Tool for quality control of lubricants

Abstract

At the moment, maintenance of machinery and equipment, including agricultural ones, is carried out in accordance with the recommended frequency. However, unsteady working conditions, such as frequent starts and stops of engines, changes in temperatures and etc., require the adjustment of the frequency of maintenance. In this situation, it becomes necessary to carry out maintenance of equipment at decrease in its performance, which is largely influenced by the state of lubricating fluids. The change in their properties determines both the current state of the unit and the possible deterioration associated with the accidental ingress of contaminants into the lubricant. The purpose of the study is to intensify the use of modern information technologies in the repairs and operation of machinery through rapid assessment of changes in the quality of liquid lubricants. The developed original design of the universal sensor for quality control of lubricants allows applying it in existing units of vehicles without additional modernization. The scheme of the proposed design differs from the one of similar devices in the ability to work with industrial, motor, transmission oils and hydraulic fluid. The performed calculations and the full-scale experiment proved the operability of the proposed device. In the course of the research, the operating temperature range of the lubricating fluid was determined for the most effective diagnostics; generalized data were obtained allowing deriving the dependencies of the sensor design parameters on the temperature of the lubricant. In further research to improve the safety of the device and prevent the deterioration of the lubricating fluid in the course of incorrect operation, it is planned to improve the developed product for monitoring and informing the operator about the current state of the lubrication system, taking into account changes in operating conditions of machines and equipment.