FAQ

Drop of Knowledge #6

25.06.2024

We share what is important – oil diagnostics knowledge, events in the life of the laboratory, trade fair information. We send out the Neweletter once a month, every last Tuesday. We are very pleased to have you with us.🙂

Effect of water on oil degradation

Water in petroleum products – hazards

Water in petroleum products is regarded as a particularly harmful contaminant. Its effect of corroding metals or significantly impairing lubricating properties is highly undesirable. It should be remembered that water can accelerate the degradation of the oil base, also deactivating additives. Water present in electrical insulating oils adversely affects their puncture resistance.

Although petroleum products are considered immiscible with water, in practice it is impossible for a working oil to be completely water-free. Oil systems are never perfectly watertight, even though they may appear to be so. An important source of oil unreliability is the absorption of water vapour from the air. Water vapour tends to condense on the metal surfaces of machine components when they are subjected to varying temperatures, and this is also how it gets into the oils. The presence of water in oil from the cooling system or precipitation is of concern.

The safe water content of oils in properly functioning equipment, depending on the type of application and operating conditions, can range from a few to several hundred ppm for hydrocarbon-based oils (mineral or synthetic poly-alphaolefin-based) or even several thousand ppm for oils based on polyalkylene glycols.

Forms of water in oil

Dissolved water – its content is lower than the saturation point, the oil remains clear and retains its properties. It is not considered a risk to equipment.
Emulsified water – oil turbidity is observed, which can range from a slight haze to a milky appearance to the formation of a mayonnaise-like substance. Due to the limited stability of the emulsion over time, especially during standstill when the mixing effect of the equipment operation ceases, phase separation may be observed.
Free water – tends to settle at the bottom of tanks, forming sludge, also accumulating inside spigots and other hard-to-reach areas of the oil system.

Ecol diagnostic report – what is worth knowing?

A new article on interesting elements of diagnostic report components has appeared in the knowledge base on ecol.eu. The article can be found at the link:

➡️ “Ecol diagnostic report – what is worth knowing?” (direct link).

We also encourage you to check out the other entries in our knowledge base.

Upcoming conferences we are participating in

You can meet us in June:

➡️ 02-04.09.2024: XXVI Scientific and Technical Symposium ENERGETYKA BEŁCHATÓW 2024, Bełchatów
➡️ 04.09.2024: Reliability and Maintenance in Production Plants, Bielsko-Biała
➡️ 11-12.09.2024: 2nd Nuclear Energy Congress, Warsaw
➡️ 17-19.09.2024: Lubricant Expo Europe, Düsseldorf, Germany
➡️ 24-27.09.2024: WindEnergy 2024, Hamburg, Germany

Element of the month

Sodium (Na, Latin Natrium) is a very common metal in nature. It makes up more than 2% of the earth’s crust, but is not found in the elemental state due to its high chemical reactivity.

In lubricant technology, sodium compounds are sometimes used as lubricant thickeners or corrosion inhibitors.

An increase in the sodium content of operating oils is a worrying phenomenon – a syndrome of contamination by coolant, salt water or mineral dust from outside.

❗ Ecol training – save the date ❗

➡️ 11-13.09.2024 r. – szkolenie dla branży kolejowej, (miejsce ogłosimy wkrótce)

➡️ 27-29.11.2024 r. – szkolenie dla branży OZE, Rybnik/Zabrze

❗ new email domain – info ❗

In June we switched to a new email domain for, among other things, the email laboratorium@ecol.eu

The old email domain “@ecol.com.co.uk” is still operational, but will be gradually phased out. Thank you for your understanding and please keep your address books up to date. 👍