Don't Forget Oil Debris

With all of the industry buzz about diesel fuel purity and the fact that Tier 4-Final engines are more sensitive to contaminants overall, it can be easy to overlook solid particle oil contamination.

Solid particle contamination is the leading cause of hydraulic and lubrication oil system breakdown, which is not only costly to fix, but also causes unscheduled downtime and accompanying productivity losses.

A U.K company, Gill Sensors & Controls, has developed an Oil Debris Sensor that provides continuous, real-time monitoring of particle contamination in hydraulic and engine oil lubrication systems.

The sensor either triggers an immediate shutdown in cases of large particle buildup or an early warning indication that maintenance is needed. The company says that, unlike typical on-line particle counters and contamination sensors, its sensor incorporates a powerful, high-temperature neodymium magnet that collects debris and keeps it from re-circulating through the system, eliminating the possibility of further damage to components.

It features two independent channels for particle detection—one for fine metallic debris and the other for lager metallic debris—and uses solid-state technology without moving parts.

The technical details: The sensor can operate at temperatures from -40F to 302F and works independently of oil-flow rate, temperature, viscosity, oil color, or air and water content. Outputs are from 4-20mA, 0-10v and CANbus outputs.