Let's dive into a big question: When should we change the turbine oil in power plants? This question came up when I talked to someone who works at a power plant. There are two ways to decide when to change the oil: old-school thinking versus new-school thinking. The...
Most lubricant products include a "best before date" on the packaging and labeling materials. Provided as a "when to use by" guide, these dates are based on a manufacturer's projected shelf life of a product when stored as directed, per information on its packaging....
Wind energy has become an increasingly important component of our energy grid as the world moves toward more sustainable power generation sources. Although harnessing wind power to do helpful work extends back to ancient times (think sail ships and windmills), stable...
I chose this topic this issue because the biggest bang for any organization is to get their lubricants right. With anywhere from 50% - 70% of your current downtime being caused by improper lubrication, there is only one way to spend your limited maintenance and...
Industry professionals and lubrication practitioners know the crucial role of proper lubricant selection in ensuring equipment operation efficiency. To help in this process, Lubricant Technical Data Sheets (TDS) serve as an essential resource. Whether conducting a...
It's exceedingly rare to find a fleet of vehicles with the same make, model, and year of manufacture. I have never personally observed a single instance in my career. Fleet managers will be all-too-familiar with the challenge of stocking spare parts for their fleet,...
Many lubrication engineers are faced with finding the most appropriate lubricant for an application. Therefore, they are tasked with selecting the "right" lubricant; subsequently, their decision can influence several outcomes. A lot of the positive results are in the...
Turbine oils are required for some of the most complex pieces of turbomachinery equipment. Ideally, users should spend a great deal of time when selecting the right turbine oil, as an inappropriate selection could lead to significant undesired downtime. However, this...
What is Oil Viscosity? Oil viscosity is the internal friction within an oil that resists its flow. It measures the oil's resistance to flow and is one of the most important factors in lubricants. Viscosity is also defined as the ratio of shear stress (pressure) to...
Many factors influence the sustainability of a lubricant. These can range from formulation, product manufacturing and packaging, environmental performance, lifespan, product performance, to how the oil is managed at the end of its life. However, one of the most...
