Oil test kits for condition monitoring

Condition monitoring of fuels and lubricants has become one of the main weapons in the fight to reduce premature failure of engines, gearboxes and hydraulic systems.

Condition monitoring of fuels and lubricants used in industrial plant and equipment has become one of the main weapons in the fight to reduce premature failure of engines, gearboxes and hydraulic systems.

In particular, determining the presence of water, ferrous debris or the gradual degradation of the TBN (Total Base Number) of the engine oil can be the first indicators of potentially expensive and possibly catastrophic failure of the plant.

Contaminants can enter oil from many sources including condensation, leakage, bearing failure and malfunction of the oil treatment and filtration system which can be a particular problem for the mining, paper pulping and marine industries.

Water in the oil can cause corrosion, cavitation and additive package instability as well as encouraging the growth of unwelcome micro-organisms.

Metallic debris particles coming from wear of engine or gearbox components can also be a root cause of failure with the unwelcome end result of costly downtime.

Regular sampling and analysis of fuel, lubrication and hydraulic oils enables the engineer to assess the condition and performance of the machine oil over time, allowing adjustments to be made to ensure maximum operational performance.

Kittiwake Developments, the UK based market leading specialist producer of oil test kits, equipment and sampling products provides the tools necessary for industrial engineers to conduct these crucial maintenance routines.

These test kits will perform many of the required tests, remotely or online using the ANALEXrs range of equipment, or off-line using simple 2 minute tests.

The DIGI Test cell is one piece of essential equipment that no plant room should be without.

Designed to analyse multiple oil breakdown characteristics, the dual purpose DIGI Test cell can measure both 'Water in Oil' and 'Total Base Number' (TBN) in one unit.

This 'easy-to-use' device provides a fast and accurate digital measurement for each parameter, allowing the engineer to effectively monitor and manage the condition of the oil and the equipment in which it is used.

Rugged and practical kits, the DIGI cells and DIGI Viscotube are machined from tough aluminium casing to withstand the rigours of daily operational use.

The DIGI cell has been designed with non-slip twist grips to ensure that it can be fully sealed when in use and features a clear, scratch resistant LED display and 'easy-clean' touch pad controls.

Pre-programmed software built into the cell takes the user through a step-by-step process to analyse the oil sample and deliver an instant result.

The DIGI range can be delivered as a complete kit in an engineer's case for portability and ease of storage.

Maintaining the condition of 'clean oils' such as hydraulic oil requires a different set of tests to those conducted on 'dirty' lube oils.

The presence of particle contamination in these fluids can be catastrophic and monitoring fluid cleanliness levels will assist in identifying any abnormal conditions before they become critical.

An indication of the cleanliness of hydraulic oil can be achieved using the new Kittiwake Hydraulic Particles test kit.

This low cost, portable solution provides high-level qualitative test results that can be readily utilised onboard.

Housed in a handy, robust carry case and supplied with an easy to follow, illustrated instruction manual, the Hydraulic Particles test kit contains all that is needed to collect detailed qualitative particle contamination measurements.

The test results are compared with standard comparative charts and ISO code cleanliness levels can be established with the use of correlation tables.

Kittiwakes recently upgraded ECON TAN Drop test kit provides a rapid, accurate and easy to use test to check for increasing levels of TAN, caused by oxidation of the lubricant.

Used regularly, these tests provide a wealth of useful information to aid condition monitoring and preventative maintenance.

The ANALEXrs range includes Moisture, Oil Condition, Ferrous Wear Debris and Particle Content sensors and run as online systems providing real-time results for instant analysis and immediate action.

In addition, Kittiwake provides a full compliment of Wear Debris.

The Analex range of sensors will give a PPM or industry standard PQ readout of the wear debris contained in the oil.

As technology and education come together, industrial engineers increasingly understand that the key to oil condition maintenance is the consistent measurement, monitoring and management of their machinery lubrication systems.

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