Compressor oil in Aberdeen: varnish figure from 52.2 to 6.5
An independent laboratory flagged the varnish potential of a compressor oil as critical: MPC 52.2. Six weeks after an offline filter was installed, the figure was 6.5 and the cleanliness code ISO 14/12/08.
MPC (varnish potential)
In September 2018, SGS Oil Condition Monitoring measured a varnish potential (MPC) of 52.2 in the lubricating oil of a low-pressure compressor in Aberdeen and flagged the figure as critical. The sump holds 8,000 litres of oil.
A Delta Xero unit was installed in the last week of December 2018, and the oil was then followed with samples roughly every 14 days at POLARIS Laboratories.
The first sample after installation showed MPC 28.1, the next 14.1, and on 7 February 2019 the figure was 6.5. The cleanliness code fell from ISO 16/15/12 to 14/12/08, while the viscosity remained unchanged at approx. 46 cSt.
Two caveats: the before figure for MPC was measured by a different laboratory and approx. three and a half months before installation. The before figures for cleanliness code, particles and viscosity are from the first sample after installation.
The figures before and after
| Measurement | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| MPC (varnish potential) | 52.2 | 6.5 |
| ISO 4406 cleanliness code | 16/15/12 | 14/12/08 |
| Particles above 4 µm per ml | 464 | 150 |
| Viscosity at 40 °C | 46.2 cSt | 46.1 cSt |
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