With most turbine oil expected to last 10-20 years, monitoring in-service turbine oil condition for deterioration and degradation can significantly extend the life of both the lubricant and the turbine.
Turbine oils are typically expected to last 10-20 years. Large sump capacities, inaccessibility and losses in productivity make complete oil changes infeasible. Unplanned power outages can be costly to utilities and customers alike. To ensure turbine reliability, routine testing and analysis monitors turbine and turbine oil condition on monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual sampling frequencies.
Why Test?
The biggest threats to turbines and turbine oil health are wear and contamination. Testing and analysis can identify the types, sources and levels of wear and contamination present and determine the lubricant’s remaining useful life.
Close operating tolerances demand clean oil to prevent bearing wear. Water ingression causes the corrosion of metal surfaces and alters viscosity, which can affect load-carrying capacity. Water also accelerates microbial growth in the oil.
Oxidation – caused by high operating temperatures, air and water – results in the formation of degradation acids and other oxidation products, such as varnish, that adhere to metal surfaces changing component clearances as well as heat transfer properties.
Recommended Test Packages
- TLA® – Total Lubricant Assessment – TLS combines the entire condition monitoring test suite outlined in ASTM’s D4278 with additional tests designed to measure oxidation stability, anti-oxidant remaining useful life and varnish potential.
- CFA® – Control Fluid Assessment – CFA testing is specific to fire-resistant fluids.
- TOQ® – Turbine Oil Quality – semi-annual to annual testing
- TOM® – Turbine Oil Monitoring – monthly to quarterly testing
- QSA® Complete – semi-annual – Quantitative Spectrophotometric Analysis is a reliable, cost-effective procedure for identifying sludge and the presence of varnishing-producing conditions.