Membrane Patch Colorimetry - Oil Analysis - Oil Sample Testing

Measures the level of insoluble degradation products present in the oil sample. Operating Principle - Once the sample is received by the lab, it is held for a specified time at a controlled temperature. Once the required time is reached a portion of the oil is mixed with a non-polar solvent and is passed through a .45 micron Millipore patch. Varnish material tends to be polar in nature, and not very soluble in the oil/solvent mixture. The insoluble material will be captured on the Millipore patch. Varnish tends to color the patch and by measuring the hue and intensity of the colored material deposited on the patch a general characterization can be made about the level of varnish in the system. Significance - By monitoring the level of insolubles present in the lube oil, informed decisions can be made regarding the implementation of varnish mitigation technology and costly downtime avoided. Continued testing once varnish mitigation has been implemented can be used to help evaluate the effectiveness of the technology in use. Applications - Steam turbines, gas turbines, hydraulic systems, compressors, bearing lube systems. TESTOIL is a full service oil testing laboratory owned by Insight Services. Since 1988 the laboratory has been providing fast and reliable oil analysis results across all industries throughout the Americas. The firm's comprehensive range of oil analysis services assists reliability engineers with condition monitoring and identification of machine wear. TESTOIL employs a sophisticated diagnostic technology that assists their Machine Condition Analysts in making equipment and lubrication condition assessments. For more information about TESTOIL please visit www.testoil.com.