realistic. Tough decisions and sacrifices will be required
from all involved, but the end result will be well worth the effort.
During my travels to various industries, Ive found that some
workers lack a clear plan as to where they are going. They may know
that they are there to perform work, but beyond that there is little
communication/direction between the departments as to where and
when they will get there. Imagine putting your family in the car and
just saying, OK, lets go. While some might suggest to just do it,
this motto doesnt seem to translate well in our professional careers.
Can you answer the are we there yet question? If not, perhaps
you need to ask yourself if you even know where you are going. It may
be time to re-evaluate the direction of your lubrication program.
If you have had the opportunity to attend any of Norias Fundamentals of Machinery Lubrication courses, then you should be very
familiar with the goal of lubrication excellence. Hopefully, you have
gained an understanding of why it is important to keep lubricants

Reliability Penalty Factor (RPF): Cost, Safety and

Business Interruption Penalty from Failure

Target Cleanliness Grid

5 Tips for Setting Target

Cleanliness Levels
1) Set targets for all lubricating oils and hydraulic fluids.
2) Use vendor specifications as ceiling levels only.
3) Set life-extension (benefit-driven) targets (e.g., significantly
cleaner than before).
4) Consider machine design, application and operating influences.
5) Make it a personal decision, because you are the one paying the
cost of failure, not the machine supplier, oil supplier, filter
supplier, bearing supplier or oil analysis lab.

clean, cool and dry, as well as the effects of contamination on

equipment health. My experience is that most peoples intentions
are good when they start. If they would put the same amount of
time and effort into striving for lubrication excellence as they do in
their familys summer vacation, they would be successful.
Do you know where you are going with your lubrication program?
Are you tracking results and addressing opportunities to improve?
Do you have attainable, realistic goals? Do you have the right people

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Contaminant Severity Factor (CSF): Sensitivity of Machine to Contaminant Failure

12 |

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

67%

with the right attitudes in the right positions

About the Author
of lubrication professionals say their
to improve the opportunities for success?
Pete Oviedo Jr. is a senior technical
plant has not yet achieved lubrication
Once again, tough decisions and sacrifices
consultant with Noria Corporation, focusing
excellence, based on survey results
on machinery lubrication and training. He
from machinerylubrication.com
will be required from all involved, but the end
has more than 20 years of experience with
result will be well worth the effort.
machinery and rotating equipment, as well as
Lubrication excellence can be achieved.
an understanding of laser alignment, balancing
However, many factors can distract you from the
goal. You may have started a lubrication program but now have come rotating equipment, thermography, magnetic particle and ultrasonic
to the realization that you need to re-evaluate or change the direction flaw detectors. Need help with your lubrication program? Contact Pete
of the program. This can become confusing and frustrating, especially at [email protected].
when results are not achieved as expected.
There are a few steps you can take to increase
your chances for a successful lubrication
program or to get back on track. Many times,
however, we tend to put the cart before the
horse. Setting a realistic goal of where you want
to be is the best method to increase the chances
for success. If you dont know where you are
going, how do you know when you get there?
Most kids can only sit in a car for so long before
they become agitated. Likewise, most reliability
and lube technicians can become frustrated
with just going through the motions, especially
with so many having become educated and
understanding the importance of lubrication.
Lets start by setting a realistic goal for
contamination control and establishing cleanliness targets. These levels should reflect
reliability goals. This can be achieved by considering the reliability penalty factor and the
contaminant severity factor. This will help to
set a contaminant goal that is based on your
specific facilitys goal.
You also need to take specific actions to
reach the goal. This means selecting the proper
filter and capture efficiency to achieve the target.
Be sure to measure the contaminant levels
frequently. Remember, what gets measured gets
done. Make appropriate changes as necessary.
Setting this goal will help your department
answer the are we there yet question.

www.machinerylubrication.com

July - August 2012

| 13

ML

LUBE TIPS

APPROACH FOR
GREASING BEARINGS

A BETTER

If you already use vibration-monitoring equipment with

spike energy, gSE or other high-frequency detection technology, you can optimize the quantity of grease added to a bearing
by running your monitoring equipment while adding grease. When
the overall level of the signal
drops suddenly and noticeably, grease has reached the
bearing. Stop adding more.
Using this approach saves
those on limited budgets from
having to buy additional specialized
greasing equipment with monitoring ability.

Advice for Overheating Hydraulics

If the hydraulic system is overheating on your mobile equipment,
it may prove useful to scan the entire
machine for the source. For example,
a machine that was gradually building
heat in the hydraulic system started at
an operating temperature of 130
degrees F and rose to 160 degrees F.
After the thermography scan was
complete, it became clear what the
problem was. The auxiliary pump to
the main pump was failing. This
resulted in the oil reservoir maintaining a temperature above 200
degrees F. The reason the operators
saw only a temperature of 160 degrees
F was due to a faulty gauge.

Use Caution with Heat Exchangers

There are many reducers in an industrial environment that
require heat exchangers. Along with the benefits of heat exchangers
comes the possibility of water leaks. Determine if the heat exchanger
is truly necessary by noting the temperature of the reducer when the
heat exchanger is valved off. If the reducer temperature is below the
oils highest temperature runability, it may be a good idea to valve
off the water to deter a possible water leak. If the reducer cant
operate without the heat exchanger, then oil analysis should be
performed more often. It is important to frequently conduct oil
analysis on water-cooled equipment because a leak in the cooling
system can be catastrophic to the equipment.
14 |

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

The Lube Tips section of Machinery Lubrication magazine

features innovative ideas submitted by our readers. Additional tips
can be found in our Lube-Tips e-mail newsletter. If you have a tip
to share, e-mail it to us at [email protected]. To sign up for the
Lube-Tips newsletter, visit www.machinerylubrication.com and
click on the Newsletters link at the top.

Modifying Sight Glass

Improves Visibility
On equipment with vented oil
tube sight glasses, it is sometimes
hard to determine the oil level. This
may be due to poor lighting or a dusty
environment. On the next inspection
of the equipment, try removing the
tube and glass. Clean the inside of the
tube with a degreaser, then color the
inside with a white or bright color
marker that is compatible with your
oil. A felt-tip white metal marking
stick works great because it allows
you to get inside the tube channel.
Equipment oil levels will be easier to
detect with the lighter background.

A Variation on the Crackle Test

Another method of performing the crackle test to detect the
presence of water in oil involves using a small portable electric oven
burner. Place 1 ounce of the contaminated oil sample in a glass
bottle on the burner. The bottle should not be capped. As the
water-contaminated oil sample is heated, the water will heat,
bubble and then begin to evaporate. If the oil is contaminated only
with water, the oil will look like new oil after all of the water is
evaporated. This process takes about 5 minutes or less and easily
confirms the presence of water. As with all heat-related tests, use
protective equipment to protect your face, hands and body when
performing this test.

How to Store Grease Correctly

Store tubes of grease vertically, not on their sides. This will
minimize the amount of oil loss from bleeding, keeping the
containers and storage area in better condition.

Hydraulics

HYDRAULICS
AT WORK

BRENDAN CASEY

CAREFULLY Consider
ISOLATION Valves
on HYDRAULIC Pump
Intake Lines

At a recent hydraulic maintenance workshop, I was asked for

my opinion on isolation valves on pump intake lines and
whether a more expensive ball valve is mandatory as opposed to the
generally cheaper butterfly type. At the root of this question is the
negative effect of turbulence in the pump intake line. The argument
for using a ball valve as an intake-line isolation valve is that when its
open, the full bore of the valve is available for oil flow. So if you have
a 2-inch ball valve installed in a 2-inch intake line, when the valve is
open, its as if it isnt there at all (from the oils point of view at least).
On the other hand, a butterfly valve is not full bore. Even when
fully open, the butterfly remains in the bore and presents a partial
restriction, which is irregular in shape. This causes turbulence,
which can result in dissolved air coming out of solution in the intake
line. If this happens, these air bubbles will collapse when exposed to
pressure at the pump outlet. In other words, a butterfly valve may
cause gaseous cavitation.
So which is best: a ball or butterfly valve? Well, like a lot of issues
in hydraulics, it depends. In a perfect world, I would always choose
a ball valve ahead of a butterfly valve. For intake-line diameters up
to 3 inches, theres virtually no cost penalty involved in doing so.
However, when you get into 4-, 6- and 8-inch diameters, ball valves
are very expensive in comparison to their butterfly counterparts. They
also take up a lot more space, particularly in overall length. So in a
mobile application, for example, not only may the cost of a largediameter ball valve be prohibitive, but there also may not be enough
space between the tank outlet and the pump inlet to install it.
There is a third alternative. Many people wrongly believe intakeline isolation valves are essential, when in reality they are not, but
for a few exceptions.

3 Benefits of Not Installing an

Intake-line Isolation Valve
1. The cost of the component is saved.
2. The distance between the tank and the pump can be
shortened.
3. The pump can never be started with the intake isolation
valve closed.

16 | July - AAugustt 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

hi
l b i ti

The first question that pops up in response to this is how can

the pump be changed out if there is no isolation valve on the
intake line. There are two answers to this. First, if the pump has
failed catastrophically and you are doing things right, the oil
should be pumped out of the tank using a filter cart and into clean
drums or other suitable container. Then the tank should be thoroughly cleaned, the pump changed out, and the oil (assuming it is
still serviceable) pumped back into the tank using a filter cart.
The common objections to this are: Oh, we dont have time
for that! or We dont have 10, 20 or however many clean drums
sitting around. A work-around for those who dont want to do
the job right is to cap all penetrations into the tank headspace
and connect an industrial vacuum cleaner to the tank breather
penetration. Switch on the vacuum cleaner while the pump is

Many people wrongly believe

intake-line isolation valves are
essential, when in reality they are
not, but for a few exceptions.
changed out, and then when the debris from the previous pump
failure causes the replacement pump to fail, repeat the exercise.
Of course, there are exceptions, such as if theres more than
one pump sucking from the same tank or its just not practical to
pump say 3,000 gallons of oil out of the tank. Sometimes intakeline isolation valves are a necessity. If this is the case, its wise to
make sure they have proximity switches to prevent the pump(s)
from being started when the valve(s) are closed.
My preferred approach is to fit neither ball valve nor
butterfly valve, if you can get away with it. If you must have
one, use a ball valve if cost or space isnt an issue. However, if
either of these things is a problem, then a butterfly valve is the
only choice.
There are many applications where butterfly valves are used as
pump-intake isolation valves. Large hydraulic excavators are a
common example. They have multiple pumps sucking out of big
tanks through large-diameter intake lines and not much space

all the ingredients that rule out the more

preferred options (no valve or ball valve).
I dont recall ever seeing a pump off a
large hydraulic excavator that didnt have at
least some cavitation erosion damage, which
in this application could be regarded as fair
wear and tear. Could this cavitation damage
be attributed to turbulence caused by the
butterfly valve? Sure it could, but a lot of
other things may be responsible for it as well.
The only way to know for certain would be to
compare two pumps operating under the
same conditions one with and one without
a butterfly valve installed.

About the Author

Brendan Casey is the founder of HydraulicSupermarket.com and the author of Insider Secrets
to Hydraulics, Preventing Hydraulic Failures, Hydraulics
Made Easy and Advanced Hydraulic Control. A fluid
power specialist with an MBA, he has more than
20 years of experience in the design, maintenance
and repair of mobile and industrial hydraulic
equipment. Visit his Web site at www.HydraulicSupermarket.com.

75%
of lubrication professionals prefer
ball valves for hydraulic pump
intake lines, according to a recent
survey at machinerylubrication.com

www.machinerylubrication.com

July - August 2012

| 17

SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL

PRODUCT NEWS

The new Monolec Tetra-Syn Engine Oil from Lubrication Engineers Inc. is a
100-percent-synthetic motor oil for gasoline engines. It exhibits low volatility and
low viscosity shear characteristics while also providing low- and high-temperature performance. A premium additive package has been incorporated in the
new oil, including the Monolec wear-reducing additive, to deliver fuel economy,
protect emission systems, keep engines clean and keep deposits to a minimum.
Available in SAE 5W-20 and 5W-30 grades, Monolec Tetra-Syn Engine Oil can
even improve fuel economy in many newer engines.
Lubrication Engineers Inc.
www.LElubricants.com
800-537-7683

FOOD-GRADE LUBRICANTS

HOSE REEL
Hannay Reels N500 Series
spring-rewind dual hose reel
is designed for efcient hose
handling in grease and oil
applications. The compact
frame and narrow mounting
base allow easy installation in
almost any location. Equipped
with a heavy-duty spring motor
with self-contained rewind power
and a four-way roller assembly,
the N500 Series handles single
-inch or 3/8-inch I.D. hose. A
non-sparking ratchet assembly
locks the reel at the desired hose
length. A pull on the hose unlocks the reel for retraction, while
the declutching arbor prevents damage from reverse winding.

Sprayons new NSF H1-rated foodgrade lubricants have been treated with
antioxidants and additives to specically
address the performance and application
needs of the food-processing industry.
Consisting of ne food-grade base stocks
including synthetics, renewable oils and
silicones, the new lubricants offer heavier
load pressures, resistance to water washout,
lower ammability ratings and wider
temperature ranges to preserve and protect
equipment, prevent costly breakdowns and
ensure maximum performance.
Sprayon
www.sprayon.com
800-SPRAYON

Hannay Reels
www.hannay.com
877-467-3357

AIR-OIL SYSTEMS
The new line of Oil Streak air-oil systems by Bijur Delimon provide a simple-to-use plug-and-play format
that is designed to perform in the most demanding
high-speed spindle lubrication applications. The airoil mixing valves blend precise amounts of air and oil,
thanks in part to special oil injectors created specically
for spindle oil applications.
Bijur Delimon
www.bijurdelimon.com
800-631-0168

18

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

ELECTRIC TENSIONING PUMP

The ZUTP1500 Electric Tensioner Pump from Enerpac features a twostage pump design to provide high ow at low pressure for fast system
lls, as well as controlled ow at high pressure for safe and accurate
operation. Engineered for the wind turbine market, the new pump incorporates a remote-controlled electric valve and universal motor without
a hydraulic intensier for hassle-free operation of bolt tensioners and
hydraulic nuts in remote locations. The ZUTP1500 includes a durable,
lightweight aluminum roll cage and reservoir with a sheet-metal front
panel to guard the pump from the rigors of the worksite.
Enerpac
www.enerpac.com
262-293-1600

BEARING CHECKER
Kittiwakes new MHC Bearing Checker is a small handheld
device that can provide instant indication of machinery condition. Based on the detection of high-frequency activity that
is naturally generated by deterioration in rotating machinery,
the instruments distress parameter removes the need for machinespecic interpretations. If the distress parameter is greater than 10,
the user knows there is a problem. A decibel level is also provided, giving
an indication of the overall noise of the bearing. Each measurement takes
approximately 10 seconds and requires no setup, previous history or knowledge of machine
design details. The unit is powered by an internal rechargeable battery.

Kittiwake

www.kittiwake.com
713-255-7255

METALWORKING FLUIDS
Cimcool has introduced a new line of metalworking uids
designed to meet the challenges of the tube and pipe industry.
Cimmill uids are formulated to increase productivity by up to 20
percent while offering good lubricity, rust protection and sump
life. The uids also provide excellent foam control, improved tool
life and increased uptime during critical roll forming, cut-off and
threading operations. The Cimmill line of product covers a wide
range of applications including the most severe.
Cimcool

DIRT ALARM INDICATORS

www.CIMCOOL.com
888-CIMCOOL

The MS17, MS18 and MS19 electrical dirt alarm indicators

from Schroeder Industries are engineered to provide an
accurate indication of the need to change an element in
order to help maintain uid cleanliness. They can be used
with a wide range of hydraulic lters and are suitable for
mobile and industrial applications requiring the connection of indicators with a static working pressure of less
than 6,000 psi. The crimped body design eliminates the
need for the four bolts used in the design of existing electrical dirt alarm indicators, reducing cost and assembly time.
Schroeder Industries
www.schroederindustries.com
800-722-4810
www.machinerylubrication.com

July - August 2012

19

INDUSTRY FOCUS

Advances
inWear Debris
Analysis

BY DR. VIOLET L EAVERS, V4L PARTICLES LTD.

New

The harsh work environments in which some industrial equipment is situated can lead to short life cycles and unpredictable
failures, such as those found in mining or offshore oil and gas
industries. While manufacturers may offer and honor timebased warranties, they cannot predict accurately the lifespan of
the equipment. Moreover, replacement of equipment under
warranty by the manufacturer does nothing to mitigate the cost
of unscheduled downtime and lost revenues.

Wear debris analysis is simple to

execute, the test is non-destructive
and it can give a vital early warning
of incipient component failure.
A solution to this problem lies with the various fluid and
particle condition monitoring tests that convey information
about the current mechanical state of a system. In the front line
of these is the collection and analysis of wear debris particles
taken from a components lubricating or power transmission
fluid. Wear debris analysis is so important because sampling is
relatively simple to execute, the test is non-destructive and it can
give a vital early warning of incipient component failure.

Particle Sizing and Counting Hardware

Particle counts can be determined using optical instruments.
The first of these methods is to use a microscope. Particles are
precipitated from fluid samples, which are taken from the
components lubrication system, by draining through a filter
patch. Particles are then interactively sized and counted manually using a microscope. However, because of its labor-intensive
nature, this method was replaced by automatic particle counters
(APCs) in the 1960s.
First-generation APCs contain a laser light source and a
detector, which are separated by an optical cell. The oil sample
20

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

flows through the cell, and when a particle passes through it, an
area of light is obscured. The detector senses the loss of light and
outputs a voltage. The voltage pulse generated increments the
particle count, and the height of the pulse is used to determine
the size of the particle.
These APCs have the disadvantage of not being able to distinguish between multiple particles, and because they are blind to
the shape of the particle, they are only able to report size in terms of
a projected area equivalent diameter. That is, size is defined as the
diameter of the disc with an area equivalent to the area of the
particles shadow. This method can lead to errors because the estimated projected area equivalent diameter is a function of the shape
of the particle. In other words, the size of the particle is increasingly
underestimated as the shape becomes more elongated. In particular, long, thin particles will be systematically undersized to the
point where they may slip into a size range smaller than their actual
size indicates or even disappear from the count all together.
A second generation of APCs has emerged that operates
using micro-second duration-pulsed lasers. This has the effect of
freezing the image of the particles present in the optical cell. The
light sensor associated with first-generation APCs is replaced by
a charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor. In this way, the system is
able to collect the silhouette images of multiple particles. Image
processing is then used to count and size the particles.
Various contaminants such as varnish or fibers have optical
properties that make them invisible to APCs. These contaminants
can build up to critical levels without being detected by the APC.
The ASTM D7596-11 standard test method for automatic
particle counting and particle shape classification of oils using a
direct-imaging integrated tester gives a list of 11 possible sources
of error when using a second-generation APC. A relatively high
level of skill and experience not generally available onsite would
be needed to detect or control these errors.

Innovative Particle Imaging Hardware

New technology has recently become available that solves
many of the practical limitations imposed by the traditional

INDUSTRY FOCUS

design of the microscope when viewing and capturing images of

both macroscopic and microscopic particles. The new technology is dedicated to optimizing the lateral and axial resolution
available at the magnifications and resolutions required to
reproduce images in an electronic form, whether that is for data
storage, printing in reports or for on-screen viewing. In this way,
images can be generated in which the depth of focus and field of
view are optimized for viewing macroscopic and microscopic
particles at the same magnification.
With the new technology, it is possible to acquire sharply
focused images over a much wider range of magnifications and
resolutions than when using a traditional microscope and
without resorting to motorized stages or specialized software in
order to create a wider field of view or extended depth of focus.

From Images to Information

A new concept in wear debris particle analysis has been developed
to specifically meet the needs of onsite technicians. This new software
is compliant with and uses the particle classifications and nomenclature given in the ASTM D7684-11 standard guide for the microscopic
characterization of particles from in-service lubricants.
The new software provides the onsite maintenance professional with access to an expert knowledge base of the
fundamentals of wear debris analysis in order to assist in the
identification of transitions between benign, active and critical
wear patterns. By interacting with the software, the end user can
access the following information:

The wear debris mode to which a selected particle belongs

The processes and conditions contributing to a particular
wear mechanism

Information about equipment-specific wear modes

Wear debris analysis using equipment-specific baselines
When and how to correlate the data from other cleanliness
tests with wear debris mode classification in order to identify
transitions between normal, active and critical levels of wear

An alert when equipment health is critical and the onsite

professional needs to call for remote support

This Macro-2-Micro one-shot image of an oxidized

particle on a filter patch shows surface detail that
would not be visible using a microscope without
extended focus capability.

The image above shows a one-shot image of an oxidized particle

on a filter patch. Without such a sharp image allowing the surface
detail to be seen, this particle might be mistaken for a brass/copper
fatigue particle, whereas it is a hybrid particle with striations associated with severe sliding and colors indicating heating.
This new technology can be implemented in such a way as to be
sufficiently stable and compact to be used onsite. It also generates
images at a size that can be transmitted electronically if more expert
advice from a remote specialist laboratory is required.
Automatic particle sizing and counting software has also
been developed for use with the new imaging technology. This
software is uniquely plug-and-play and does not require the
user to input subjective thresholds in order to distinguish
particles from the background image. This makes it ideal for
onsite use where the end user may not have the skill or training
necessary to set image-processing thresholds. The new particle
sizing and counting hardware and software technology is also
compliant with ISO 4406 and 4407, NAS 1638 and SAE
ARP598 standards.
22

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

This image of magnetic plug

debris seen at 40x magnification includes a particle that an
inexperienced technician might
mistake for brass or copper.

Image-2-Information software
reveals that because the
particle has a non-uniform
surface color, it is not brass or
copper but instead a heated
particle, indicating early
stages of lubricant starvation.

These features make the new software ideally suited for onsite
situations where the level of training and skill of the attendant
technician may require substantial support.
In conclusion, it is clear that the fluid and particle condition
monitoring needs of the onsite maintenance professional differ
significantly from the resources required by the lab-based expert.
The recent advances in wear debris particle analysis cater to this
need for portable equipment that is both easy to set up and use
while also addressing the variable level of skill and training of
onsite personnel.

About the Author

Dr. Violet Leavers is an internationally acknowledged expert in
machine vision and image processing. She currently works with V4L Particles Ltd. and can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].

CONTAMINATION CONTROL
BY K HALID FAROOQ , PALL CORPORATION

Varnish
Removal
from Turbine
Lubrication
Systems
Effective

In recent years, the power-generation industry has seen an

increase in varnish-related problems in combustion turbines.
This increase is attributed to higher operating temperatures,
smaller fluid reservoirs, more peaking and cyclic service, highly
refined base stocks that have lower solvency for varnish precursors, and a more widespread use of finer filtration that causes
more electrostatic charging of the turbine oil.
The solvency of varnish in turbine oil is temperature dependent, with the transition point being in the range of 130 to 135
degrees F. The temperature frequently falls below this threshold
in the hydraulic control section of turbines, resulting in the
formation of deposits on control valves.
The most problematic aspect of varnish contamination of a
turbine lubrication and control system is that the material
plates out on servo-valve surfaces, leading to valve sticking,
and plugs the last-chance filters (LCFs) that are part of the
servo-valve assembly.
LCFs made with sintered metal or fine screens provide a
convenient surface for the formation of varnish because of their
location in the low-flow, colder hydraulic control section. Lower
temperature promotes varnish formation because of the lower
solubility of the material at lower temperatures, which causes it
to come out of solution and deposit on the filters metal surface.
Filters made with glass-fiber media normally are not plugged
by varnish. Full-flow filters as fine as 6 microns are known to have
no varnish-related premature plugging, although the fluid may
have elevated levels of varnish-forming material. The plugging of
metal pencil filters but not the larger glass-fiber filters is likely
due to the difference in the interaction of the varnish material
with metal versus the glass fiber, the cooler temperatures in the
hydraulic section and the lower flow velocity.
In addition to the servo-valve deposits, varnish precursors form
deposits on mechanical seals, Babbitt sleeve bearings, thrustbearing pads and orifices, resulting in restrictions. When these
deposits develop on heat exchanger and reservoir walls, reduced
heat transfer and higher temperatures are likely to occur.

24

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

Varnish deposits on the spool of a servo valve.

What is Varnish?
Varnish is the thin, insoluble film deposit that forms on fluidwetted surfaces inside a turbine lube system, including bearings
and servo valves. The material is comprised of a wide range of oil
additives and high molecular weight thermo-oxidative fluid
breakdown compounds that have limited solvency in the base
fluid. These compounds are polar in nature and begin to migrate
from the base fluid to the wetted surfaces over time, based on
the system and fluid conditions and their polar affinities.

This photomicrograph
shows varnish material on an analysis
membrane (0.45micron porosity) at
100x magnification.

The same varnish

material is shown at
1,000x magnification
using a scanning
electron microscope.

Initially, the surfaces show a gold/tan color, building to darker

gum-like layers that eventually develop into a hard, lacquer-like
material. The chemical compositions of these insoluble materials
vary depending on the turbine operating conditions, the fluid
base stock and additive type.

How Varnish Forms

All turbine oils create insoluble materials, even under normal
operating conditions. The rate of generation is accelerated under

CONTAMINATION CONTROL

severe or unusual operating conditions. Factors such as oxidation,

hot spots, chemical contamination, filter-related electrostatic
discharge, micro-dieseling and adiabatic compression are widely
believed to be among the sources of varnish generation.
Typical hydrocarbon-based fluids undergo oxidative degradation/polymerization to produce oil-insoluble sludge/varnish. A
number of oxygenated chemical compounds can be generated
during the course of thermal oxidation, including acids, alcohols,
esters, ketones, etc. However, studies have shown that varnish
precursors have species that contain predominantly two oxygen
atoms per molecule, pointing to the role of hydroxyl-acids as
active intermediates in varnish formation.
The chemical species responsible for varnish formation is not
always related to the base stock. The additive package and its
interaction with the base stock may play a significant role in
varnish formation.

This FTIR spectra shows varnish material produced by oxidation and thermal
degradation with characteristic absorbance peaks in the 1740 cm-1 region.

Oxidation-inhibitor additives are added to fluids to control

the oxidation process. Two common categories of additives are
hindered phenols and aromatic amines. Hindered phenols act as
radical scavengers. They are more suited for lower temperatures,
while amines perform better at higher temperatures.
The mixed phenol/amine additive package has proven to be
more robust, as the phenols also rejuvenate the depleted amines.
A type of amine antioxidant, PANA, is known to form deposits of
its own when it depletes.
Once the additives are depleted, the oxidation process greatly
accelerates. Experts recommend close monitoring of the depletion of phenol and amine antioxidants. When the phenolic
antioxidants approach the depletion level, you can expect amine
levels to begin falling and the varnish potential to rise.
Elevated temperatures also contribute to the oxidation
process. The general rule of thumb is that for every increase of 10
degrees C (18 degrees F) in the operating temperature, the rate
of oxidation doubles (Arrhenius rate rule). Water, aeration and
wear metal particles such as iron and copper act as catalysts to
speed up this process.
Besides oxidation, the other major pathway for fluid degradation in a turbine is thermal degradation. Three common sources
26

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

of thermal degradation of the fluid and resulting varnish formation are adiabatic compression of the oil-entrained air bubbles,
hot spots in the system and filter-induced electrostatic discharge.
The source of air bubbles entrained in fluid can be suction line
leaks, pump seal leaks and tank agitation caused by the plunging
fluid returning to the reservoir. When exposed to fast compression, such as at the inlet of a high-pressure pump or high-load
region of a bearing, these air bubbles can undergo rapid adiabatic compression with a resultant rapid increase in fluid
temperatures. Typically, temperatures in the range of 1,000
degrees F may be reached during this adiabatic compression of
the air bubbles. The high temperature initiates thermal degradation of the fluid, leading to the formation of varnish.
Electrostatic or triboelectric charge generation occurs in
turbine lubrication systems as a result of friction between the
fluid and the system components. The magnitude of the charge
generated depends on many interrelated factors, including environmental issues. This effect manifests itself in several ways,
with the most noticeable being an audible clicking sound as the
accumulated charge discharges. This causes sparking internally
within the system. Less apparent effects involve migration of the
electrical charge downstream of the filter, which produces
damage to system components and the filter.
Recently, attention has been directed to fluid electrification
and static discharge as prominent contributors to sludge and
varnish formation in turbine systems. The amount of charge
generated by the flow of a hydrocarbon liquid through a filter is
related to several fluid and filter properties. Charge generation/
accumulation generally increases with increasing flow rates
(velocity through the filter element), reduced fluid conductivity,
certain additive packages and lower temperature (higher viscosity).
In the filter housing, the charge of the filter element will be
opposite in sign to that of the fluid. The charge on the fluid will
be transmitted downstream, and if enough charge is accumulated, the fluid dielectric constant is exceeded. The discharge
then occurs to a conductive part of the filtration or fluid system
that is lower in magnitude, resulting in potential damage to that
part of the system. The extent of damage will depend on the
material involved and the magnitude of the generated charge.
Various methods have been tried to alleviate the potential of
static charge accumulation in fluid systems. Among them are
anti-static additives, which may not be suitable for turbine oils;
the use of conductive mesh downstream of the filter material,
which has limited effectiveness in preventing charge accumulation in the fluid; and increasing the time for the charge to decay,
which requires a change in the system design. Filtering the fluid
at a lower flow density (i.e., increasing the filter size) does rectify
the problem, but it is not a viable option for every system. Several
manufacturers have introduced filters with filtration media
designed not to generate a charge to the same extent as the standard glass-fiber-based materials.
In 2004, a new series of electrostatic dissipative (ESD) filter
media were introduced to eliminate potential electrostatic
charging problems in filtration of hydrocarbon fluids. Extensive
testing in controlled laboratory conditions and on operating

CONTAMINATION CONTROL

equipment in many industrial applications has shown this

filtration media to eliminate filter damage and significantly
lower charge generation compared with the typical glass-fiber
filtration medium.

Fluid charging with standard glass-fiber and

electrostatic dissipative (ESD) filter elements.

Varnish Removal Technologies

The currently available solution for removing varnish from
turbine lubrication fluids can be divided into three categories
electrostatic purification, chemical cleaning/flushing and
adsorption by a disposable media.
The electrostatic method, operating in kidney-loop mode off
the main tank, subjects the fluid to an electrical field, which
causes the varnish precursors to charge and agglomerate into
larger particles that are then captured by a filter mat or attracted
to a charged, disposable surface.
There are several designs based on variants of the electrostatic charging principle to accomplish this goal. The
electrostatic-type devices are reported to remove varnish

Laboratory Test Results with Varnish Removal Filter Medium

DETAILS
TURBINE

FLUID ID

INITIAL
VARNISH RATING

FILTERED
VARNISH RATING

GE Frame 7B*

59

GE Frame 7FA*

47

GE Frame 7FA*

47

22**

GE Frame 7FA

62

15***

Alstom GT8C

34

11

Alstom GT24B

85

15***

MHI 501 (G)

58

15***

* Varnish rating determined by Herguth Laboratories.

** Filtered at 160 degrees F.
*** The varnish rating of filtrate is estimated. The initial

values are by Analysts Inc.

28

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

precursors from the fluid phase, and as the fluid is cleaned up,
soft varnish deposits from surfaces are re-entrained in the fluid
and removed, thus resulting in the cleaning up of deposits accumulated over a period of time.
Since the removal of varnish from system
components is a relatively slow process, these
devices are recommended to be operated over a
long period of time or to be installed permanently.
They are reported to be sensitive to elevated moisture levels in the fluid and also to the presence of
high levels of metal wear particles.
The chemical cleaning/flushing method for
removing varnish utilizes cleaning chemicals that
are typically circulated through the system to
dislodge varnish from components. These chemicals soften and dissolve the insoluble materials,
and the flushing action suspends the hard deposits
in the fluid, which are then removed with the fluid
when it is drained from the system. This process is
usually performed for several hours or several
days, depending on the system size and the extent
of the varnish build-up on components.
Once the flush and chemical treatment is completed, the
system must be flushed again with an appropriate flushing fluid to
remove residual chemicals and to ensure no contamination finds
its way into the new lubricating oil. Although this process is more
intensive, it does allow for quicker removal of varnish deposits,
especially in a large system. It also requires close monitoring and
entails lost production due to the turbine being out of operation.
The adsorption method utilizes adsorbent media with a large
surface area and high void volume, relatively low fluid flux and in
some cases an electro-chemical affinity for varnish precursors.
Many materials can be used as adsorbents, including compressed
cellulose, cotton linters and macro-porous media such as resin
beads, Fullers earth, activated carbon, etc.
There are two types of adsorption: physisorption and chemisorption. Physisorption, also called physical adsorption, is a
process in which the adsorbent material and the adsorbate
molecules (varnish precursors) do not form chemical bonds
arising from a chemical reaction but are bonded by weak electrostatic forces arising from induced dipole moments such as van
der Waals forces. The electronic structure of the adsorbate does
not change upon adsorption. Because of its chemical structure,
varnish molecules are believed to be attracted to the adsorbent
through weak molecular forces such as hydrogen bonding.
A filtration medium based on physisorption, called a Varnish
Removal Filter (VRF), has been developed. This filtration medium
is a composite consisting of a cellulose fiber matrix and other
materials that give it a high-void volume and an open-fiber matrix.
The resin-bonded, open-fiber matrix provides high permeability,
which is necessary for the fluid to come in contact with the large
fiber surface area for the absorption of the varnish precursors. The
specially formulated binder resins give the filter media high affinity
for the polar varnish precursors, resulting in high removal efficiency and retention of the material suspended in the fluid phase.

Aromatic Amine = 99%, Hindered Phenolic >100%

Results of the analysis conducted on a new, unused fluid sample.

Field trial results on an Alstom turbine.

Field trial results on a GE Frame 7FA turbine.

The VRF medium was tested in a laboratory using samples of degraded fluid
obtained from operating turbines that
had reported high levels of varnish. The
values (shown in the table on page 28)
were taken after single-pass filtration at
ambient room temperature, except for
the third test, which was conducted at a
fluid temperature of 160 degrees F. The
higher varnish rating of the filtrate sample
at a higher temperature indicates lower
varnish removal performance, likely due
to the higher solvency of the varnish
precursors in the fluid and lower absorbency at an elevated temperature.
Tests were also conducted to asses the
effect on the fluids additives as a result of
the treatment with the VRF medium. The
results indicated essentially no change in
the level of aromatic amine and hindered
phenol between the unfiltered sample
and the sample that was filtered 20 times.
The absence of any depletion of this additive suggested that the VRF medium had
no noticeable adverse effect on the fluid.
Following successful laboratory validation of the filtration medium, a skid
incorporating the VRF filter modules and
the associated control system was tested
on two operating turbines. The treatment of the turbine lubrication systems
entailed installation of the skid in a
kidney-loop mode, taking the fluid from
one end of the reservoir and returning it
to the opposite end continuously. Both
trials ran uninterrupted with minimal
operator intervention and utilized one
set of three VRF modules for each trial.
The removal and retention of varnish
material by the filtration medium was
indicated by the staining of the medium
by the varnish material.
One significant difference between
the two turbines treated with the VRF
was the level of varnish deposits in the
lubrication systems. The inside of the
main flow filter housing on the Alstom
turbine lubrication system indicated the
presence of a heavy brownish coating of
varnish material. No such deposits were
observed in the GE Frame 7FA turbine
lubrication system.
Following clean-up of the Alstom
turbine, the VRF skid was removed, and
the plant re-installed the electrostatic-type
www.machinerylubrication.com

July - August 2012

| 29

CONTAMINATION CONTROL

This Varnish Removal Filter

skid was used to treat two
operating turbines.

Varnish deposits were

found inside the filter
housing of the Alstom
turbine lubrication system.

UNITED STATES

cleaner that had been used before the VRF

treatment. A sample from the Alstom turbine
was obtained about six months after the VRF
treatment and was found to have elevated
varnish levels. The GE Frame 7FA turbine was
sampled two months after the VRF treatment
and had low varnish levels similar to that at
the time of the termination of the treatment.
The reason for the recurrence of the high
varnish level in the Alstom turbine is believed
to be the heavy varnish deposits in the system
that were not completely removed during the
eight weeks of the fluid treatment, although
the varnish precursors in the fluid phase were
reduced to very low levels. The difference in
the fluid clean-up rate, which was longer in
the case of the Alstom turbine, and the slight
increase after the initial decrease in the
varnish level can also be attributed largely to
the presence of heavy varnish deposits in the
Alstom turbine lubrication system.
The two field trials revealed that the
amount and type of varnish deposits in the
lubrication system had a bearing on how
quickly the fluid could be rid of the varnish
material and for how long after the clean-up
it would remain free of elevated varnish

These images show a used VRF medium

as received from the field (left), rinsed
with hexane (center) and rinsed with
toluene (right).

levels. There are also variables other than the level of deposits,
such as the type of the varnish material, temperature, duty
cycle, fluid type, state of the deposits, etc., that influence the
rate of varnish removal from the fluid and the dissolution of the
deposits back into the fluid.
In summary, the mitigation of varnish-related problems in
turbine lubrication and hydraulic control systems requires not
only cleaning up the varnish precursors from the fluid and the
soluble deposits from the wetted surfaces, but also controlling
their formation. The absorptive filter technology discussed is
engineered to remove the polar varnish precursors and has
proven to be effective in the removal of the varnish material from
turbine lubrication systems.
In addition, filter-induced electrostatic charging can be
controlled with the utilization of specially designed, charge-dissipative filtration media that produce much lower fluid charging,
thus mitigating the associated fluid damage while providing the
fine levels of filtration required by modern turbines.

CHINA | FRANCE | GERMANY | UNITED KINGDOM | IRELAND | INDIA | SPAIN | RUSSIA

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 2100 GATEWAY CENTRE BLVD, SUITE 109, MORRISVILLE, NC 27560

30

Pictured above
is an unused
VRF medium.

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

[email protected]

www.machinerylubrication.com

July - August 2012

| 31

ML

GET TO KNOW

Bell Signals Reliability

Improvements
at Verso Paper
As the supervisor of reliability technicians at Verso Papers facility in Jay,
Maine, Caleb Bell is responsible for the execution and continuous improvement of the companys preventive and predictive maintenance program. His job is to
understand and improve the program in order to make it the most effective and
efficient that it can be. One day, Bell may be immersed only in lubrication-related
activities, and the next he might be analyzing vibration signatures to determine
response urgency. Although he has been in his current position at Verso Paper for
only 2 years, Bell has already made quite a difference.

Name: Caleb Bell

Age: 34
Title: Equipment Reliability
Supervisor

Years of Service: 2 years

Company: Verso Paper
Corporation
Location: Jay, Maine

Q What types of training have you taken to get to your

current position?
A I was able to get started in the industry when I earned my bachelors degree in mechanical engineering.
Q What professional certifications have you attained?
A I have Vibration Analyst Category 1 and Machine Lubricant
Analyst Level 1 certifications.
Q Are you planning to obtain additional training or
achieve higher certifications?
A I am working to get Vibration Analyst Category 2 and Machine
Lubrication Technician Level 2 certifications.
Q Whats a normal work day like for you?
A My day starts by reviewing the current schedule for the day,
making sure there have been no process upsets that may require our
attention and then bringing the crew up to speed with pertinent
information. I start one hour before they arrive. Once the team is
out in the facility servicing our equipment and executing our
rounds, I work on verifying the accuracy of our listed routes,
updating as necessary, planning equipment upgrades, preparing
for machine maintenance downtime, and developing and executing
capital projects.
32 |

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

Q What is the amount and range of equipment that you

help service through lubrication/oil analysis tasks?
A We have about 5,000 driven pieces of equipment and several
thousand rotating pieces of equipment that are driven either by
conveyor belts, gear trains or ropes. My department is responsible
for all routine lubrication work on this equipment and also invasive
inspections of gear and grid-type couplings, as well as universaltype drive shafts. I estimate that we have about 50,000 lubricated
components for which we are responsible. We have 95 percent of
them well-documented and are working on the rest.
Q What lubrication-related projects are you currently
working on?
A We designed and are now installing a centralized lubricationdispensing station that will eliminate nine satellite dispensing
locations that do not utilize proper contamination control or
ergonomic considerations. This project will strategically locate
four bar-tap type dispensing areas around the mill with 3-micron
filtration of our three most widely used products. The dispensing
stations will service all five of our paper machines. The project
involves 1,500 feet of 1-inch pipe and three 1,000-gallon reservoirs. Weve been able to do this economically with some creativity
and sound engineering.
We are also relocating and upgrading flow meters on an
existing gearcase cascade system that has been problematic for
years. This project will replace 45 improperly sized and uncalibrated universal-type flow meters, which were placed in very
inconspicuous and hard-to-reach locations, with SKF Safematic
type flow meters, which will be located directly in the path of our
routine lubrication rounds, for consistent and reliable moni-

toring. The project involves more than 1,000

feet of tubing.
Q What have been some of the biggest
project successes in which youve
played a part?
A In 2011, we installed two parallel-line automatic grease systems on the wet end of our
paper machines. The systems service 65 bearings each and run on an 8-hour cycle. We are
now able to grease 130 bearings 1,095 times
per year, rather than the 12 times we had done
on our previous 1-month cycle. The systems
are running flawlessly, and weve had great
results with bearing life. In addition, we
removed one of the most difficult and strenuous portions of our job.
Q How does your company view
machinery lubrication in terms of
importance and overall business
strategy?
A It is viewed as absolutely critical and as a
sure-win investment.
Q What do you see as some of the
more important trends taking
place in the lubrication and oil
analysis field?
A Education of stakeholders and a rapid
swing toward reliability-based maintenance
programs are two recent trends Ive noticed. I
think generally there was a large portion of the
population that didnt understand the criticality of proper lubricant selection, route
design and execution. However, Im seeing
more folks from higher management tiers
paying attention to their programs and
receiving training about why its important
and how to execute.
I also feel like industry in the United States has
accepted that reactive maintenance will not
allow us to survive in the global economy, and
we are becoming humble enough to admit we
need to improve.

Get to Know You?

Want to be featured in the next Get to
Know section or know someone who should be
profiled in an upcoming issue of Machinery Lubrication magazine? Nominate yourself or fellow
lubrication professionals by e-mailing a photo
and contact information to [email protected].

www.machinerylubrication.com

July - August 2012

| 33

ML

TEST your
KNOWLEDGE
This month, Machinery Lubrication continues its Test Your Knowledge section in which
we focus on a group of questions from Norias Practice Exam for Level I Machine
Lubrication Technician and Machine Lubricant Analyst. The answers are located at the
bottom of this page. The complete 126-question practice test with expanded answers
is available at store.noria.com.

1. Which type or form of lubrication is considered to provide a full fluid

(oil) film?
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Elastohydrodynamic
Solid Film
Boundary
Mixed
All of the above

2. A typical ISO cleanliness code for new oil would be:

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

9/7/5
14/12/10
21/19/16
27/25/21
32/30/27

3. Hydrolysis is the breakdown of additives by:

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Hydrogen
Helium
Water
Filtration
Hydrogen embitterment

Answers:
1. A
Elastohydrodynamic lubrication is a form of hydrodynamic lubrication (full-film separation).
It is called elastohydrodynamic because the lubricated components deform elastically due
to high pressure.
2. C
This ISO cleanliness level (ISO 21/19/16) is considered quite high. Contamination normally
takes place during blending, packaging, storing, transportation, etc. End users are responsible for checking the quality of incoming oils and taking measures to ensure clean oil is used,
especially in machines that require very clean oil.
3. C
In hydrolysis, the additives react with water in the presence of heat to form byproducts such
as sulfuric acid and hydrogen sulfides.

34 |

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

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www.machinerylubrication.com

July - August 2012

| 35

PRODUCT SUPERMARKET

The ASPEX Expressx is the fastest

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ASPEX, an FEI Company

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SIMPLIFY MOTOR CHANGE-OUTS

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Checkuids LTJ Series oil sampling

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sampling with results you can count
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Know when to lubricate with UE

Systems Ultraprobe 201 Grease
Caddy. Sensing ultrasound, Grease
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making it easier to listen in noisy
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DuPont Krytox Fluorinated Greases

and Oils are chemically inert, insoluble in common solvents. Temperature
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H-1/H-2 food grades available.
Miller-Stephenson Chemical
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UE Systems, Inc.

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Your single source supply for complete packaging of bottles, mailing

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36

Inolex Chemical Company synthesizes

premium ester base oils for high-performance lubricant applications such
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July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

Cannon Instrument Company

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GARZO Model 108B controllers maintain oil levels in engines and compressor
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or up to 15 psig oil supply pressures.
GARZO, Inc.

9070 Smart Vibration Analysis Meter

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This stainless-steel oiler replenishes oil

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Lubricant Storage & Handling System has 2 150-gal. containers (L.)

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July - August 2012

37

ML

CROSSWORD PUZZLER
Get a Printable Version
of This Puzzle Online at:
MachineryLubrication.com/puzzle
1
2
3
4
5
6

7
8

9
10

11

12

13

14
15

16

ACROSS
4 A device that transfers heat through a conducting wall from
one fluid to another.

6 A measure of the ability of a solid or liquid to transfer heat.

7 An engine component that translates the rotational motion of
the cam to a reciprocating linear motion in the linkage system.

8 A location in a line conducting fluid from working device to

reservoir.

10 A mechanical mixture of air bubbles having a tendency to

separate from the liquid phase.

14 Incapable of being mixed without separation of phases.

15 A device to prevent direct fluid flow or impingement
on a surface.

16 The ratio of shear stress to shear rate.

38 |

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

DOWN
1 A method that involves placing a drop of fluid on a
permeable piece of paper and noting the development and
nature of the halos or rings surrounding the drop through time.

2 A chemical substance added to a petroleum product to impart

or improve certain properties.

3 The amount of water that can dissolve in a fluid.

5 A filter material made from plant fibers.
9 A device that prevents leakage of fluids along rotating shafts.
11 The progressive failure of a machine or lubricant.
12 Ability of an oil or grease to lubricate.
13 A condition of filter element loading in which contaminant
spans the space between adjacent sections of a filter element,
thus blocking a portion of the useful filtration.
Get the solution on page 43

ML

NOW ON

MachineryLubrication.com

Find more great articles and content from

Machinery Lubrication magazine online. From
Web exclusives and industry news to videos, white
papers, buyers guides and more, everything that
relates to machinery lubrication is available now
on www.machinerylubrication.com.

Engine Lubrication Basics

Lubrication plays a key role in the life expectancy of an engine. Without oil, an engine would
succumb to overheating and seizing very quickly.
Lubricants help mitigate this problem, and if
properly monitored and maintained, can extend

What is Lubrication?
Lubrication is a word thats often used in
regards to machinery reliability and maintenance,
but what is lubrication? The dictionary defines
lubrication as the application of some oily or
greasy substance in order to diminish friction.
Although this is a valid definition, it fails to realize
all that lubrication actually achieves. Learn the
different types of lubrication and the various
substances that can be used to lubricate a surface
by reading this article on the ML site.

Elemental Analysis
of Industrial Lubricants
As the most fundamental test used in oil
analysis today, elemental analysis can detect
between 15 and 25 different elements that are
related to wear metals, contaminant metals and

the life of your motor. Read this article on the ML

site to understand why changing oil regularly and
sustaining appropriate fluid levels are the keys to
overall engine health and lifespan.

Basics of Ferrous Density

in Oil Analysis
Ferrous density should be considered a
primary test for all machines where ferrous wear
material is expected. Correlating ferrous density
data along with other oil analysis test information can give you a wide picture and a solid
understanding of the internal condition of your
machine. This video describes the two general
types of ferrous density testing, including what

they measure, how they are performed, the

results you can expect and the advantages of
each, as well as how to calculate wear particle
concentration, percent large particles and wear
severity index. Access this 5-minute, 51-second
video at www.machinerylubrication.com.
40 |

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

oil additives. This video explains how elemental

analysis works through atomic emission spectroscopy (AES), the results you can expect to see,
why you want to run elemental analysis on used
and new oil, and why you cant completely rely
on elemental analysis to get a true indication of
overall machine condition. Access this video at
www.machinerylubrication.com.

Antioxidant Monitoring
of Gas Engine Oils
Antioxidant analysis can be useful both for
small and large oil reservoirs, as well as peak/baseload operations. The importance of individual
antioxidants in combination with other critical
parameters may provide a better understanding of
the processes occurring during the oils lifetime.
Find this article in the oil analysis section on the
ML site to discover how monitoring individual
antioxidants can establish an accurate condition
of the oil as part of the oils lifecycle evaluation.

By the Numbers

72%

of machinerylubrication.com
visitors include only the
most critical machines and
components in their oil
analysis program.

Welcome to Machinery Lubrications Bookstore, designed to spotlight lubricationrelated books. For a complete listing of books
of interest to lubrication professionals, check
out the Bookstore at store.noria.com.

Format: DVD
Publisher: Noria Corporation

Squeezing maximum life out of

lubricants and extending machine
life start with putting a healthy,
clean lubricant into the machine.
In this training video, youll learn
the very best practices for new oil
storage and handling, as well as
procedures you can implement
right away for managing lubricants from delivery to dispensing
to filling the machine.

In-Service Lubricant and Machine

Analysis, Diagnostics,
and Prognostics
Author: ASTM International

This compilation of the Journal of

ASTM International (JAI) contains
papers presented at a symposium on in-service lubricant and
machine analysis, diagnostics and
prognostics held Dec. 8, 2010,
in Jacksonville, Fla. It includes
recent developments in online oil
condition monitoring sensors and
alignment with ASTM methods
and practices, an overview of progress and new developments
in FTIR lubricant condition monitoring methodology, guidelines for alarm limits and trend analysis, and more.

Oil Analysis Basics

Second Edition
Publisher: Noria Corporation

The new Second Edition includes

more detailed information on oil
sampling, filtration and contaminant removal, base oils and
additives, water-in-oil contamination and removal, ASTM standards,
glycol testing, flash point tests, and
14 additional oil analysis tests.

Author: Robert Scott, Jim Fitch and Lloyd Leugner

The completely rewritten Fourth Edition addresses specific

new topics such as oil properties and testing, oil analysis,
grease applications, journal
bearings, compressors, contamination control, storage and
handling, wear and failure mechanisms, and troubleshooting. It
retains the easy-reading nature
of the original book with restructured chapters to heighten the
focus on reliability and provide
further detail on recent changes
in industry practices.

BOOK STORE

Best Practices for Lubricant Storage

and Handling Training Video

The Practical Handbook of

Machinery Lubrication 4th Edition

Reliable Plant 2012 Conference

Proceedings
Format: CD-ROM
Publisher: Noria Corporation

In case you missed the learning

sessions at Reliable Plant 2012,
you can get the conference
proceedings on CD-ROM. It
includes the presentations in PDF
format from nearly every session
in both of the co-located conferences: Lubrication Excellence and
Reliability World. The real-world case studies are full of practical, experience-based information and tools for lubrication
and reliability programs.

Best Practices for Oil Sampling

Training Video
Format: DVD
Publisher: Noria Corporation

Correct and accurate sample

collection is the critical first
step in a successful oil analysis
program. Without representative
oil samples, oil analysis may just
be a waste of time and money.
This 48-minute video shows you
how to design and implement a
world-class oil sampling program that will deliver better results
and help you focus on improving equipment reliability.

For descriptions, complete table of contents and excerpts from

these and other lubrication-related books, and to order online,
visit: store.noria.com or call 1-800-597-5460, ext. 204
www.machinerylubrication.com

July - August 2012

41

ML

CERTIFICATION NEWS

ICML and ACIMA

Sign COOPERATION
AGREEMENT
BY SUZY JAMIESON, ICML

During the recent Costa Rican Congress of Maintenance

Engineering in San Jose, Costa Rica, the International
Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML) formalized its cooperation with the Costa Rican Association of Maintenance
(ACIMA), signaling a new era for Costa Ricas lubrication practitioners. An active and visionary association, ACIMA celebrated

Costa Rican Congress

Displays Bright Future of
Maintenance Engineering
With 30 speakers and more than 350 attendees from around the
world, the recent Costa Rican Congress of Maintenance Engineering
in San Jose, Costa Rica, sported the theme of competitiveness and
sustainability, encouraging joint work to achieve commitment and
cooperation in sustainable development, environmental protection and
energy savings. It also aimed at favoring a permanent chain of work
among engineering, education, investigation, innovation, industry and
services that would be conducive to efficient and effective production.
One of the speakers at the event was Gerardo Trujillo, director of
Noria Latin America and an ICML volunteer since its inception. In
an informative and well-received presentation, Trujillo spoke on the
importance of responsible handling and disposal of lubricants.
The congress as a whole was very impressive. Not only was the organization of the event excellent, with a rich range of presentations and an
exposition hall showcasing a variety of solution providers from diverse
areas of maintenance disciplines, but the attendance was impressive
as well. For an association serving mainly maintenance engineers in
a country of less than 5 million people to have more than 350 professionals in attendance is quite significant for a single event.
It was inspiring to see the number of young maintenance professionals attending. The percentage of women was also very encouraging.
The level of engagement and interest of these young professionals was
quite noticeable and refreshing to see. This was not an about to retire
crowd but a glimpse of the vibrant future in the maintenance industry.

42 |

July
uly - August 2012 | www
www.machinerylubrication.com
machinerylubrication com

its 20th year of operations in 2011. The association published a

book dedicated to the history of its first 20 years, entitled
Passion for Maintenance.
In both passion and mission, it is evident that ICML has much
in common with ACIMA. Although ICMLs niche is specifically
devoted to an area of maintenance, namely machinery lubrication and oil analysis, the parallels are clear. ACIMAs mission is
to work for the strengthening of professionals that work in the
field of maintenance engineering through suitable knowledge
transfer and respect to the highest ethics with the objective of
contributing to the national development of Costa Rica. This
is very much in line with ICMLs mission of dignifying the
careers of machinery lubrication and oil analysis professionals by facilitating growth and development of machinery
lubrication as a technical field of endeavor.
Among its activities, ACIMA takes very seriously its role in qualification of Costa Rican professionals, having close ties with the
Technical Institute of Costa Rica (TEC) and offering several

At the recent Costa Rican Congress of Maintenance

Engineering, ACIMA president Humberto Guzmn (left) and
ICMLs Suzy Jamieson (right) signed a memorandum
of understanding for the mutual promotion of the two
organizations missions.

continuing-education opportunities for Costa Rican maintenance

professionals. These include seminars, training courses and conferences. Like ICML, ACIMA has an awards program and publishes
Revista Mantenimiento (Maintenance Magazine).
During last years Mexican Congress of Maintenance and
Reliability, Carlos Caldern Borge and Julio Carvajal Brenes, a
long-time volunteer of ICML and one of the founding members
of ACIMA, were instrumental in the development of the cooperation between ICML and ACIMA. At the close of this years
congress, ACIMAs current president, Humberto Guzmn,
signed the memorandum of understanding between ICML and
ACIMA for the mutual promotion of the organizations missions,
along with the offering of ICML exams by ACIMA for Costa
Rican professionals, with the goal to improve national skills in
the area of machinery lubrication and oil analysis. The first
ICML/ACIMA joint certification exam session is expected to take
place at the end of August 2012.
With the new cooperation agreement, ICML hopes to be an
active part of this vibrant future for Costa Rican machinery lubrication professionals while increasing ICMLs presence in the region
and giving more practitioners in Costa Rica the opportunity to
benchmark their skills in relation to their counterparts in other
parts of the world.
ICML would like to thank ACIMA and its visionary leadership for
the opportunity to work together for the betterment of industry in
Costa Rica and celebrates in advance all that is to come.

From page 38

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| 43

CERTIFICATION NEWS

RECENT RECIPIENTS OF ICML CERTIFICATIONS

The International Council for Machinery Lubrication (lCML) would like to congratulate professionals worldwide who
have recently achieved certified status through ICMLs certification programs. ICML offers certification in the areas of oil
analysis and machinery lubrication. The following is a list of recently certified professionals in the area of machinery
lubrication who have attained their status as a certified Machine Lubricant Analyst (MLA), Machine Lubrication Technician (MLT) or Laboratory Lubricant Analyst (LLA).

Roberto Gouvea, MLT I

Nihal Raval, MLA I

Caraustar Industries
Mike Henson, MLT I

A Boughey Pty. Ltd.

Raul Flores Veloz, MLA I

Cargill
Josef Lotz, MLT I
Jefferson Rodrigo Avila Peloi, MLT I
Robert Fowlkes, MLT I
Cesar Lopez Martinez, MLT I
Ivan Jimenez Perez, MLT I

ACI
Juan Vinas Encarnacion, MLT I
Acuren
Steven Van Dulmen, MLT I
AES
Mauricio Montano Vazquez, MLA II
Raul Castellano Plascencia, MLA II
Agrium
Gary Friesz, MLT I
Walter Higgs, MLT I
Quentin Brauer, MLT I
Jarvis Ross, MLT I
Shawn Ross, MLT I
Norman Charbonneau, MLT I
Al Bedaya Marine Service & Consulting
Sulthan Othukumpurath, MLA I
Albemarle Corporation
Ray Terrell, MLA I
Alcoa
Michael Bailey, MLT I
Edwin Domel Jr., MLT I
Santiago Garza, MLT I
Donald Hunt, MLT I
Clifford Tomancak Jr., MLT I

Cervecera de Puerto Rico

Fernando Rosario Gonzalez, MLT I
Maria Contreras Muniz, MLT I
Cleco
Joey Powell, MLA I
Russell Bozeman, MLA I
Colorado Springs Utilities
James Starner, MLA I
Comercial Importadora
Julio Guerrero Iniguez, MLA II
Macario Juarez Gonzalez, MLA II
Confialub/Noria Brasil
Rafael Takahashi, MLA I
Companhia Siderrgica Nacional
Daniel Araujo de Carvalho, MLA I
Daelim Industrial Co.
Ki Tae Kim, MLT I

American Colloid
Travis Nichols, MLA I

Debswana Jwaneng Mine

Oetile Moruakgomo, MLA II

Amgen Manufacturing Limited

Ariel Rivera Baez, MLT I

DuPont
Brooks Forsyth, MLA I
Joe Balderas, MLA II

AngloGold
Clinton Shaefer, MLA II
Christopher Phillips, MLA II
Robert Evans, MLA I
Arizona Public Service
Andrew Federico, MLA I
Ascend Performance Materials
John Cook, MLT I
Hudson Woodn, MLT I
Aerospace Testing Alliance
Daniel Bess, MLT I
Daniel Henley, MLT I
ATI Wah Chang
Jeff Loosier, MLT I
Boyd Koehler, MLA II
Bacardi Corporation
Javier Figueroa Acosta, MLT I
Barrick Goldstrike Mine
Matthew Obieta, MLA II
Blue Cardinal
James Smith, MLA I

44 |

Cariboo Pulp & Paper

Donavon Edwards, MLA II

Edwards Lifesciences
Manuel Roman Vigo, MLT I
Emirantes Aluminium
Dharmesh Ishwarlal Patel, MLA I
Entergy Inc.
Harold Brown, MLA II
Rashid Johnson, MLT I
Exelon Nuclear
Firdos Marfatia, MLA I
Florida Power & Light
Catherine Peak Buller, MLA I
Foskor
Rajoo Moodley, MLA II
Freeport McMoran
Sylvester Copley Jr., MLA III
Georgia-Pacific
Christopher Morris, MLT I
Delwyn Collins, MLT I
Bernard Tomlin, MLT I
Jason Tweedy, MLT I

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

Roland White, MLT I

Robert Newman, MLT I
Gregory Hicks, MLT I

Maintenance Strategies Inc.

Adolfo Rodriguez, MLA I
Alina Siira, MLA I

Gerber Products
Mark Gonzagowski, MLA II

Marine Capabilities (Marcap)

Khaled Saleh Ibrahim, MLA I

Hankook Tire Co.

Ju Il Park, MLA II

Marubeni Power Services

Steven Robinson, MLT I
Shane Lewis, MLT I

Henek Fluid Purity Systems

Nicholas Kamke, MLT I
Hormel Foods
Perry Kuhn, MLA I
Patricia Humphrey, MLA I
H. Mitchell, MLA I
Fred Keiderling, MLA I
Bradley Dulaney, MLA I
Industrial Oils Unlimited
Danny Toney, MLA II
Invista
Mark Harmon, MLA II
Martin Stephens, MLT I
Iron Planet
John McGrew, MLA II
JR Simplot
Gary Krehbiel, MLA I
Kellogg
John Montgomery, MLT I
Dennis Rimington, MLT I
Eric Siedlik, MLT I

Metalux Oil Analysis

Cher Ri Ho, MLT I
Nor najmah Binti Abdul Mutalib, MLT I
Saiful Iwami Bin Mohamed Bustami, MLT I
Win Nie Ho, MLT II
Mosaic Company
Mike Strickland, MLT I
Aron Ortiz, MLT I
Clint Tiffner, MLT I
Raymond Shirley, MLT I
James Therriault, MLT I
Mark Christesson, MLT I
Jennifer Macias, MLT I
Marshall Merritt, MLA I
Mycron Steel CRC
Yee Kam Loong, MLT I
Newcrest Mining Limited
Waiyan (Karen) Au, MLA I
Hugh Robinson, MLA I
Oz Minerals
Neil Howe, MLT I

Kinross
Brian Wright, MLA I

PCS Nitrogen Trinidad

Marlon Mooking, MLA I

Korea Midland Power Co.

Haeyoung Kim, MLA II

Peabody Energy
Tracy Hanson, MLA II

Korea Plant Service & Engineering

Yun Wun Jang, MLA II

Pemex Gas & Petroquimica Basica

Saulo Solorzano Martinez, MLT I

Kraft Foods
Shannon Derrick, MLT I
Michael Forster, MLT I
Riley Graham, MLT I
Nicole Griswold, MLT I
Roland Joseph, MLT I
Les Lawson, MLT I
Teddy Pridgen, MLT I

Petrobras
Marcos Lobo, MLT II

Laurentide Controls
Pierre Luc Guay, MLT I
Lubrication Engineers Inc.
Adam Wilcox, MLA II
Lyondell Basell
Kerry Gunn, MLA II
Eric Burka Jr., MLA II
Michael Raffetto, MLA I
M3nergy FPSO Perintis
Muhammad Johan Ariff Airisal, MLA II

Petronas Dagangan Berhard

Yaw Swee Cheong, MLA II
Petronas Gas Berhad
Amran Saidin, MLT I
Mohd Azli Husin, MLT I
Mohamad Bachok, MLT I
Mohd Farid Bin Mohd Yusoff, MLT I
Suhaizal Bin Ismail, MLT I
Fazley Sulkar Ismail, MLT I
Mohamad Faizal B. Mohamed Noor, MLT I
Ismail B. Musa, MLA I
Mohd Dasuki Yusoff, MLA I
Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority
Edgar Quintana Perez, MLT I
PSEG Nuclear
Marvin McCoy, MLA II

Rio Tinto
Stephen Brown, MLT I & MLA I
Stuart Hunt, MLT I & MLA I
Pulkit Patel, MLT I & MLA I
Brett Scholte, MLT I & MLA I
Shane Mitchell, MLT I & MLA I
Brodie Stemm, MLT I & MLA I
David Steele, MLT I & MLA I
Robert Wallace, MLT I & MLA I
Kelvin Thomson, MLT I & MLA I
Bruce Stratford, MLT I & MLA I
Terrence Black, MLT I & MLA I
William Baker, MLT I
Jeffery Bean, MLA I
Saudi Aramco
Omair Mohamed Al-Qahtani, MLA I
Schenck Process
Matthew Cutbush, MLA I
Paul Donovan, MLA I
Syed Zahoor, MLA I
Sherwin Alumina
Keith Dotson, MLT I
Kurt Walters, MLT I
Silubrin
Adalberto Tavares, MLT I & MLA I
Fabio Kibelkstis, MLA I
SKF (UK) Limited
Mark Townsend, MLT I
Martin Waller, MLT I
SKF Ab Oy
Jarno Suominen, MLT I
SKF Asia Pacific
David Antonelli, MLT I

SKF Australia
Michael Horne, MLA I
Michael Brzakovic, MLA I
Geoffrey Stevens, MLA I
Lee Johnson, MLA I

Gabino de Jesus Pineda, MLT I

SKF Certified Programs

Doug Johnson, MLT I
SKF do Brasil
Fabio Giovani da Silva, MLA I

Teknik Janakuasa
Roshidi Md. Radzi, MLT I
Mohamad Helmi Mohamad Mustakim,
MLA I

SKF Espaola S.A.

Gilberto Beato Serrano, MLT I

Total Lubricants Canada

Jonathan Venditti, MLT I

SKF Estonia
Rauno Joonas, MLT I

UT Battelle
Matthew Grooms, MLT I

SKF Lietuva UAB

Giedrius Slavickas, MLT I

Valero Renewables
Kevin Vandiver, MLT I
Mike Harshbarger, MLT I
Dean Kruse, MLT I
Ronald League, MLT I
Richard Lindgren, MLT I
Paul Schmidt, MLT I
Jesse Smith, MLT I
Josh Tribby, MLT I
Mark Fassler, MLT I
Dion Donnell, MLT I

SKF Maintenance Products

Egidio DAntona, MLT I
Peter Paans, MLT I
SKF NV-SA
Frederic Coosemans, MLA I
SKF Oy Ab
Matti Pihtola, MLT I
SKF Sverige AB
Nils Myers, MLT I
Solutia
Eric Brown, MLT I
Roger Farley, MLT I
Thomus Wolff, MLA I
Tamko Building Products Inc.
Jody Richie, MLT I
Techgnosis International
Alfredo Lopez, MLT I

Teck Highland Valley Copper

Brad Haight, MLA I
Corey McCallum, MLA I
Edward Anderson, MLA I

Jeffery Broglin, MLT I

Chris Christensen, MLT I
Joe Gibbs, MLT I
Keith Morrison, MLT I
Travis Mullenix, MLT I
David Smith, MLT I
Rickey Bloom, MLT I
Larry Espey, MLT I
Valero Texas City Refinery
Steven Guillory, MLT I
VibrAnalysis
Felix Laboy De La Plaza, MLT I

Need to take
an exam?
ICML regularly holds
exam sessions throughout
the United States and the
world. Upcoming dates
and locations for ICML
exams can be found at
www.lubecouncil.org.

ICML Certifications
LLA I = Laboratory Lubricant Analyst Level I
MLA I = Machine Lubricant Analyst Level I
MLA II = Machine Lubricant Analyst Level II
MLA III = Machine Lubricant Analyst Level III
MLT I = Machine Lubrication Technician Level I
MLT II = Machine Lubrication Technician Level II

www.machinerylubrication.com

July - August 2012

| 45

Bearing Lubrication

BACK PAGE
BASICS

WES CASH NORIA CORPORATION

HOW ROLLING ELEMENT

BEARINGS WORK

Perhaps some of the most abundant components industry

wide are bearings, more specifically rolling element bearings.
These bearings are found in everything from electric motors to gearboxes and conveyor systems. Basically, if a shaft needs to spin, it can
be (and most of the time is) supported by a rolling element bearing.
What some people fail to realize is the actual makeup of these
devices can be quite different based on the application.
Rolling element bearings are composed of two races separated by
a group of rollers. The shape of these rollers determines the load a
particular bearing can hold as well as the lubrication requirements.

Did You Know? In elastohydrody-

namic lubrication, the fluid film is

usually less than 1 micron.

The first type of roller we will discuss is one of the more common
types the ball bearing. Ball bearings come in as many sizes, materials and finishes as can be imagined. This provides incredible
flexibility in their use. The balls in these bearings simply roll between
the two races, and it doesnt matter which direction the elements
are facing.

8 Factors Affecting
Lubricant Selection
1) Bearing speed
2) Bearing size
3) Type of bearing
4) Load
5) Lowest and highest operating temperature
6) Ambient conditions (dust, dirt, moisture, etc.)
7) Convenience of application
8) Torque

46 |

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

58%

of lubrication professionals use ball bearings

at their plant, based
on survey results from
machinerylubrication.com

As their name suggests, cylindrical roller bearings are cylinders

that are arranged between the inner and outer races. These cylinders, which are shaped like soda cans, roll along their sides in the
tracks of the races. The elements can only roll along a single axis,
unlike balls which can roll in any direction.
Spherical roller bearings are very similar to cylindrical roller
elements with one exception they are rounded around their
midsection. Instead of being a perfect cylinder, spherical roller
bearings are rounded so the sides of the cylinder are no longer
parallel to each other. This gives them more surface area in contact
with the race than a cylindrical element of the same length.
Needle roller bearings are smaller in diameter than the previous
examples, but they also have more length. These elements are
perfect cylinders but are stretched to the point that they resemble
needles. Although small in diameter, they make up for the surface
area in the length they span.
With tapered roller bearings, one end of their elements has a
larger diameter than the other. This gives them a slight conical
structure and enables the elements to roll along a diagonal
plane. The angles created by
these elements allow them
to withstand both
axial and radial loading.
All of the above types
of elements come in
several different arrangements. Some bearings
have only a single row of
elements, while others
employ multiple rows.
Cages are used in certain
bearings to separate the elements

BACK PAGE BASICS

and keep their spacing constant. Seals are another item that can be
customized on bearings. All of these features make a difference in the
bearings functionality as well as its life expectancy.
Rolling elements undergo a lubrication regime known as elastohydrodynamic lubrication. In this regime, the fluid film is
usually less than one micron, and pressure up to 500,000
pounds per square inch isnt uncommon. The oil momentarily
turns into a solid and elastically deforms the rolling element and
the mating surface. Any contamination can interfere with this
process with devastating results. Particles present in the load
zone cause surface degradation of the mating surfaces and can
lead to the generation of more wear particles.
Oils have a property known as the pressure-viscosity coefficient. This is a measure of how well they can momentarily

turn into a solid. Water does not have this property and thus
can lead to boundary conditions when it is present in rolling
element bearings. It is important to monitor water levels in the
lube oil to keep this from occurring. In some cases, bearings
can lose 70 percent of their life because of water before the oil
even gets cloudy.

By The Numbers: 70 percent of

a bearings life can be lost due to
water before the oil even gets cloudy.
There are two types of loads that bearings undergo: radial
loads and thrust loads. Radial loads are experienced as shear
forces. These loads occur across the races of the bearing, as
opposed to thrust loads, which are forces that push into the
face of a bearing. In other words, the radial load of an electric
motor would be found by any load pushing the shaft of the
motor up or down, while the thrust load would be any load
pushing the shaft back into the motor. The amount and type of
loads your bearing is experiencing determine the type of bearing
you need, as well as the rolling elements within it.
Understanding the basics of how rolling element bearings
work and their design can help you achieve added reliability at
your plant. Determining the type of loads you wish the bearing
to handle as well as the ambient conditions will further assist
you in the selection of the proper bearing. The possibilities for
bearings are endless, so you can guarantee there is one that is
perfectly suited for your application.

About the Author

Rolling element bearings can be used in a variety of

applications based on their type.

48 |

July - August 2012 | www.machinerylubrication.com

Wes Cash is a technical consultant with Noria Corporation. He is a

mechanical engineer who holds a Machine Lubrication Technician (MLT)
Level I certification and a Machine Lubricant Analyst (MLA) Level I certification through the International Council for Machinery Lubrication
(ICML). Contact Wes at [email protected].