PREFACE
The Circular Economy is more focused than ever on regenerating natural systems, circulating materials, and eliminating waste. Simultaneously, there is renewed interest in decoupling from economic disruption plaguing many industries globally. Renewable resources are commensurate with best practices and thoughtful stewardship. So comes a push for the lubrication industry to define how oil, a chemically specialized and critically handled asset, can be reconditioned for extended life, or even used indefinitely.
It was once widely agreed that all lubricants will inevitably reach a condition of depletion after specific degradation benchmarks, no matter what was done to mitigate it. However, emerging technologies are ready to tackle oil regeneration, refreshing, and renewal right at the system reservoir, with both large and small solutions. This technological leap has already surfaced and comes complete with a name: Oil Reconditioning. Today’s plant operator may have new options to minimize the volume and cost centers associated with machine oil reaching EOL.
Every industrial plant should have some set of protocols under lubrication management. Clean production and efficient practices are necessary for industrial lubricant waste reduction. So, whether continually using reconditioning or EOL reclamation and recycling, these practices will help achieve an array of operational goals.
WHY RECONDITIONING
To reach these goals with oil reconditioning, the category of oil must first be shifted from being a consumable material to an organized asset. Metrics from The Institution of Mechanical Engineers reveal that oil monitoring alone can produce upwards of 3900% returns on investments. Oil performance is perhaps the main component in machine operation reliability. Unfortunately, it must be moved in and out of the machine regularly, which adds a host of potential issues including unintended points of contamination ingress. Existing kidney-loop or filter cart systems already help onsite with oil filtration and can do it well in this application. However, we are entering a new horizon of preserving oil in its “original state” or even exceeding like-new performance. Fundamental plant optimization requires less production interruption, high machine reliability, reduced oil management challenges, and minimized lubricant cycle costs.
Consider the changes on the horizon for industries like transportation that will soon produce driverless vehicles and autonomous craft. The same level of inevitability for oil is a future where integrated systems monitor and recondition the oil during operation, preventing the need for storage, handling, and eventually replacement. It is only a matter of time before these technologies come online. Reclaiming and recycling methods are important lubricant applications, but we now see a push for new technology in extended or unlimited industrial oil lifespans. Lubrication technology must answer the marketplace with solutions that reduce waste, contamination, and major long-term costs. As many industries are adopting these new technologies globally, perhaps now is the time to take a closer look.
CAN RECONDITIONING KEEP OIL LIKE NEW?
That all depends on the asset, but yes, it is becoming a reality. Moving to an oil reconditioning program, like any lube program, requires careful understanding of the scope of the processes, lubricants required, and KPI analysis across the plant from terminal to terminal. But in short, the oil reconditioning technology that is currently being deployed is providing highly extended oil life and pushing further into indefinite life cycling.
Industrial oil reconditioning is typically composed of an offline filter loop apparatus used in the removal of finely embedded sub-micron particulates, water, other soluble or insoluble contaminants, and the spent additives within the lubrication system. This becomes highly beneficial. The system continuously cycles the reservoir, maintaining optimal oil cleanliness. In a way, this advances the traditional kidney-loop or filter cart system into a more sophisticated sub-micron filtration process, keeping the monitored oil in its optimal condition. The reconditioning system removes an extremely high degree of contaminants, including particles from the oil manufacturer, but at the nanometer level.
Base mineral oils, synthetics, and additives are going to break down with time or contamination. However, reconditioning works to achieve the benefit of close to “Like-New” or potentially better-than-new oil performance throughout the machine lifecycle. This is achieved by preserving the original chemistry through removal of contamination as it is introduced, before it can oxidize and break down the lubricant. At the minimum, this significantly increases service life. Despite the recent emergence of this technology, the trajectory is headed towards oil changes becoming a thing of the past. What a stunning concept and change to the marketplace as we know it.
A closer look at the mechanisms involved reveals a pressurized chemical booster or specialized extraction method used to filter at the nano-level, which accounts for around 80% of most system contamination. These nanoparticles are catalysts for oil oxidation and degradation. A conventional filter can only remove microparticles ranging from 1 to 1,000 µm (microns or micrometers). However, reconditioning will remove particles below 100 nm (nanometers), which gets to the root of what oxidizes oil through system and atmospheric contamination. Keep in mind that 1 µm = 1,000 nm. These hyper-small nanoparticles make up most of the contamination that leads to the oxidized breakdown of the oil’s protection and ultimately the contact surfaces of the machine.
Another challenge with plant oil management is water removal, whether dissolved, free, or emulsified within the system lines, oil package, or headspace. Solids and water contamination contribute mightily to oxidation, acid formation, and varnishing on critical machined surfaces. Once these chemical processes take root, it becomes more expensive to react than to optimize oil life early on. Reconditioning removes both water and the soluble or insoluble varnish inherent with chemical clogging. It is scalable to the flow rate, dirt-holding, and water-holding specifications of the filtration system. The machine can then operate more efficiently (power consumption, lifecycle, etc.), remain optimally lubricated, and achieve improved uptime. The reconditioning system can be integrated into the existing PLC and monitoring equipment. Plus, a reconditioning PM can be elected to add service packages providing close technical support, commissioning, filter replacement, and oil monitoring.
METHODOLOGY SUMMARIZED
Lube program design is where evaluation begins. An industrial lubrication specialist is equipped with a specialized set of tools and training for reporting to management all the choices for optimizing every asset. All systems are different, and many still share common traits. In turn, expert analysis can identify the mechanical processes and chemistry required to optimize every type of lubricated machinery in the plant. However, not all lubricating fluids are suited for a reconditioning program. For example, additive packages add another dimension to the administration of oil reconditioning programs. More on that in the next section.
The engineering involved in lube program development (LPD) will begin with a baseline called the Optimum Reference State (ORS), or where the ideal operating conditions of equipment and lubricants would have us begin. There are considerations that may seem remedial at first glance, such as ensuring the machinery is aligned properly, but are often identified as critical issues during lube program data collection that could need addressed before optimizing a lube program. Environmental conditions, system architecture and behavior, lubricant selection, and many other variables are recorded, then discussed with the plant engineer after the industrial service technicians collect assets and analyze the systems being optimized. Lubrication programs should provide cost savings that minimize disruption, so these KPIs should be reviewed closely to ensure they do exactly that when deploying oil reconditioning.
Oil reconditioning technology uses methods that are basically classified as physical, chemical, or a combination of the two. Efficiencies are designed in accordance with intended industries and proprietary technologies. Some methods include settling, centrifuging, heating, evaporation, filtration, or electric and magnetic purification among others. The combination of these methods helps to provide some options when selecting a system correct for the application.
Chemical filtration like pH treatments or hydrogenation reach further into the molecular structure of the lubricant to refine it back to “like-new.” Dehydration tackles the excess water in the system. Beyond solids and water contamination the next major contaminant needing attention is the Acid Number (AN). The AN values are an important indicator in evaluating reconditioning performance because of its immediate and far-reaching disruption to oil performance. Hybridized filtration adds methods like adsorption, coagulation, extraction and ion exchange to remove these damaging oxidizers.
The combination of these reconditioning methods restores the oil’s chemistry, polarity, and saturation without the complex logistics, long-term costs and environmental impacts associated with recycling refineries (re-refining) or EOL disposal. Re-refining is necessary in some cases due to some of the constraints discussed here. However, in oil reconditioning we want to renew the oil onsite to realize the maximum benefit. The identification of contaminants, system applications, and volume will require a technical selection process from the lubrication specialist to ensure that the best solution along with some potential options are reviewed with plant management.
ADDITIVES – VOLUME – AND OTHER PERFORMANCE FACTORS
Of course, there are limitations to consider. Chemistry and manufacturing that goes not only into the base oil development, but also the additive package are critical components to application and performance. The process for blending base oil with an additive package is meticulous and requires lab precision. In certain cases, and with expert guidance, specific additives may be replenished onsite; however, this process requires precise formulation and validation to ensure compatibility and effectiveness. In some cases, reaching out to the machine manufacturer about warranty coverage is important to discuss before administering re-incorporated additives.
Motor oil is a great example of highly blended additive-rich oil. The manufacturing process that chemically bonds dispersants, detergents, and viscosity improvers can involve a lot of heat, pressure, catalysts, and volatile compounds. These processes are simply not feasible to recreate in a self-contained reconditioning unit, or at least not with the current technology and cost constraints.
However, beginning with low additive lubricants like turbine oil or machining oil, we would find the reconditioning process to be a great fit. Moving up to hydraulic and gear fluids, we can see a large range of potential in reconditioning solutions. As we review other applications, we begin to weigh heavier in the benefits against the volume of fluids used, additive packages, and environmental conditions among several other factors. The economy of oil reconditioning becomes more dependent on the life-extending viability multiplied by the volume needed over a specific time. Technical analysis will help place these variables and options into clear focus.
It is important to keep in mind that reconditioning works if the oil remains viable. Irreversible factors such as errant blending, excessive temperature leading to burning, or any other degradation factor will prevent bringing the oil back to a reconditioned state of usefulness.
BENEFITS
Let’s explore some of the highlighted benefits that come with an oil reconditioning program. When oil can remain in good condition and is in service much longer, there are several KPIs to analyze when considering making the investment. Here is a condensed list of the main short- and long-term benefits.
Increased Oil and Machine Performance
By reducing particulate contamination, you can see the physical properties and machine performance improve. The oil becomes clearer and sustains its viscosity. The oil asset becomes preserved and could be justifiably upgraded to high-grade oil for improved performance. The oil replacement costs go down while machine optimization goes up. Less additive depletion, varnish, and surface deterioration enhance machinery efficiency and lifespan, all while potentially requiring less energy to operate.
Reduced Logistics
Reconditioned oil reduces the need for large stockrooms of organized oil containers and handling equipment. Sometimes labeling fails and leads to a mixing of lubricants, which can result in major machine repairs. Storage costs in terms of materials, labor, and space are also reduced. Less stockpiling reduces supply chain dependence. Less handling = less contamination potential. EOL costs are reduced by minimizing waste oil management, further contributing to bottom line performance.
Increased Production
The scheduled maintenance and unscheduled repair shutdowns are considerably reduced. The disruption to production that affects manpower and technical labor costs should come down. The scheduled and unscheduled disruptions that are typically large cost centers in production can be almost immediately minimized with oil reconditioning.
Reduced Risk
Heavy machinery oil changes, materials handling, and environmental compliance all add to company exposure. Extending oil life reduces risk throughout the plant. Less handling is less opportunity for an accident or damage events to occur. Just as importantly, a culture of environmental preservation from reduced emissions, consumption, and waste disposal will be appreciated by the community, consumers, and generations to come.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
These technologies may take some time to adopt, but they are the future and are already enhancing performance in many industries today. This process requires careful analysis before selection but is worth the time to explore. After taking the time to understand oil applications through the path of migration, it is only beneficial to review what plant reliability solutions make sense. Operators may find the cost to implement reconditioning to be surprisingly reasonable. The promise of oil reconditioning will surely proliferate to new heights globally, albeit there remains much to learn and understand along the way.
The oil reconditioning process goes hand-in-glove with recycling as a conscientious way to contribute to sustainability. The more we reuse, the less we need to extract. The benefits compound dramatically. Being able to position the company as a good steward of resources exhibits something people can connect with and invest in. As this process grows in use, we will be excited to see what it can do for our current state of dependence, and the health of future generations. We are reviewing case studies from all over the globe and the performance of oil reconditioning units in service is becoming more and more compelling all the time. There are many variables to consider, but a good industrial lubrication expert will make it both efficient and rewarding to identify reliability strategies that enhance performance for many years to come.
Supplier Spotlight
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LubePM 1328 E. 43rd Court, Tulsa, OK 74105 800-597-5460 | LubePM.com
As a Lubrication Management System (LMS) engineered by lubrication professionals, LubePM helps an organization create accountability to ensure that every lubrication point is carefully maintained, inspected and measured. Ready to take your facility’s Lubrication Management System to the next level with LubePM? We’re ready to help. Simply request more information or schedule a demo.
