Assessment of overall remaining useful life of lubricants by integrating oil quality and performance

Abstract

Effective lubricant health monitoring programs are essential for extending the lifespan of both the lubricant and machinery. An accurate and reliable remaining useful life (RUL) prediction is necessary for maintenance decision support. The degradation of used lubricating oil information trends evaluated using used oil analysis results is necessary. This study addresses the need for a comprehensive tool to consolidate oil analysis parameters and determine the remaining useful life (RUL) of used lubricating oil (ULO). A Performance Rating Index (PRI) was developed by integrating various oil degradation testing parameters, including membrane patch colorimetry for varnish and sludge potential, along with viscosity, foaming stability, water separability, air release properties, oxidation stability, rust prevention, and copper strip corrosion. The integration of routine and performance test results of a turbine oil at 25,480 operating hours exhibited a PRI of 48.5. Correlating with the ASTM degradation alarm limits of 50 %, the PRI results provide clear maintenance actions before the original equipment manufacturer's recommended overhaul. The PRI approach supports proactive maintenance by facilitating early oil replenishment, extending RUL, and reducing waste oil.

Keywords

• Remaining useful life
• Used lubricating oil
• Condition-based maintenance
• Performance rating index