An oil purifier machine is an important tool for ensuring the durability and efficient operation of industrial equipment. Since industrial oils account for 30% of the total amount of oils produced from petroleum and used to lubricate various working mechanisms (machine tools, gearboxes, winches, etc.). They are an important part in functioning of many industries, such as mechanical engineering, mining, metallurgy, and others, but over time, these oils become contaminated, which may lead to reduced productivity and accelerated equipment wear.
Types of industrial oils
There are various types of industrial oils, and an oil purifier machine is key to maintaining their quality. Industrial oils used to lubricate the working mechanisms of industrial equipment can be classified into three main groups:
- Light oils: they are used for textile machines, separators, and metal cutters, i.e. for low-loaded mechanisms with a fairly high rpm speed.
- Medium oils (machine or spindle oils): used to lubricate gear-down mechanisms, machine tools, and fans.
- Heavy oils: intended for lubrication of high-loaded machinery such as equipment and transmissions in rolling, pressing, and forging mills.
General-purpose industrial oils are used to lubricate equipment components and assemblies.
Industrial oils are exposed to contamination by particulate matter during operation of the equipment, in cases of improper storage and improper transportation. This is particularly true for the system not properly flushed with water after installation or repair.
Main causes of industrial oil contamination
During operation, lubricating oils lose their performance over time due to contamination with extraneous matter or chemical changes in their constituents. The oil that has become unsuitable for use is subject to disposal or purification. The main oil contaminants include:
Water: The presence of water has a significant impact on the quality of lubricating oil. Not only does it change the physical characteristics, but it can also chemically react with its constituents, initiating the oxidation processes. In addition, moistened oil has a much greater corrosive effect. During operation at low temperatures, entrapped water can change into a crystalline state, causing an abrasive effect on the lubricated parts of machines and mechanisms. In the presence of water, there is a phenomenon of electroerosion observed, which means the process of detaching metal particles from the surface of lubricated parts due to an electric discharge pulse. Furthermore, entrapped water may become a breeding ground for microorganisms, which may lead to a decrease in the key performance of oil.
Entrapped gas: these typically include ambient air, but may also include process gases or gaseous resultants of chemical reactions occurring in the oil. Depending on the chemical composition of gas, its adverse effect may vary from chemical reacting with oil constituents to occurrence of a cavitation effect that damages lubricated parts of machines and mechanisms.
Entrapped solids: Various solid particles are some of the most common and yet the most hazardous types of contaminants. The main purpose of lubricating oils is to reduce the wear of parts due to friction that occurs between them during operation, while solid particles in oil conversely increase the abrasive wear of mating surfaces. The sources of such contaminants may vary and include: solid resultants of chemical reactions occurring in the oil; rust and scale; solid particles that come off both lubricated parts and sealing elements during operation.
Prevalently, when exposed to high temperatures during operation, oils undergo oxidation reactions which involve the most unstable hydrocarbons of the oil composition. Such reactions result in formation of various foreign substances, including acids, resins, asphaltenes, carbenes, etc., which lead to deteriorating physical and chemical properties of oils, and that adversely affects their performance. There are other types of reactions that considerably affect the overall chemical composition of oils merely as time goes by. Such chemical changes cause an “oil aging” phenomenon.
The commercial value of industrial oils is already quite high, and it often costs more to dispose of waste oils than to buy new ones. An oil purifier machine helps enterprises in reducing these costs by extending the service life of their oils and reducing the need for oil change. Environmental regulations are becoming more stringent every year, making it disadvantageous to use waste or short-life oils. This explains the willingness of enterprises to keep their oils in good working condition for as long as possible.
Industrial oil purification methods
80% of all malfunctions in oil-filled equipment are caused by contaminants. These contaminants may occur when the oil flows in or when the system is filled and also accumulate during operation. These impurities reduce the reliability of operation and shorten the service life of the systems.
Industrial oil purification and regeneration methods are classified as follows:
Physical methods are aimed to remove solid particles, water microdroplets and, if possible, resin and coke formations. Oils are processed in a field of centrifugal and gravitational forces. Magnetic, electrical, and vibration effects are used as well along with filtration, water flushing, evaporation, and vacuum distillation procedures. Evaporation removes low-boiling impurities. Heat and mass exchange processes are also classified as physical methods and aimed to remove water, hydrocarbon oxidation products, and low-boiling impurities from waste oil.
Settling
This is the simplest oil purification method. It is based on the natural settling of particulate matter in a liquid medium under gravity as well as the separation of liquid phases with different densities. Depending on the level of oil contamination and the time allotted for purification, settling can be a standalone process or a preparatory step before filtration or centrifugation. The disadvantage of this method is the length of time it takes for the particles to settle and the ability to remove only large particles of 50–100 microns.
Filtration
Filtration is one of the most efficient methods of removing mechanical contaminants from oil. It is aimed to remove particulate matter and particles of resinous compounds by running the contaminated oil through porous filter membranes (meshed or porous membranes). Filtering materials may include meshes (made of metal and plastic), various fabrics, paper, composite materials, and ceramics. The oil purifier machine can use disposable or reusable filters, which allows for a phased purification process with removal of both large and small particles. The disadvantage of this method is failure to remove gas and water, which pose a major hazard to the equipment.
Centrifugal oil purification
Centrifugal purification involves separation of different fractions that make up heterogeneous mixtures when exposed to centrifugal forces. The disadvantage is the labor intensity of cleaning the centrifuge of particulate matter. The water removal rate during centrifugal purification is reasonably high, but the purification level is low, which often requires additional purification by other methods. In addition, a centrifuge is a complex device that requires manual adjustments and, therefore, continuous operator attendance.
Thermal vacuum dehydration
The best method of removing moisture from industrial oils. This method implemented with the use of an oil purifier machine is based on separation of oil and water fractions due to pressure and temperature differences. The waste oil is run through a low-pressure vessel; under this low pressure, water begins to evaporate at indoor temperature. Thermal vacuum dehydration allows removing the following matter from oil:
- 100% free moisture and 90% dissolved moisture;
- 100% free air and 80% dissolved air.
CMM-1.0LT oil purifier machine
GlobeCore CMM-1.0LT oil purifier machine operates on the basis of thermal vacuum dehydration, which allows you to purify industrial oil from water and solid particles, as well as to heat and feed it into oil-filled electrical devices. This process prevents air from entering the oil, which considerably increases the safety and efficiency of the equipment maintenance
During processing in СММ-1.0LT, the oil driven by vacuum flows through a coarse filter with the filtration fineness of 200 microns after which it gets inside the vacuum chamber where a heater is located. Rising from bottom to top, the oil heats up and heads for special filters through a special channelled lid. Owing to fine atomization, the oil quickly releases moisture, while gas and water vapors are removed from the system along with air by vacuum.
Due to a high purification level, a simple design, reliability, and the possibility to integrate automated circuits without complex settings, the CMM-1.0LT oil purifier machine is an effective solution for oil purification in a variety of industrial applications.
Improper oil purification may have severe consequences for operation of high-tech equipment. Untimely maintenance may lead to failure of critical components, which, in turn, may cause a production process shutdown and considerable financial losses. The CMM-1.0LT oil purifier machine not only ensures the proper level of oil purification, but also helps in maintaining the reliable equipment operation, reducing the risk of alarm conditions and downtimes.