We’re told machines should not be allowed to swallow air. But what if they do?  What harm could be caused by this bubbly stuff anyway? Do we really have to make the machine burp? Will a few pats on the back do the trick?  For many of you, air contamination is no laughing matter. Why? Because air contamination is a serious condition.  There are five deadly problems associated with aerated oil. By aerated oil, I’m referring to entrained air, foam or both, which is the usual case.

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Anybody who has been in the lubrication field for at least a couple of years has likely been badgered by problems relating to air contamination. Indeed, aeration and foam present many serious reliability concerns which merit immediate attention by machinery maintainers. However, for most people, the causes are too complex to troubleshoot, leaving the root-cause mystery unsolved. Sometimes an oil change provides a suitable remedy, but too often it serves as only a temporary fix. In other words, there is a need to find why it happened.

Laboratory researchers have conducted numerous studies over the years relating to air contamination. From this body of work, we’ve learned many interesting new facts that help us both diagnose the problem and prescribe corrective actions. Some of these new insights into the causes and effects of air entrainment and foaming problems were discussed in the article “The Perils of Aerated Oil – Let Your Machine Burp”, published in the January 2005 issue of Practicing Oil Analysis.

In this column, I want to share more snippets of information that can be useful in the control of air contamination. I’m guessing that even seasoned oil analysis and lubrication professionals will pick up a pointer or two.

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The defoamant (also known as antifoam agents and foam inhibitors) is a common additive in many types of lubricating oils and hydraulic fluids. As the name implies, the purpose of the defoamant is to retard the formation of stable foam on the surface of the oil in the sump, gearbox, or reservoir.

Silicones, or compounds containing silicone, and acrylic copolymers are popularly used in mineral-based lubricant formulations. Lighter grade turbine oils and hydraulic fluids are generally formulated with acrylate anti-foam additives while heavier gear oils, paper machine oils, and crankcase lubricants may use silicone.

When stable foam is allowed to form there is considerable risk that effective lubrication will not be achieved. In many cases foam is merely a cosmetic concern. In other cases it is quite serious and can lead to premature failure of the oil and machine.

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