RELIABILITY ADVANTAGE TRAINING BULLETIN

Using only “balanced”

constant level lubricators
Heinz Bloch, P.E.
Reliability / Rotating Equipment Consultant

F or many decades constant level lubricators

have been the standard lubricant supply sys-
tem for huge numbers of bearing housings. They have
duce heat and if--as shown in Figure 2--there is no
housing vent, the pressure inside the bearing housing
will become higher than that of the outside air. In that
case, the oil level in the housing will be forced down,
been supplied for a wide spectrum of machines, in- and the oil that’s displaced will rise in the lubricator
cluding millions of centrifugal pumps, gear units, and assembly. It doesn’t take much of a pressure increase
electric motors equipped with oil-lubricated bearings. in the housing for the oil to no longer to contact the
However, the widely used non-balanced open-to- bearing!
atmosphere types of constant level lubricating devices
are often misapplied. Obviously, when constant level
lubricators are misapplied, bearings could be deprived
of lubrication and might fail.
How Different Constant Level
Lubricators Work

On the Open-to-
Atmosphere (OTA) type
constant level lubricator
shown here, the desired
oil level is determined by
the height setting of a
leveling bar threaded into
a centrally located sup-
port. The oil stays in the
bottle as long as the oil
level in the bearing hous-
ing is level with the
mouth of the bottle.
When the oil level drops,
air enters the bottle. Oil
then flows out until the
oil level in the bearing housing is again up to the
mouth of the bottle. But notice that the lubricator is
open to the atmosphere, as indicated by the words “air
path” in Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a fully closed oil system. Notice how
Notice that the constant level lubricator can be the top of the sight glass is connected to the bearing
mounted either at the side or bottom of the bearing housing. Now the pressure acting on the oil level will
housing (see Fig. 2). If side connection is chosen, ob- equal the pressure in the sight glass. The same princi-
serve the need to connect on the “up-arrow side.” Do- ple of pressure equalization is at work in the
ing so will reduce oil level fluctuations. “balanced” constant level lubricator of Figure 4. An
Of course we know that an operating bearing will pro- (Continued on back)

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 NOVEMBER 2004

Copyright © 2005 AESSEAL plc - 07/2005 Registered Trademarks:- AESSEAL®- AESSEAL plc
All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holder.
 RELIABILITY ADVANTAGE TRAINING BULLETIN

(Continued from front)

internal O-ring ensures that the oil level (which

reaches to the beveled edge of the tube that’s con-
nected to the glass bowl) is always “in balance” with
the pressure that’s acting on the oil level inside the
housing.

There are case histories and cost justification exam-

So, if you use a Figure 1 type constant level lubricator
and notice overheating of the bearing, it’s often be-
cause of a slight pressure build-up in the bearing
housing causing its oil level being too low. The solution
may be a larger vent, but larger vents tend to ingest
lots of airborne contaminants and are definitely not
recommended. A vastly preferred solution would be to
change over to the balanced constant level lubricator
of Fig. 4. Or, consider letting an AESSEAL specialist
explain how cartridge-type double-face magnetic bear-
ing housing seals can hermetically seal your equip-
ment bearing housings. In that case, you would simply
no longer need any lubricator. But if you insisted on
having one anyway (i.e. “belts and suspenders”), be
sure to use only a balanced lubricator, per Fig. 4.
ples where magnetic seals have virtually eliminated oil
contamination. Keeping the oil clean has often al-
lowed extending oil drain intervals as much as six-fold.
Being able to keep oil in service longer avoids consid-
erable maintenance and disposal costs. It also makes
it economically attractive to use high performance
synthetic lubricants. In turn, these synthetics have
greater film strength and tenacity. With their lower
coefficients of friction, they often save as much as 5%
of the energy consumed.
Perhaps you’ve noticed that all of our illustrations
showed lube oil reaching the center of the lowermost
bearing ball. However, that is not always the right thing
to do. Rolling elements hitting the oil at high velocity
may cause excessive heat. The oil level may have to
be lowered and an oil ring or similar lube application
device may be required.
The next AESSEAL Reliability Advantage will discuss
the subject.

About the author

Heinz P. Bloch, P.E., AESSEAL consultant, is a consulting engineer and ASME Fellow with an office in Des
Moines, Iowa. He advises industry world-wide on reliability improvement and maintenance cost-reduction
issues. Before retiring from Exxon in 1986 after over two decades of service, AESSEAL Inc.
his career included an assignment as Exxon Chemical’s Regional Machinery 10231 Cogdill Road
Specialist for the U.S., as well as machinery oriented staff and line positions
Knoxville, TN 37932
with Exxon affiliates in the USA, Italy, Spain, England, The Netherlands and
Japan. He is the author or co-author of fourteen books and over 300 technical Phone: 865-531-0192
papers and articles. He also functions as the Reliability/Equipment editor of
Fax: 865-531-0571
Hydrocarbon Processing Magazine and chairs the yearly International Process
Plant Reliability Conference. Email him at hpbloch@mchsi.com. E-mail: seals@aesseal.com

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 NOVEMBER 2004

Copyright © 2005 AESSEAL plc - 07/2005 Registered Trademarks:- AESSEAL®- AESSEAL plc
All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holder.