Abstract:
The presented oil sensor system for the continuous, online measurement of the wear in industrial gears, turbines, generators, transformers and hydraulic systems. The detection of change is much earlier than existing technologies such as particle counting, vibration measurement or recording temperature. Thus, targeted, corrective procedures and/or maintenance can be carried out before actual damage occurs. Efficient machine utilization, accurately timed preventive maintenance, a reduction of downtime and an increased service life and can all be achieved.
The oil sensor system measures the components of the complex impedances X of the oils, in particular, the electrical conductivity, the relative dielectric constant and the oil temperature. All values are determined independently from each other.
Inorganic compounds occur at contact surfaces from the wear of parts, broken oil molecules, acids or oil soaps. These all lead to an increase in the electrical conductivity, which correlates directly with the wear. In oils containing additives, changes in dielectric constant infer the chemical breakdown of additives. A reduction in the lubricating ability of the oils, the determination of impurities, the continuous evaluation of the wear of bearings and gears and the oil aging all together follow the holistic approach of real-time monitoring of changes in the oil-machine system. By long-term monitoring and continuous analysis of the oil quality, it is possible to identify the optimal time interval of the next oil exchange – condition based. This results in enormous cost reduction, when the oil is still stable and fully functional.
An application example from the wind energy sector will be presented in detail to show the potential of the measurement system and advanced data treatment: from the processed data the identification of critical operation conditions, the determination of the next oil change and a health indication of the wind turbine is possible.
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