Condition Monitoring
Making Maintenance A Profitable Part Of Your Company
Oil analysis is a proactive approach to monitor your machines whilst in operation. As important as a blood sample is to the human body, so is oil analysis to your machines. It is vitally important to know the state of your machine and equipment. History and trends can eliminate possible component/equipment failures.
Oil Sampling
Lubrication, Hydraulic, Gear and Engine Oil test includes and not limited to:
- Hydraulic
- Lubrication
- Gear
- Bio Diesel
- Turbine
- Compressor Oil
- Glycol / Water based fluids whilst saving between 30-60% on your lubricant cost and extending equipment life
Benefits of Condition Monitoring
- Identify potential equipment problems/failures
- Identify when wear and tear is taking place
- Provide documentation/history for warranty claims
- Ensuring the additive package is within specification
- Identify Particle and Water contaminants
Preventative Maintenance is a key factor in this day and age
OIL CONDITION MONITORING IS YOUR FIRST STEP TO BEING PROACTIVE
Transformer Oil Tests
Furanics
Furanics are degradation products of the insulation paper found in transformers. Analysing furanics is important in predicting the degradation of insulating paper.
The following will destroy insulation paper:
- Water (moisture)
- Oxygen
- Heat
- Oil oxidation
Poly-chlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) analysis
Poly-chlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) analysis: was realised in the 1970’s during the oil crisis to bulk up the transformer oils. Due to the high toxicity of PCB’s, it is now legislation to know the PCB content of your transformer oil.
Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA)
Dissolved gases in transformer oils are inherent gases and gases that form due to the breakdown of paper or oil under stress or degradation. With regular testing, the following problems can be detected months in advance:
- Overheating
- Loose connections
- Breakdown in cellulose
- Arcing
- Partial discharge
- Corona
Corrosive Sulphur
Corrosive sulphur forms acidic conditions in transformers. This is a vital test as DGA, MAD and Furanic tests may indicate normal operation even when failure is imminent. If corrosive sulphur is found, the oil needs to be replaced.
Moisture Analysis
Moisture analysis is important to determine the moisture content in transformer oil in order to:
- Determine if there are any leaks in the transformer
- An increase in moisture indicates insulating paper degradation
- Determine if decrease in insulating strength is due to high water content in the transformer oil.
Total Acid Number (TAN)
Total Acid Number is the quantity of base (mg of KOH) that is required to neutralise acid constituents in 1g of sample. An increase in acid indicates that sludge formation is beginning to occur or is occurring.
Dielectric Strength
Dielectric Strength is the voltage at which breakdown of the oil occurs. Insulating power decreases as the number of contaminants in the transformer oil increases so the insulating quality of the oil can be predicted.
Changing Role of Transformer Analysis in South Africa
- Identify potential equipment problems/failures
- Identify when wear and tear is taking place
- Provide documentation/history for warranty claims
Diesel Sample Tests
Not limited to:
- Distillation
- Density at 20°C
- Viscosity at 40°C
- Flashpoint
- Total contamination
- Tent
- Sulphur content
- Cetane index
- ISO 4406 Particle count
Analysis Vibration
In today’s competitive business world, manufacturers are seeking every competitive advantage they possibly can to increase their production and minimize costs while maintaining product quality.
The identification of defects within a machine, reducing equipment failures and unscheduled downtime is increasingly being demanded of condition monitoring technologies.
Vibration analysis has proven to be a very effective tool for identifying mechanical faults within machinery and combined with regular oil sampling the health condition and diagnostics of the equipment will reveal significant information regarding the wellbeing of your equipment.
The use of vibration analysis can determine problems caused due to improper installation, machining errors, insufficient lubrication, improper shaft or sheave alignment, loose bolting, bent shafts, and much more. It can in most cases detect these problems long before the damage can be seen by maintenance and long before it damages other machine components.
Infra-red/Thermal Scanning
Infrared scanning is used to inspect electrical equipment because excess heat is usually the first sign of trouble. Loose connectors, imbalanced and or overloaded circuits, defective breakers, damaged switches, faulty fuses and material defects all lead to equipment failure.
Benefits of Thermal scanning:
- Increase Equipment Life
- Lower Risk
- Cost saving on repair costs
- Reduce unscheduled Downtime
- Prevent Failures
Conditions detectable by an Infra-Red Scanning:
- Loose/deteriorated connections
- Overloads
- Open circuits
- Unbalanced loads
- Inductive heating
- Harmonics
- Defective equipment