Inspection parameters and testing tools for lubricating oils used in power plants

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Condition monitoring of equipment based on oil analysis is widely used in power plants, whether they are nuclear, coal-fired steam, gas turbine, medium and low-speed diesel engines, wind turbines, or geothermal ones. All these factories are equipped with important equipment such as turbines, pumps, bearings, fans, compressors, gears, and hydraulic systems. Failures of these devices can cause significant losses to the power plant. The inspection parameters for lubricants include the following: The particle counter among these parameters – the number of particles is an indicator of the cleanliness of the lubricant, and it is also a key parameter for monitoring in hydraulic systems, turbines, and gearboxes with filtration. Particle counting is no longer limited to merely detecting filtration efficiency. New technologies such as LaserNet can also generate ISO 4406 and SAE AS 4059 codes. Moisture among the lubricant testing parameters – Moisture detector: Water is the most common liquid contaminant in power plants, and its level should be monitored at all times. Excessive water can impair the lubrication of moving parts, leading to severe wear. For most equipment, water contamination should not exceed 0.25%, while for turbine lubricants and control systems it should not exceed 100 ppm. Motion viscosity tester among lubricant testing parameters – Motion viscosity is the most important physical property of lubricants. Lubricating oil must maintain appropriate fluidity in order to provide sufficient lubrication for the components at different operating temperatures. The viscosity of lubricating oil depends on the type of lubricating oil, its grade, degree of oxidation, and contamination level. In power plants, viscosity is a standard parameter checked during oil changes to confirm that the correct lubricating oil has been used. One of the lubricant testing parameters is the Acid Number Tester (TAN), which indicates the relative acidity. The acid value is used to determine the potential corrosiveness of lubricants. If the total acid value of the lubricating oil is too high, it can cause corrosion to the equipment components, and it should be replaced promptly.