Water
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Water contamination in lubricating oils or hydraulic fluids comes from two primary sources, leaks in the system or condensation of moisture in the air space. Large amounts of free water will separate and settle to the base of the lubricating system reservoir. Most lubricants and hydraulic fluids will dissolve small amounts of water, however, the presence of water over approximately 1% is detrimental to the formation of an oil film and thus promotes metal-to-metal contact of rotating equipment resulting in abnormal wear.
The presence of water accelerates oil oxidation and subsequent oil thickening. At first, water in the oil lowers overall viscosity, but continuous water contamination eventually causes oxidation and viscosity increase. The presence of water needs to be monitored because it can cause costly breakdowns due to internal corrosion and lubricant degradation. Through periodic oil analysis with instruments such as the Spectro FTIR and FluidScan water can be detected giving the user the an opportunity to react accordingly and make adjustments to rectify the problem before it gets out of hand.
Applicable Spectro Products: