Filter Debris Analysis

As companies turn to finer filtration to extend the life of their most critical rotating equipment more debris is captured in filters and less remains in the oil. Wear debris analysis through oil analysis is no longer enough to predict impending failure. The next generation of wear debris analysis requires Filter Debris Analysis (FDA) to uncover the wealth of information buried in your filter and gain a comprehensive assessment of machine wear.

In traditional oil analysis the only particles available for analysis are those circulating in the oil (smaller than the filter size) or immediately released in the oil prior to filtering. Given the fine filtration used in rotating equipment to produce longer life cycles, 95% of the wear debris that could provide useful insight into machinery condition is caught in the filter and never ends up in an oil sample. Typically, all the debris is discarded with the filter. Increasingly, fine filtration is making conventional monitoring techniques less effective at providing reliable indication of machinery component wear. Filter Debris Analysis captures this lost information and identifies the specific components that are wearing, providing improved diagnostic and prognostic information about impending failures.

Let's Get Technical

Filter Debris Analysis is a systematic process developed to wash and analyze industrial size filters. TestOil has made substantial changes to all aspects of this testing procedure including the fabrication of a new washing instrument, a completely redesigned washing method, an enhanced testing process, and a revamped comprehensive report.

The instrument used for this test is a self-contained unit which employs an automated method for filter washing to extract all inorganic debris from the filter with high repeatability and reproducibility. The modular design can accommodate irregular filters such as large sized filters and bag or sock filters. A used filter is placed in the system wash chamber and all debris is removed from the filter using a combination of fluid and compressed air. The wash fluid carrying the filter debris is collected and then analyzed.