Oil debris and viscosity monitoring using ultrasonic and capacitance/inductance measurements

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper aims at the development of a comprehensive procedure for detecting oil debris contents, as well as analysing other physical parameters associated with lubricating oil degradation, using a combination of ultrasonic, capacitance and inductance‐based measurements. Brief explanations, accompanied by the derivation of closed‐form expressions that demonstrate the physical sensing mechanisms utilised in this study, are presented. This is followed by a description of the experimental techniques and procedures that were devised to investigate the capability of detecting and differentiating ferrous, non‐ferrous and non‐metallic particles in oil. This study also found that certain sensing methods exhibited promise in characterising fluctuations in oil viscosity and acid/water content in oil. Finally, the possibility of using such fundamental apparatus in concert for use in oil degradation characterisation and machine health‐monitoring applications is discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.