Oil mist lubrication issues
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I’ve recently come across oil mist lubrication, which offers significant technical advantages. At my workplace, there are over seventy pumps, and they are located in various places. I’m curious to know how well those of you familiar with this technology understand it; is it possible to implement technical upgrades in such situations? And approximately how much would such an investment cost?
Including piping, the total cost for everything covered is around 750,000 yuan
The effective distance for oil mist lubrication is generally between 80 meters and 120 meters; therefore, it is necessary to check the specifications of the pump used in the system, as one pump may not meet the requirements. In addition, the existing pumps need to be modified by adding condensation nozzles and removing oil slinger rings, among other tasks.
As long as it’s within 150 meters, there’s no problem. An oil mist lubrication system costs around 500,000. It’s important to be careful during the modification of large pumps; our factory lost several bearings during pump testing. It’s best not to modify large pumps. Oil mist lubrication works very well for small pumps. Pumps that use sliding bearings cannot be modified, and back-to-back bearings must also have nozzles at the gland end. In short, during the pump testing process, it is essential to use a temperature gun to measure the temperature carefully; if an abnormal temperature is detected, the pump should be stopped immediately for repairs. If nothing else works, use oil for lubrication.
After reviewing recent information, I found that oil mist lubrication has certain limitations; it is mainly suitable for high-speed applications, and it is also related to the shaft diameter. The shaft diameter of the pumps in my workshop is currently around 5 mm, and their rotation speed is generally around 1500 revolutions per minute. I’m not sure whether modifications can be carried out under such conditions.
From our experience, multi-stage pumps don’t perform well and tend to burn out their bearings; single-stage pumps, especially the smaller ones, are much better!
Were you tempted after hearing the introduction from that American company? It’s good, but whether it’s applicable requires careful consideration. Only a few imported pumps are equipped with an oil mist inlet; domestic pumps generally do not have such an inlet. Modifying them is complicated, and it’s not certain that the modification will be successful. If it wasn’t originally designed this way, I personally recommend avoiding its use. If you calculate the costs, it’s not cost-effective. Except for newly manufactured devices, all equipment is selected and designed according to the standards for oil mist lubrication, so as to achieve better results.
The advantages are: there is no need to refuel each pump, nor is refueling required on a per-shift basis, which reduces the workload for those in charge of operating the pumps; in our case, this role has been eliminated. Secondly, it **extends the service life of bearings and reduces maintenance costs. Thirdly, it is possible to reduce or shut off the circulating water used for cooling the pumps, thereby achieving energy savings and reduced consumption. It can reduce the amount of lubricant used, by nearly half compared to before the modification. Disadvantages: The original bearing housing needs to be modified, for example by removing the oil slinger, blocking the return oil holes, and using skeleton seals for sealing. In case of problems, it is necessary to revert to sump lubrication or oil slinger lubrication. However, based on current usage, my device has not encountered such problems yet. The piping requirements are high; poor piping can easily lead to oil accumulation and blockages in some pumps. Since the oil mist escaping from both ends of the bearing housing cannot be recovered, and although there is an oil mist recovery device at the bottom of the bearing housing, it is not possible to recover all of it, resulting in environmental pollution.
Reply to 7# hendryben: Oil mist lubrication can be achieved without making any modifications to the pump during the retrofitting process. It doesn’t matter whether the pump is large or small. As for the small pump, it’s very good. Modifying large pumps doesn’t work well, as the manufacturers responsible for such modifications fail to understand that the design of the condenser nozzles for large pumps is different from that of small pumps. If you still don’t understand: Please add me on QQ: 389585046
Reply to 4# Zhu Lei: Oil mist lubrication can be achieved without making any modifications to the pump during the renovation. It doesn’t matter whether the pump is large or small. As for the small pump, it’s very good. Modifying large pumps doesn’t work well, as the manufacturers responsible for such modifications fail to understand that the design of the condenser nozzles for large pumps is different from that of small pumps. If you still don’t understand: Please add me on QQ: 389585046
Oil mist lubrication can be achieved during modification without making any changes to the pump. It doesn’t matter whether the pump is large or small. As for the small pump, it’s very good. Modifying large pumps doesn’t work well, as the manufacturers responsible for such modifications fail to understand that the design of the condenser nozzles for large pumps is different from that of small pumps. If you still don’t understand: Please add me on QQ: 389585046