Analysis of residues
Year of publication: 2024
Modern transmissions, engines and hydraulic systems are becoming more compact, energy efficient and powerful. These advances often involve higher operating pressures and more precisely manufactured components. This also increases the demands on the quality and purity of lubricants.
As a result, many systems are equipped with increasingly fine main and bypass filters. In lubricant analysis, the detection of foreign particles and contaminants in oil and the determination of cleanliness classes are becoming increasingly important.
When residue samples arrive at the OELCHECK laboratory, an experienced tribologist selects the appropriate analysis method after an initial visual inspection of the sample. As residues cannot be analysed directly in our test instruments like used oil samples, the instruments are either adapted or modified methods are used.
Additional additives for lubricants
Additional additives for engine oils in cars and fuels have been around for many years. Now, such agents are also available for our industrial oils, and hydraulic oils in particular. But is adding additives to lubricants worth it? Does it make sense, or are there risks involved?
In principle, modern lubricants are designed to meet all the relevant requirements to perfection. To achieve this, individual additives and additive packages of selected additives that merge well together are added to the base oils. The manufacture of the lubricants is designed in such a way that the additives can work to their full potential in later use. Adding additives at a later date therefore only makes sense in exceptional cases.
Saving resources and setting an example – How we recover solvents in the OELCHECK laboratory
When examining many lubricants and operating fluids, solvents are required as additives. After use, they are mixed with lubricating oils or greases. To date, a large amount of our solvent waste has been sent for thermal recovery by waste management companies. However, as we want to avoid waste as far as possible and save resources, OELCHECK has been recovering the solvent heptane using its own distillery since 2008. Now, we're recovering kerosene, too. This allows us to save resources, reduce our dependence on the supply of kerosene and improve our carbon footprint.
