SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A LUBRICANT DISCARD INTERVAL

• US 20130197738A1
• Filed: 04/04/2012
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Afton Chemical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Afton Chemical Corporation
• Inventors: Dvorak, Todd M., Dittmeier, Robert T., Szemenyei, Dewey P.
• Application Number:
  US13/439,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20130197738A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29.5
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/04 Filling or draining lubricant of or from machines or engines
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/14 for indicating the necessity to change the oil
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 29/00 Special means in lubricating arrangements or systems providing for the indication or detection of undesired conditions; Use of devices responsive to conditions in lubricating arrangements or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2858 metal particles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2888 Lubricating oil characteristics, e.g. deterioration lubricating properties G01N33/30

Abstract

A system, a method and a computer program to predict a portion of used lubricant in an engine that is to be drained and replaced by fresh lubricant based on an analysis parameter value that is measured in a sample of used engine lubricant from the engine. The system includes a first input that receives the analysis parameter value from the used lubricant and stores the analysis parameter value in a memory of a processor. A second input receives an analysis parameter threshold value for the used lubricant at the end of a service interval and stores the analysis parameter threshold value in a memory of the processor. A determiner predicts a future analysis parameter value of a mixture of used and fresh lubricant at the end of the service interval based on the analysis parameter value, and the analysis parameter threshold value.

Claims

1. A processor-based system for predicting a portion of used lubricant in an engine that is to be drained and replaced by fresh lubricant based on an analysis parameter value that is measured in a sample of used engine lubricant taken from the engine, the system comprising:

a first input that receives the analysis parameter value from the used lubricant and stores the analysis parameter value in a memory of a processor;

a second input that receives an analysis parameter threshold value for the used lubricant at the end of a service interval and stores the analysis parameter threshold value in a memory of the processor;

a determiner that predicts a future analysis parameter value of a mixture of used and fresh lubricant at the end of the service interval based on the analysis parameter value of used lubricant, and the analysis parameter threshold value for the mixture of used and fresh lubricant at the end of the service interval.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the determiner is configured to generate the amount of used lubricant to be replaced by fresh lubricant in the engine in order to extend the lubricant to a future service interval.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the engine lubricant comprises a crankcase engine oil.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a computer that predicts the portion of used lubricant to be drained and replaced by fresh lubricant and a drain interval therefor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the computer comprises the determiner.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first input receives a historical analysis parameter value for the engine.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the determiner performs modeling on the historical analysis parameter value and said analysis parameter value to determine a future analysis parameter value, the modeling comprising:

a linear regression;

a non-linear regression;

a logistic regression;

a neural network model approach (no regression);

or

if-then logic (including; and

, or, not, else);

partial least squares regression;

or

discriminate analysis.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the determiner compares the future analysis parameter value to the analysis parameter threshold value for the mixture of used and fresh lubricant at the end of the service interval.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the determiner generates a portion of used lubricant to be replaced by fresh lubricant based on the analysis parameter value of the used lubricant and the analysis parameter threshold value for the mixture of used and fresh lubricant at the end of the service interval

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the first input receives an additional analysis parameter value, and wherein the determiner performs a linear regression on said analysis parameter value, or one of a non-linear regression or a modeling approach on the additional analysis parameter value.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said analysis parameter value and said additional analysis parameter value are selected from a group consisting of iron, lead, tin, copper aluminum, boron, oxidation, nitration, potassium, silicon, sodium, soot, TBN, water, fuel, sludge, and insolubles in the engine lubricant sample.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis parameter value is selected from a group of analysis parameters consisting of zinc, boron, oxidation, nitration, potassium, silicon, sodium, soot, water, fuel contaminant, fuel byproducts, sludge, lead, and insolubles.

13. A processor-based method for predicting a portion of used lubricant in an engine that is to be drained and replaced by fresh lubricant based on an analysis parameter value that is measured in a sample of used engine lubricant taken from the engine, the method comprising:

receiving at a first input the analysis parameter value of the used lubricant and storing the analysis parameter value in a memory of a processor;

receiving at a second input an analysis parameter threshold value for the used lubricant at the end of a service interval and storing the analysis parameter threshold value in a memory of the processor; and

using the processor to predict a future analysis parameter value for a mixture of used and fresh lubricant at the end of the service interval based on the analysis parameter value and the analysis parameter threshold value for the mixture of used and fresh lubricant at the end of the service interval.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

predicting a probability when the future analysis parameter value for the mixture of used and fresh lubricant will exceed the analysis parameter threshold value for the mixture of used and fresh lubricant.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

predicting the service interval for the mixture of used and fresh lubricant.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

generating an amount of used lubricant to be replaced by fresh lubricant in the engine in order to extend the lubricant to a future service interval.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the engine is provided in one or more of:

a tractor;

a locomotive;

a bus;

an automobile;

a motorcycle;

a scooter;

a watercraft;

an aircraft;

a truck;

a wind turbine;

or a generator.