Engines are the main part of power plants.
The performance of the engine depends upon the good
condition of the components like cylinders, cylinder heads,
pistons, piston rings, valves, and connecting rods, etc.
The failure of engine components can be reduced
by using condition monitoring techniques. There are many
types of condition monitoring techniques are available.
The famous Non-destructive Tests (NDTs) for engines
condition monitoring are including vibration analysis,
infrared thermography, and engine used oil analysis.
The aim of this research is to reduce the failures of
engine components by analyzing the used oil. Oil is the lifeblood of engines. Much like doctors assess human health
through blood analysis, engine components can be
monitored in much the same manner. Engine oil analysis
means testing a sample of engine oil in unused or used
condition. Analysis is done for various properties like
Viscosity, Total Base Number (TBN), Total Acid Number
(TAN), Ash Content, Flash Point, Water Content,
Contamination, and Wear Metal particles which used to
monitor the wear rate of engine components. The result of
the analysis is then compared with the given analysis limits
to assess the quality of lubricant and the possibility of
further using, or not.
The properties of oil will be changed based on engine
running hours. The used oil can be collected from engine
after various running hours for analyzing, and the test
result is used to assess the condition of engine and oil
quality, then maintenance decision will be made according
to those results. This optimization of maintenance
activities will result in a reasonable cost reduction by
increasing the interval of lubricant replacing and saving
time and efforts of maintenance authorities.
Condition Monitoring with Prediction Based on Diesel Engine Oil Analysis: A Case Study for Urban Buses