1/12/2021 Mill and Kiln Open Gear Lubrication – Part III: Technical Services - Tip of the Week - Lube

Tip of the Week - Lube Talk - Mobil Connect

Mill and Kiln Open Gear Lubrication – Part III: Technical Services

Technical Help Desk 28 Apr 2017

In the third post in this series, we cover gear inspection services, which can help you more easily establish
and maintain an open gear lubrication program.

As outlined in the first two posts in this series (part I and part II) , open gear lubrication can be quite complex
due to specific lubrication requirements and several choices in application method. 

Lubricant suppliers can help make navigating these challenges much easier by working with the
maintenance team to deliver a gear inspection service. Recommendations revealed in these inspections can
help you make the right changes to maximize your gear life, production and savings.

As part of the process, the field engineering team will conduct an inspection of central lubrication systems,
open gears and key lubrication points to seek early identification of abnormal conditions. Specifically, the
team will:

Inspect, report and document the condition of large open gears, bearings, lubricant system, seals and
housings of critical plant gear systems.
Estimate the impact on gear life of recommended improvements in operation and maintenance
practices
Evaluate the lubricant application and effectiveness and provide recommendations to optimize the
lubricant consumption and reduce safety concerns from lubricant leakage

The field engineering team will then work with the customer’s maintenance team and interface with
equipment builder engineers to develop recommendations around lubricant application system
improvement; lubricant feed rate optimization; lubricant leakage identification; and, extending equipment
life, either through lubricant recommendations or application improvements.

This process can result in some significant operational benefits, including optimized equipment uptime,
enhanced safety practices, minimized lubrication consumption, reduced waste and environmental impact,
and minimized maintenance and labor costs.

For example, a U.S. cement plant had been lubricating the open gears of its two kilns with an asphalt-based
oil. Seeking to optimize equipment performance and reduce lubricant consumption, the company worked
with the ExxonMobil engineering team to identify a better lubrication solution.

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1/12/2021 Mill and Kiln Open Gear Lubrication – Part III: Technical Services - Tip of the Week - Lube Talk - Mobil Connect

Previewing StagedaChanges
After conducting thorough gear inspection, the team recommended transitioning to an ultra-high viscosity
synthetic gear oil – Mobilgear SHC 22M – designed specifically for use in heavily loaded, low speed open
gears. This oil offers low-temperature fluidity, can be pumped over long distances, and can be used in
standard spray application equipment. The team also recommended using the recycled oil for drive chain
lubrication to further reduce disposal costs.

As a result of the changes, the cement plan experienced a substantial reduction in nozzle plugging, gear
buildup and disposal, helping increase spray intervals between relubrication periods, reduce lubricant
consumption by 75% and generate an annual savings of nearly $42,000.

In addition to gear inspection, lubricant suppliers can provide a range of other important services that can
help further enhance equipment performance, such as system flushing, used oil analysis and training
services.

One of the more valuable ones is commissioning and conversion. Once you’ve identified an optimal
lubricant for your application through an inspection, changing to that lubricant requires following some
important best practices.

That’s where the conversion and commissioning service can help, specifically by:

Obtaining base line data of existing gear and lubricant system condition.
Providing a benefit proposal to make the business case.
Helping implement the change.
Providing ongoing gear monitoring services.

Open gear equipment is too critical to take risks with, and your lubricant supplier can manage these risks to
deliver benefits and help deliver expert insights. ExxonMobil frequently works with customers to conduct all
these services, so reach out to us directly or to your local distributor to learn more.

Online SounakSasmal  1 comment  0 members are here

Offline JOSE MANUEL over 3 years ago

Thank you for the information, for the explanation of the gears inspection services, to maintain a lubrication
program for them and not to have production stoppages.

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