Advanced Oil Monitoring

Predictive Analysis for Wind Turbines

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North America's reliance on sustainable energy from wind turbines increases every year. Wind turbines have some of the most demanding lubrication requirements and even routine maintenance tasks on these behemoths are time consuming and difficult. The wind turbine gearbox is especially susceptible to particulate and moisture contamination and the lubricants utilized in this application must be able to withstand high contact point loads under drastic temperature fluctuations. The oil must be able to endure long drain periods in order to provide a reasonable maintenance cycle, as a complete oil change requires significant effort on part of the maintenance personnel.

Undetected, contamination of the lubricant from particulate and moisture will lead to premature failure of the main bearing and gears. Unmonitored, poor oil condition will lead to varnish and shellacking resulting in gearbox failure. Repair costs for wind turbine gearboxes are exorbitant. Crane rental and gearbox removal alone costs $40,000 or more, not including gearbox repair costs and lost energy revenues.

In order to achieve peace of mind on the operating condition of your wind turbine lubricants you need the comprehensive testing that WearCheck Advanced Oil Monitoring™ provides. Specifically designed for wind turbines, WearCheck's advanced oil monitoring combines well established industry tests with more recent advances in industry testing to provide an unparalleled view of the operating condition of your critical lubricants.

WearCheck's Advanced Oil Monitoring™ determines the levels of remaining anti-oxidants in the oil, detects for unwanted oil contamination and will accurately determine the suitability of the lubricant for continued use. A comprehensive diagnosis will warn you of any potential for damaging contamination including water, particulate and varnish build-up and includes recommendations for any necessary maintenance actions to remove contaminants and restore the lubricant to proper operating conditions.

WearCheck's Advanced Oil Monitoring™ is intended for use with horizontal and vertical axis wind turbine gearboxes, bearings, and integrated hydraulic systems.

Test Test Method DescriptionIND 2IND 3AOM 2AOM 3
ICP Analysis
ASTM D5185
Determines the parts per million (ppm) of all wear metals (Fe, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu…), contaminants (Si, Na, K….), and additives (Ca, P, Zn, Mg, Mo…).
Viscosity
ASTM D445/D7279
Determine the viscosity of the oil at 40°C (non-engine), or 100°C (engine) to determine if oil is still within specification. High viscosity can indicate oxidation, low viscosity can indicate contamination, improper make-up oil.
Acid Number
ASTM D664/D974/D8045
Determines overall acidity (AN) of the oil which is an indication of degradation. Single best test to determine change-out interval. AN for non-engine oil samples.
Water Content
ASTM D6304
Determines level of moisture or water contamination in the oil.
Particle Count
ASTM D7647
Determine cleanliness levels of oil to ISO4406:1999. High particle count levels can indicate gross contaminant ingress, wear, filter by-pass or all of these issues.
PQ Index
ASTM D8184
Provide a rapid indication of metallic debris in an oil sample. Detect ferrous wear debris that may be missed by spectrometric analysis.
Ferrography
ASTM D7690
A detailed morphological analysis of the wear debris particles suspended in the oil. A-Ferr can determine the type of wear process and cause of wear in a lubricated system. 
Membrane Patch Colorimetry
ASTM D7843
Measures the relative amount of insolubles present in the oil and the resulting potential for sludge and varnish formation.  
Voltammetry (RULER)
ASTM D6810/6971/D7527/D7590
Measures the levels of aminic and phenolic anti-oxidants remaining in the oil. Determines the necessity for oil replenishment or replacement.  
Foaming Characteristics
ASTM D892
Multi-stage test (stages I, II, III for both foaming tendency and stability) Determines the oils tendency to entrap air and cause oil foaming as well as the ability of the oil to dissipate this foaming tendency (stability).   
Rust Test
ASTM D665(A)
Indicates how well the oil inhibits the formation of rust in the presence of water contamination.   
Copper Corrosion
ASTM D130
Determines the suitability of the oil with copper components in the system.   
Submitting Samples to the Laboratory

How to properly prepare your samples for return to the WearCheck laboratory using the new QR-coded sample information forms and poly pack mailer.

How not to Submit Samples to the Laboratory

How not to submit samples to the laboratory","Common issues with samples submitted to the WearCheck laboratory are reviewed. Sample issues cause delays, and slow down the sample layout process. Please ensure that you are completing your sample forms, and properly packing your sample when sending them to the WearCheck laboratory.

Wind Turbine Monitoring

Sales brochure on WearCheck's Oil Analysis Programs for wind turbines....

WearCheck Wind turbine Analysis includes everything to set-up a complete Wind turbine analysis program. When you purchase a WearCheck Wind turbine analysis program you will receive our simplified sample kits (QR-coded bottles & sample forms with mailing packs). All WearCheck Wind turbine analysis programs include laboratory testing, sample diagnosis and recommendations, sample report, and access to our patented WebCheck™ system, and companion mobile application to manage your Wind turbine analysis program.

WearCheck offers additional programs for Fleet Vehicles, Off-Road Construction, Mobile Equipment, Fixed Plant Machinery, Marine Equipment, Aviation/Avionics Systems, Advanced Oil Monitoring, Coolant Analysis, Diesel/Marine/Jet Fuel Analysis, Thermal/Heat Transfer Fluid Analysis, Transformer Fluid Analysis, Grease Analysis, Wear Particle Analysis, Honeywell TPE-331/TFE-731 SOAP Service.

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