Lubricant for the air compressor
Thread Content
I have a reciprocating air compressor. The day before, I cleaned the oil tank in the lubrication system and filled it with 68-grade lubricant; I then started the lubrication pump to circulate the oil. The next morning, the lubricant in the tank appeared white and foamy, as if it had emulsified. However, when the temperature increased, the color of the lubricant gradually changed, and by 20 degrees Celsius, its color returned to normal. Why is this? Can someone explain it to me? This post was last edited by Shuichangshou on 2009-3-28 11:10.]
It may be due to the emulsification of the lubricant or a lower temperature in the environment in which the lubricant is used
Reason: 1. The humidity was relatively high at that time in the area； ⒉The moisture in the fuel tank was not properly removed ； ⒊Lubricating oil contains trace amounts of water.
It’s not necessarily emulsification; this can be determined by conducting a moisture analysis. Lubricating oil generally contains a certain amount of gases dissolved in it; when the pressure drops suddenly, for example due to the oil returning to the tank through the return line, the gases inside will flash vaporize. Due to the refraction and reflection of bubbles, the oil takes on a milky yellow color; after resting for some time, the bubbles dissipate and the lubricant returns to its normal state. The API standard requires an incubation time of 8 minutes in the lubricant tank. Higher temperatures facilitate the dissipation of bubbles, but it is impossible to prevent bubble formation. This post was last edited by ljc9 on 2009-3-26 22:59 ]
For fluids that are subject to frequent pressure changes, such as hydraulic oil, antifoam agents are usually included to reduce the surface tension of bubbles in the oil and prevent foam formation during use.
In a situation like this, the lubricant should be able to circulate for some time; if that doesn’t work, check whether there is a leak in the water cooler
The medium gas in the reciprocating air compressor enters the lubricating oil
As you can see, the original poster made it clear: they just cleaned the fuel tank and filled it with new lubricant. Based on the phenomenon described by the poster, it shouldn’t be emulsification. It is caused by excessively low atmospheric temperatures and too fast circulation speeds. Visually, lubricant should be sampled from the bottom of the oil tank or behind the filter, rather than by looking through the oil tank manhole. Lubricant emulsification is generally caused by water in the lubricant or leakage of the seal into the medium.
High temperatures have this effect on lubricants. For example, the lubricant in two-stroke motorcycles appears emulsified when the lubricant tank is opened after high-speed driving, but this does not affect its usability. But you must ensure that water does not get into the lubricating oil system.
It is related to pressure and temperature; as for whether moisture is present or not, it requires testing or visual inspection