By Jim Fitch
Practicing Oil Analysis Magazine
In condition monitoring, any property that is important to machine reliability and life extension should be a property that is measured, assuming it is technically and economically feasible. Of course, this is the point of considerable consternation by the oil labs when it comes to crankcase oils.
How does one perform practical particle counts on opaque fluids, achieving precision and cost efficiency at the same time? Before we examine the specific challenges of particle count methodologies, let’s review the various ways to assess the presence of destructive particles (other than soot) in used motor oils.