It is surprising how often simple methods of controlling oil contamination are overlooked. Companies may commit considerable resources to solve fluid contamination problems with additional filtration equipment, while little or no effort is made to determine the source of the contamination.

A case in point is turbine lube systems with vapor extractors. These systems maintain a continuous, partial vacuum on the lube oil reservoir to extract smoke and oily vapors from the system. It is common when working on dirty systems to find the gaskets on manways and reservoir covers to be severely cracked, or sometimes missing.

A failed or missing gasket may allow hundreds of cubic feet per day of dirty, moist air to be drawn into the lube system. This condition will negate even the best efforts at controlling oil contamination problems.

Keeping oil clean is a must to maintain a competitive advantage in today's market. Sometimes, by not forgetting the all-too-obvious "simple things", you can reap great rewards. Check your gaskets! (Submitted by Bob Picek, Lormar Reclamation Service.)

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From the book The Practical Handbook of Machinery Lubrication

Depth type filters are those whose elements are constructed of one of two groups of materials. One group of materials is referred to as “absorbent” and these consist of inactive materials such as cotton waste, waste paper, wound paper, cloth, wood pulp, asbestos, etc. These filter elements depend upon the absorption of contaminants as the oil flows through the media in long tortuous paths.

These filters will generally remove contamination and particulate in the range of 1 to 10 micrometers and are most often mounted in a parallel or “side stream” circuit, permitting a flow of 10 to 15% of the total oil volume. Because of this feature, these filters usually do not contain a by-pass valve. (A plugged depth-type filter with no by-pass valve incorporated, mistakenly mounted in a full flow application, will eventually restrict or stop the flow of oil, resulting in a catastrophic failure).

Many poorly constructed absorbent depth filters are susceptible to a condition called channeling. Channeling is a condition whereby the oil flow through the media creates a “channel” or locates a path of least resistance. Once channeling occurs, effective filtration ceases.

Depth-type absorbent filters will not remove oil additives (unless the additive is a solid lubricant such as graphite and particle sizes are in the size range which may prevent them from moving through the filter).

More about The Practical Handbook of Machinery Lubrication

It could be the biggest cost-reduction opportunity at your facility. Systematically reducing lubricant contamination levels extends machine and lubricant life by up to 10X.

Learn how you could easily double or even triple oil and machine life at your facilities in this three-day training course: Effective Contamination Control for Maintenance and Lubrication Professionals. August 23-35 | Detroit, MI