Contamination Control:

What You Can’t See Will Hurt You

Get the Basics you Need
By
David Piangerelli
STLE CLS
 Contamination
 What is a micron ?

 ISO 4406 code system to determine cleanliness

 Why should you care?

 Impact on component life

 What can you do?

What is a Micron?
ITEM SIZE (Micron)

•Virus 0.0015 - 0.09

•Bacteria 0.1 - 10

•Blood Cell/Corpuscle 5 - 10

•Human eye visibility 10 - 20

•Human Hair 40 - 100

•Table Salt 100 - 140

•Coarse Sand 300-500

 ISO 4406/2000 Standard
•The ISO 4406 particle count is the method of
reporting quantities of contaminants per 100 ml
sample

•Results are commonly referred to as the

“Cleanliness Code” for a given fluid sample and
come in a three digit format - i.e. 21 / 18 / 15

The first number The third number

represents the range for represents the range for
the quantity of particles the quantity of particles
The second number
larger than 4 microns. larger than 14 microns.
represents the range for
the quantity of particles
larger than 6 microns.
 ISO 4406 Example
ISO code more than up to
For instance, if a given sample of
100ml has:
•15,000 particles larger than 4 8 1 2
microns, the 4m CC will be 21 9 2 5
•2,000 particles larger than 6 microns, 10 5 10
the 6m CC will be 18 11 10 20
12 20 40
•240 particles larger than 14 microns,
13 40 80
the 14m CC will be 15
14 80 160
15 160 320
16 320 640
17 640 1300
18 1300 2500
19 2500 5000
20 5000 10000
21 10000 20000
22 20000 40000
23 40000 80000
24 80000 160000
Dynamic Film Thickness
 Components

Anti friction bearings 0.5

Vane pumps ( vane tip to outer ring ) 0.5 – 1
Gear pumps ( gear to side plate ) 0.5 - 5
Servo valves ( spool to sleeve ) 1 - 4
Hydrostatic bearings 1 - 25
Piston pump 5 - 40

Be aware that the clearances in servo valves, bearings, vane-

and even gear pumps are between 0.5 and 5 micron !!
Typical Cleanliness Levels
 Oil Pump or Dirt Pump?

At ISO 21/18, this hydraulic system passes 136 - 50 lbs. bags of dirt
through the teeth of the pump in one year
 Contamination Control Example - Pump
Amount of “Dirt” Flowing
Amount of “Dirt” in Oil Through Pump in One Year

ISO 19/16 157.7 lb/yr

ISO 18/15 78.9 lb/yr

ISO 16/13 19.7 lb/yr

ISO
C 22/19 Component Life
o
n 21/17
---- 2,500
t
a
m
i
20/15
19/16
----- 10,000
n
a
t
i
18/15
17/14 ------------ 25,000
o 16/13
n Clean New Oil
15/12
14/11
13/10
12/09

Component Life Over Time

Source – Caterpillar Contamination
Control Basic Training Program
 Acceptable Contamination Levels
Particle Range of Sensitivity: Main protection
sizes counts ISO Type of system: Low pressure systems
with large clearances
> 5 µm 1,000,000 21 /17
Typical components Ram pumps
> 15 µm 64,000
Sensitivity: Average
Type of system: Low pressure heavy
industrial systems
> 5 µm 250,000 19/15 Typical components Gear pumps, manual and
poppet valves cylinders
> 15 µm 16,000
Sensitivity: Important
Type of system: General machinery & mobile
systems. Medium pressure,
> 5 µm 130,000 18/14 medium capacity
> 15 µm 8,000 Typical components Vane pumps, spool valves

Sensitivity: Critical
Type of system: High performance and high
> 5 µm 16,000 15/11 pressure long life systems,
i.e., aircraft, machine tool
> 15 µm 1,000 Typical components Industrial servo valves

Sensitivity: Super critical

Type of system: Silt sensitive control system
with very high reliability.
> 5 µm 4,000 13/9 Laboratory or aerospace
> 15 µm 250 Typical components High perf. servo valves
 Lubricant Handling/Storage
Contamination Control
• Keep it Clean-Cool-Dry
• Desiccant Breathers
• Oil Safe System
• Color Coding
• Storage solutions
• Personnel training
• Monitor/improve
Bad Oil Room!!!
Life Extension Table: Dirt

© Copyright Noria Corporation, used with permission

© 2000-2001 Noria Corporation.
 Life Extension Table: Moisture
Life Extension Table: Water New Moisture Level (ppm)
10,000 5,000 2,500 1,000 500 250 100 50
Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling
Element Journal Element Journal Element Journal Element Journal Element Journal Element Journal Element Journal Element Journal

50,000 2.3 1.6 3.3 1.9 4.8 2.3 7.8 2.9 11.2 3.5 16.2 4.3 26.2 5.5 37.8 6.7

25,000 1.6 1.3 2.3 1.6 3.3 1.9 5.4 2.4 7.8 2.9 11.2 3.5 18.2 4.6 26.2 5.5

10,000 1.4 1.2 2.0 1.5 3.3 1.9 4.8 2.3 6.9 2.8 11.2 3.5 16.2 4.3

5,000 1.4 1.2 2.3 1.6 3.3 1.9 4.8 2.3 7.8 2.9 11.2 3.5
Current MoistureLevel (ppm)

2,500 1.6 1.3 2.3 1.6 3.3 1.9 5.4 2.4 7.8 2.9

1,000 1.4 1.2 2.0 1.5 3.3 1.9 4.8 2.3

500 1.4 1.2 2.3 1.6 3.3 1.9

250 1.5 1.3 2.3 1.6

100 1.4 1.2

Really Bad Oil Room!
Funnels are Dirt Magnets!
Good Oil Room!
Color coded oil transfer vessels
Polyethylene
Storage Tanks Oil Transfer
Vessels

Oil Transfer/Filter Cart

 Desiccant Breather Function

Second foam filter stops

Second particulate filter oil mist during
element protects exhalation, evenly
against migration of distributes air.
desiccant.

Hydrophilic agent
adsorbs water, Durable, shock
indicates condition by absorbing housing.
color change.

Particulate filter element.

Air diffuser/oil mist

foam filter. In/out air vents.

Press-in mounting, varying

adapter options.
Design varies by manufacturer.

Keeps head space clean & dry

Portable Filter Cart
Hydraulic Breather
Adaptor w/Desiccant
Filter, QD Coupler,
Filter Indicator and Oil
Sample Port
Case Study – Transmission Manufacturer

Before NTZ Filtration

Parts p/ 1 ml
4 micron = 137416.93
6 micron = 57649.43
14 micron = 1215.93
Case Study –Transmission Manufacturer

After Single Pass NTZ Filtration

Parts p/1 ml
4 micron = 1467
6 micron = 269.43
14 micron = 16.83
 Case Study – Transmission Manufacturer

From ISO 24/23/17

to
ISO 18/15/11

Before NTZ Filtration After Single Pass NTZ Filtration

Parts p/ 1 ml Parts p/1 ml
4 micron = 137416.93 4 micron = 1467.00
6 micron = 57649.43 6 micron = 269.43
14 micron = 1215.93 14 micron = 16.83

Reduction in Solid Particle Contamination : 99.45 %

Reduction in Water Contamination : 100 %
 Condition Monitoring
• Time (mileage/hours) based oil changes Vs
Condition based

• Oil analysis
– Spectrometric analysis
– Particle Counting
– Ferrography

• Machine Health report

• Lubricant condition
Ferrography
Ferrography Report
 Oil Analysis Protocol
Never re-use sampling tube, discard
after one use

Wipe off sample pump if used.

Wipe off area around sample port

Mark the sample bottle prior to actually

taking the sample. Use the self adhesive
label and fill in pertinent data prior to
attaching to the bottle while it is clean.
 Sample Hot!
Always sample hot! Oil analysis results
generated by sampling cold static oils are not
representative of the true condition of the unit
or lubricant.

Heavy metals and water have settled out of

the lubricant. The best samples are obtained in
a dynamic state while a machine is in
operation or immediately after it has been
shutdown.
 Clean Representative Samples!
• Try to obtain samples from the mid level of the
reservoir.
• Never sample from the drain unless a suitable
quantity of lubricant has been allowed to run
through it acting as a flush.
• Never sample from the top.
• Do not use oil obtained from filter housings.
• If sampling from a port, always clean around the
port before removing plug.
 Be Consistent
• Once a particular method has been chosen to
obtain a sample, whether it is obtained from a
drain, or using a hand operated suction pump
etc., try not to deviate from the chosen method
in order to gain repeatable results.

• Document sampling procedures for each unit

sampled
Oil Sampling Valves
The primary objective of Contamination
Management is optimal system cleanliness.

Optimal system cleanliness will give you:

1. Increased fluid usage life
2. Reduced component wear
3. Less machine down-time
4. Optimal machine performance
All this will result in
significant cost savings for your customer.
“Dedicated to Maximizing
Equipment Productivity”

The Lubrication Reliability SourceTM