Oil and contaminants analyzer

• US 6,598,464 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sergio Rossi
• Original Assignee: Sergio Rossi
• Inventors: Rossi, Sergio
• Primary Examiner(s): Larkin, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CYGAN, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US09/676,964
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 73/530.1, 73/530.5, 73/530.7, 73/614.1, 73/614.2, 73/617.1, 73/617.2, 73/645.6, 73/614.3, 73/614.4, 73/615.2, 73/615.4, 73/615.5, 356/70
• US Class Current: 73/53.05
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0227 using imaging; using holography
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0266 with electrical classification
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0625 Optical scan of the deposits
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0288 Sorting the particles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2888 Lubricating oil characteristics, e.g. deterioration lubricating properties G01N33/30

Abstract

A process, a method and apparatus are provided for testing and analyzing oil'"'"'s physical and chemical characteristics and contaminants found in oil. A process separates contaminants prior to testing of oil'"'"'s chemical and physical characteristics and includes manufacturing and operation parameters, and visual techniques for analysis. An apparatus is provided to separate and remove contaminants into magnetic, non-magnetic and liquids for further testing and analysis. This is accomplished using magnetic fields, filtration and condensing systems. The testing of oil'"'"'s chemical and physical characteristics as well as contaminants is done using a plurality of tests such as viscosity, blotter, opacity and images for contaminants. A method is provided to prepare blotter and filtration systems, to remove fluid contaminants from particles and to include process parameters, trending and graphical analysis of images via software programming.

Claims

1. A process for separating, removing contaminants from, testing and analyzing a sample of oil comprising:

a) Discharging oil and contaminants;

b) Separating contaminants from said oil prior to removal;

c) Removing non magnetic, magnetic and fluid contaminants from said oil;

d) Preparing separated oil and contaminants after removing contaminants;

e) Testing separated oil and removed contaminants;

f) Analyzing the results of the tests of the separated oil and removed contaminants.

2. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein discharging oil contaminants comprise:

a) Dispersing contaminants;

b) Removing air bubbles and gases.

3. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein said separating contaminants comprise:

a) Separating non magnetic contaminants;

b) Separating magnetic and magnetized contaminants;

c) Separating liquid contaminants.

4. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein said removing contaminants comprise:

a) Removing non magnetic contaminants;

b) Removing magnetic and magnetized contaminants;

c) Removing liquid contaminants.

5. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein said preparing separated oil and contaminants comprise:

a) Preparing oil testers;

b) Dispensing separated oil;

c) Rinsing contaminants after removing contaminants from said oil.

6. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein testing separated oil and removed contaminants comprise:

a) Using a plurality of procedures and techniques for testing removed contaminants;

b) Using a plurality of procedures and techniques for testing separated oil.

7. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein said analyzing the results of the tests of the separated oil and removed contaminants comprise:

a) Using a microprocessor under control of software;

b) Using oil physical and chemical data for building a baseline;

c) Using oil manufacturer, oil handling and distribution data for analysis;

d) Using machine and process information analysis;

e) Correlating machine and oil parameters;

f) Computing, transmitting, performing trending analysis and reporting results of oil and contaminants and process.

8. A process as recited in claim 7, wherein said performing trending analysis and reporting results of oil and contaminants comprise:

a) Using imaging recording means and testing parameters for performing trending analysis of contaminants;

b) Using imaging recording means and testing parameters for performing trending analysis of oil properties.

9. A apparatus for separating, testing and analyzing a sample of oil comprising:

a) A discharge apparatus which discharges a oil sample into a separation and removal device;

b) A separation and removal apparatus placed under the discharge apparatus to separate and remove magnetic, non-magnetic and fluid contaminants from oil;

c) A testing apparatus which tests and analyzes magnetic and non-magnetic contaminants and chemical and physical properties of the oil sample free of solid and liquid contaminants.

10. A apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said discharge apparatus comprises an oil container having a oil container lid at one end and a valve at the other.

11. A apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said oil container lid comprises:

a) A oil line supported by a modular line hose and connected to a lid through a port connector;

b) A vacuum source controlled by a valve connected to the lid through a vacuum port connector;

c) A temperature measurement tester placed through a temperature measurement tester cavity on the lid.

12. A apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said separation and removal apparatus comprises:

a) A magnetic contaminant separation and removal device placed above a non-magnetic particles separation and removal device;

b) A non-magnetic contaminant separation and removal device connected to a liquid separation and removal device;

c) A liquid separation and removal device connected to a fluid contaminant separated container.

13. A apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said magnetic contaminant separation and removal apparatus comprises:

a) A contaminant density distribution ruler with a magnet and a black plate;

a light source and a pivoted arm to support density ruler;

b) A spout dispenser placed above the non-magnetic contaminant separation and removal apparatus.

14. A apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said non magnetic contaminant separation and removal apparatus comprises:

a) a container with a drainage plug connected through a drainage line to a drainage container;

b) A bypass filtration line with a valve connected to vacuum funnel;

c) A vacuum funnel to support screen and to provide a vacuum port for vacuum line connected to vacuum source;

d) A flask connector placed between a container and a fluid contaminant separator and removal apparatus.

15. A apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said liquid contaminants separation and removal apparatus comprises:

a) A condensing container connected to a non-magnetic separation and removal apparatus through the flask connector;

b) A chemical or mechanical means to separate fluid contaminant from oil connected to a contaminant fluid container;

c) A flask container to keep the oil seperated from all contaminants.

16. A apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said separation and removal apparatus comprises:

a) A magnetic contaminants separation and removal device;

b) A non magnetic contaminants separation and removal device;

c) A liquid contaminants separation and removal device.

17. A apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said magnetic and non magnetic contaminants removal apparatus comprises:

a) A printable surface with a adhesive side and a hole;

b) A filter with a diameter larger than a concentric hole and supported by a printable surface on one side and an adhesive surface on the other side;

c) A support mesh placed under the filter.

18. A apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said testing apparatus comprises:

a) Testers selected from the group consisting of contaminant testers;

b) Testers selected from the group consisting of oil testers.

19. A apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said contaminant testers comprises:

a) Particle counter testers;

b) Recorder and amplifiers of magnetic and non-magnetic contaminant images.

20. A apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said testers comprises of one or more of oil testers:

a) Testers for TAN;

b) Testers for TBN;

c) Testers for color;

d) Testers for opacity;

e) Testers for chromatography;

f) Testers for viscosity;

g) Recorder and amplifiers of color and chromatography images.

21. A apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein said testers for chromatography comprises:

d) A printable surface with a adhesive side and a hole;

e) A chromatography paper with a diameter larger than the concentric hole is supported by a printable surface on one side and an adhesive surface on the other side.

22. A apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein tester apparatus further comprises a PC based analyzer which comprises:

a) Interfacing cabling systems;

b) Software apparatus to link all information for gathering, linking, relating and trending process and tester parameters and for recording images;

c) LCD display.