28 Analytical Instrumentation - Focus on Lubricant & Condition Monitoring Complete solutions for oil condition monitoring


Monitoring the quality of hydraulic and lube oils is critical to safeguard the availability and prevent premature wear of expensive machinery. Metrohm, offers complete solutions for the fast and accurate analysis of key parameters such as moisture, TAN and TBN, remaining antioxidant content, and many others. These parameters can be determined by Karl Fischer titration, titration, near-infrared spectroscopy, and voltammetry, respectively – established techniques that are widely used by QC laboratories in the petrochemical sector and by contract laboratories offering analytical services to the power industry, manufacturers of construction equipment, compressors, or turbines, to name but a few.


For labs needing to determine moisture content, Metrohm offer automated thermal sample preparation for coulometric Karl Fischer titration. This method is the preferred solution for samples that release the contained moisture only at high temperatures, that are diffi cult to dissolve, or react with the KF reagent. With this method, the sample matrix is heated up to release the contained moisture, which is then determined by coulometric Karl Fischer titration in a separate reaction vessel: Hence, there are no matrix effects, there is no contamination of the titration cell, and accurate and reproducible results are guaranteed. A blog article explains the features and benefi ts of this method in detail.


For analysing remaining antioxidant content, Metrohm offers cutting-edge voltammetric determination. Testing of in-service lubricants for their remaining antioxidant content is critical for prolonging the uptime of capital equipment as well as reducing running costs and repair expenses. Voltammetry is a fast and established technique for testing the remaining antioxidant content in industrial lubricants. The principle of this method is that the aromatic amines and hindered phenols (which are used as primary antioxidants) in the lubricant sample are extracted into an electrolyte. They are then measured directly in this extraction solution. Voltammetric determination is possible because the hindered phenols as well as aromatic amines contain a functional group that can be electrochemically oxidized. More info about this application can be found in this white paper.


Metrohm also enables labs to determine Total Acid Number (TAN) in used engine oil with thermometric titration as per ASTM D8045. Heavily contaminated samples, e.g., used engine or turbine oils, can quickly blog a potentiometric sensor making frequent cleaning and conditioning a must. For such media, thermometric titration can be a better solution. Thermometric titration is the «rugged sibling» of potentiometric titration and can be used for any titration that triggers a change in the temperature of the sample solution during the titration reaction.


How does thermometric titration work? Instead of an electrochemical sensor, thermometric titration follows the titration reaction utilizing a thermometer with a very short response time and high resolution. When all the analyte has been reacted with the sample, this sensor registers a minute difference in the rate of temperature change indicating the endpoint of the endo- or exothermic titration reaction. This sensor does not require any maintenance, nor does it need any conditioning, it can be stored dry, and contamination from solid matter in the sample is not an issue since there is no electrode diaphragm. Used oils contaminated with particles are a typical kind of sample that can be analysed by thermometric titration. More info about thermometric titration and more specifi cally Acid Number as per ASTM D8045 can be found in this blog article.


In addition, Metrohm also offer a solution for multiparameter analysis of lubricants by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). For lubricant analysis, determination of Acid Number (ASTM D664), viscosity (ASTM D445), moisture content (ASTM D6304), and colour number (ASTM D1500) require the use of multiple analytical technologies and, in part, considerable volumes of solvents and reagents.


NIRS is a non-destructive analytical technology where the sample is investigated as is with no prior sample preparation and chemicals required for analysis. It is faster too than competing technologies and provides results for several physical and chemical QC parameters within a minute. Thus, Acid Number, Base Number, kinematic viscosity, viscosity index, density, color number, and moisture number can all be determined simultaneously by NIRS, as is described in this blog article.


Cleveland to host STLE Tribology Frontiers Conference and Tribology & Lubrication for E-Mobility Conference


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The Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) is to host a co-branded event, the STLE Tribology Frontiers Conference (TFC) and Tribology & Lubrication for E-Mobility Conference, which will take place from November 12-15 at the Marriott Downtown at Key Tower in Cleveland, OH, USA. This four-day joint conference will give attendees two exciting opportunities to discover the latest developments in tribology and lubrication engineering science, all under one roof. The event will cater to diverse interests within the fi eld and will feature presentations covering a variety of technical topics, ranging from biotribology, fl uid lubrication, and tribochemistry to the domains of EV hardware, grease, and thermal management.


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Rebecca Lintow, CAE, STLE Executive Director, commented, “Our co-branded event offers attendees the best of both worlds. By combining these two popular events, members of the tribology and lubrication engineering fi eld can now enjoy expanded content and more networking opportunities.”


A much-anticipated highlight of this event is the STLE’s Tribology Frontiers Conference (TFC) running from November 12-15. The TFC offers a platform for attendees to engage with globally esteemed industry experts, academics, and government researchers. Together, they will examine the technical, environmental, and social issues shaping tribology research in the 21st century. The TFC will feature daily keynote presentations, including “Spotlight” talks by distinguished principal investigators, a poster competition showcasing graduate, undergraduate, and early career research, and the popular “Beyond the Cutting Edge” symposium, meticulously organised by the editors of Tribology Letters.


On Monday, November 13, 2023, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from Juliette Cayer-Barrioz, Research Director at the French National Centre for Scientifi c Research (CNRS). Her keynote address, entitled “Surfaces in Lubrication: A Multiscale Analysis,” will delve into the world of surface roughness, bridging the gap in friction scale from molecular to multi-asperity contacts. She will also explore the tribological behavior of adsorbed polymer layers on surfaces across various lubrication regimes.


Dr. Neil Canter, President of Chemical Solutions, will take the stage on Monday afternoon to discuss STLE’s 2023 Report on Emerging Issues and Trends in Tribology and Lubrication Engineering. His session will dissect key trends and opportunities shaping the tribology and lubrication fi eld, from supply chain and sustainability to electrifi cation, manufacturing, medical/health, and government regulations.


On the afternoon of Tuesday, November 14, 2023, Dr. Michael Kotzalas, Director of Global Customer Engineering at The Timken Company, will present a keynote talk on the crucial role of energy effi ciency in the rolling bearing industry. His presentation, titled “Development of Power Dense and Energy Effi cient Bearings to Address the Needs of Modern Machinery,” will investigate tribological applications including lubricant rheology, fi lm formation, contact surfaces geometry, and material wear. Dr. Kotzalaswill show riveting examples of how these technologies are actively shaping the industry.


Running in conjunction with the TFC, the STLE Tribology & Lubrication for E-Mobility Conference, taking place November 14 and 15, will explore current technical challenges and opportunities shaping the future of electric vehicle technologies within the tribology and lubrication fi eld. The event will include expert-led presentations from renowned companies and organisations invested in e-mobility, along with panel discussions on contemporary electric vehicle technologies and recent advancements in lubrication.


On Tuesday, November 14, Troy Muransky, Lead Materials Engineer at American Axle & Manufacturing, will deliver a keynote talk titled “Challenges of Selecting the Correct Electric Vehicle Driveline Fluid.” His presentation will offer an invaluable insight to the intricacies of driveline requirements, selection, and hardware design trends for fl uids in the context of electric vehicles.


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New moisture-in-oil sensor is ideal for the continuous monitoring of water content in industrial oils Oil is the lifeblood of many industrial


plants and machines. It is used for cooling, lubrication, insulation, and power transmission. To operate a gearbox, a transformer, or an industrial plant safely and stable over a long period of time, it is often necessary to monitor the condition of the lubricants with the support of sensor technology.


For such monitoring functions, IST AG has developed a new moisture-in-oil sensor. This is a compact, digital humidity and temperature module (RH/T) which continuously monitors and measures the relative degree of saturation of water in %RH (water activity aw in %) in oils and fuels. This measurement method has a signifi cant advantage compared to the measurement of absolute water content (in ppm H2O), because it always refl ects the current condition and performance of the oil.


Every lubricant ages, this happens through degradation, additive degradation and impurities. As a result of aging, the oil’s ability to absorb water changes in the long term and the lubricant’s performance decreases, which, in the worst case, can lead to machine downtime and expensive repairs. In terms of preventive maintenance, continuous monitoring of the oil’s current water absorption capacity becomes more and more important.


To ensure safe plant operation, such monitoring is used in those industrial areas where maintenance and machine downtimes are scheduled. Examples of moisture- sensitive systems can be found in ship engines and their gearboxes, in commercial vehicles, in the transformers of trains, and in power engineering in wind turbines and their generators. In industry, moisture monitoring can be used for large-volume oil reservoirs in large drilling and paper machines, and in smaller systems such as mobile oil fi ltration units.


This device has an operating range of 0 to 100 % RH; -40 to 120 °C, reproducibility of ±0.2 % RH; ±0.1 C° and accuracy of ±3% RH; ±0.2°C. With its robust and compact screw-in (M14 x 1.5 mm thread) 1.4571 stainless steel housing, the new moisture- in-oil sensor is ideal for use in industrial environments. Via a universal, digital electronic interface (I2C), the sensor can be easily integrated into various measuring and monitoring systems. The sensor is delivered temperature compensated and calibrated and a test board with analogue (0-10V) outputs is also available for evaluation purposes. Customer orientation is a major focus at IST AG, hence IST AG offers application-specifi c assembly and calibration solutions to manufacturers of measuring instruments for this sensor.


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