Oil emulsification
Thread Content
Why, when water enters during the operation of mechanical equipment, do the bearing housings of some pumps develop layers of water, while in others the oil gets emulsified as soon as water enters?
Oil enters the operating equipment where the temperature is high, resulting in emulsification
Any water ingress into the oil system must be dealt with promptly; otherwise, it will damage the bearings
When water enters the oil in the bearing housing, the lubricating oil inside gets emulsified; as a result, its lubricating and cooling effects are reduced
Based on my extensive practical experience, in some cases, obvious stratification occurs when water enters the pump bearing housing, with no significant emulsification; in other cases, water entering the pump bearing housing leads to easy emulsification and whitening, while stratification is not so noticeable. What are everyone’s opinions on this phenomenon?
Generally, emulsification becomes apparent when there is severe vibration or friction, causing the oil to turn white, as in gearboxes.
Regular analysis is generally carried out on lubricants
Whether emulsification or stratification occurs should take into account the speed and temperature of bearing operation
It is related to one of the properties of lubricants: emulsion resistance.