On-line and In-line Wear Debris Detectors:

What's Out There?

Sabrin Gebarin
Tags: wear debris analysis, oil analysis
Wear debris analysis is essential to effectively gauging machinery life. When machine
components begin to wear, the evidence can usually be found in the lubricant flowing
through the machine. For example, as parts undergo sliding, fatigue or creep, pieces
of metal will begin to break off the components and show up as wear debris in the
lubricant.
Because so much can be learned about a machine’s health through wear debris
analysis, many companies are spending a lot of time and money developing
instruments that can provide real-time information about suspended debris in a
machine’s lubricant. These instruments allow maintenance personnel to effectively
measure the oil’s true condition and predict component failure.

Traditionally, wear debris analysis has been performed at routine maintenance checks,
when oil samples are taken and sent to a lab for analysis. While laboratories are
equipped to run complete diagnostic checks on the lubricant, in some cases it can take
up to several days or even weeks to obtain the oil analysis results.

In the meantime, a distressed component may have already failed, resulting in lost
productivity and major repair expense. As new real-time wear debris analysis tools
become available, maintenance personnel will be able to detect changes in a
machine’s condition immediately and repair a damaged component before catastrophic
failure.

Types of Debris Monitoring

The goal of debris monitoring is to determine the presence, size and possible origin of
both metallic and nonmetallic wear debris. There are three main wear debris
monitoring techniques. The most widely used is off-line monitoring, which requires a
physical sample to be taken.
The sample is then analyzed either in an onsite or off-site lab, or by a portable wear
debris monitor. In addition to this traditional off-line monitoring method in which
analysis occurs away from the equipment, there are two other wear debris analysis
techniques: on-line and in-line (Figure 1).
Click Here to See Figure 1 - Oil Analysis Monitoring Positions
On-line and in-line monitors automatically monitor the suspension for wear debris. One
advantage of both on-line and in-line monitoring is that outside influences have little
impact on these two techniques.
On-line monitors continuously sample and analyze a portion of the flow. However, on-
line monitoring can be misrepresentative of the system if the portion sampled is too
small relative to the system flow. Results from small samples may not indicate
problems, even when the oil actually contains wear debris. This can also be a problem
with off-line monitoring.
In-line monitors measure the full flow continuously. In-line monitoring results are
immediate and not generally affected by outside influences. These monitors provide
continuous real-time data, which allows companies to implement condition trending
and condition-based maintenance. In addition, in-line monitoring reduces the cost of oil
sampling and laboratory analysis.

Technologies Currently Available

Several companies, using various technologies, offer in-line and on-line products
designed to detect wear debris in the fluid. It should be noted that because sensors
use different technologies to determine lubricant condition, their ability to detect
specific lubricant faults varies (see “Wear Debris Detection Technologies,” sidebar at
the bottom of this article).

Eaton Engineered Sensors

Smart Zapper® Electric Chip Detector
The Smart Zapper electric chip detector collects ferromagnetic
debris and provides an external signal. It has two electrodes
spaced apart with a central magnetic surface to attract ferrous
wear debris. The electrodes are connected to an external
circuit. Once a certain amount of debris is collected on the
surface, the circuit is closed and a signal is activated.

The Smart Zapper is able to reduce unnecessary false signals

by generating a current pulse that is strong enough to melt
away smaller particles while not affecting the larger wear debris particles. Debris is
then maintained for further analysis.

QDM® (Quantitative Debris Monitor)

The QDM is a magnetic flux sensor that captures ferrous wear
debris, provides a signal that is related to the mass of the
captured particle(s) and retains the particles for inspection and
analysis. Often, although not always, the sensor is installed in a full-flow housing for
optimum capture efficiency. For example, Eaton supplies a full-flow, in-line vortex
separator (Lubriclone®) that separates debris particles from the oil with efficiencies
approaching 100 percent, depending on particle size and permissible pressure drop.
For aerated lubrication systems, such as those in gas turbine engines, the separator
can also deaerate the oil (three-phase vortex separator). The separator can be
furnished with a self-closing valve so that little fluid is lost when the sensor is removed
for inspection. If the signal conditioner reaches a predetermined unacceptable wear
debris level, it alarms. The signal conditioner can interface with six different sensors at
a time.

MACOM Technologies Ltd.

TechAlert™ 30
The TechAlert™ 30 sensor is a magnetic probe sensor unit that is
placed directly into the lubricating fluid. It is able to capture
ferromagnetic debris. As the wear particles are collected, the
onboard microprocessor provides a signal, which indicates the
amount of debris captured. A trend of debris captured against time
is generated and alarm levels can be set depending upon the application. The TechAler
30 is intended to be fitted in self-contained gear boxes or in any oil sump.

TechAlert™ 20
The TechAlert™ 20 is an on-line sensor designed to measure the
amount of ferromagnetic wear debris in circulating lubrication
systems. The sensor generates an output that is proportional to t
amount of debris captured. When this output reaches a preset
threshold level determined in the set-up of the onboard processo
the unit initiates a flush cycle which allows the captured debris to
be swept off with the flow of the oil over the sensor head.
Determining the time between flushes and the rate of debris
generation provides real-time monitoring of the machine based upon the changes in the
bulk load of the ferrous debris in the lubricant. The TechAlert 20 is suitable for use in an
circulating lubricating oil system. It is especially useful for monitoring fluids from gear
boxes, hydraulic systems, rolling element bearings, engine crankcases and process
pumps.
TechAlert™ 10
The TechAlert™ 10 is an on-line, flow-through magnetic inductive
sensor, which detects both ferrous and nonferrous particles in
circulating oil lubrication systems. The sensor output provides
information on debris particle size distribution by registering counts
in bin sizes. The unit uses a patented screening technique to
remove any false alarms caused by the presence of water or air in
the fluid. It can be used to monitor a wide variety of machinery, including rolling element
bearings, gear boxes, pumps, turbines and engines.

According to Macom Technologies, if used in series, the TechAlert 10 and the TechAlert
20 will provide a revealing picture of wear debris generated at different failure stages fro
benign wear through advanced failure in machine components.

GasTOPS Ltd.
MetalSCAN
MetalSCAN is wear debris sensor that can be mounted in-line
without affecting flow resistance or line pressure. The MetalSCAN
sensor monitors the disturbance to an alternating magnetic field,
which is caused by the passage of a metallic particle through the
sensing coil assembly. As a particle crosses the sensor, it couples with the magnetic fie
The signal phase for nonferromagnetic metals is opposite to that of ferromagnetic meta
This differentiates between the types of wear metal particles. The sensor transmits the
information to a digital signal processor unit, which can monitor up to six individual
sensors. It provides multilevel warnings and alarm indications. The sensor does not coll
the debris, so there is no cleaning required and no false alarms caused by debris buildu
It is designed for harsh environments. The MetalSCAN is commonly used in both militar
and commercial applications including pipelines, co-generation plants, and commercial
and naval vessels.
Manor Technology Monitoring Ltd.
PATROL®
PATROL® is an in-line wear debris monitor that contains a pair of
inductive coils in a bridge arrangement around a fluid-carrying tube.
As metallic particles pass through the field of coils, they affect the
field in two ways. First, because any conductive particle creates an
induced current, a power loss from the coil is sensed. Second, ferromagnetic debris
increases the flux density around the coil. Circuitry detects the two effects and produces
two voltage outputs corresponding to ferrous and nonferrous particle passage. PATROL
can monitor ferrous particles as small as 25 microns and nonferrous particles down to 9
microns. Fluid flows through the sensor without significant obstruction, therefore there is
no pressure restriction caused by particles. PATROL operates efficiently at temperature
ranging from less than 0°C to 125°C, and in some cases up to 250°C. Because of its
ability to operate in this wide temperature range, the instrument is effective in a variety o
applications.

As a continuous full-flow in-line debris detector, PATROL avoids the errors and delays th
result from laboratory oil analysis and capture efficiency problems common with the
magnetic collection-type debris monitors. A proprietary algorithm enables the sensor to
issue alerts at stages of abnormal wear.
T. F. Hudgins Inc. Spinner II Products
Grid Switch®
The Grid Switch is an on-line, side-stream ferrous wear debris
monitor. The unit is encased in a sturdy, aluminum housing. As o
flows into the Grid Switch, it comes in contact with the perforated
circuit board comprised of two, interposed electrical grids. When
sufficient quantities of wear particles accumulate on the board, th
two grids are bridged, connecting the circuit and triggering an alarm. The alarm can be
configured to provide either a visual or audible warning. The alarm may also be set up t
automatically shut down the engine. A key advantage of the Grid Switch is that it require
no moving parts. It needs little maintenance, and may be cleaned or inspected without
shutting down associated equipment. The Grid Switch can be used in engines and othe
lubricated equipment such as gearboxes, transmissions and compressors.

Lubrigard Ltd.
Lubrigard Onboard Oil Condition Sensor
The Lubrigard sensor is an in-line, full-flow oil condition sensor with
temperature detecting capability. It directly measures the dielectric
loss factor (sometimes referred to as Tandelta), which is known to
increase with strongly polar contaminants such as water, glycol and
oxidation products. Being electrically conductive, metallic wear debris and soot also
increase Tandelta. The dielectric loss factor has a greater dynamic range (typically 0.00
to 0.1 or higher) than dielectric constant (typically 2.2 to 2.9) and is a more sensitive
indicator of oil condition. The simplicity of the design leads to a small, compact sensor,
which can be fitted to an oil feed line, filter housing or sump. The sensor output is an
analog voltage which can be set to various alarm thresholds or can be stored as a time
history for subsequent download.
Spectro Analytical Instruments Inc.
On-line Model 600T-LP Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) Process
Analyzers
Spectro has developed EDXRF technology for on-line elemental
measurements of suspended particles for use in quality monitorin
or process control. EDXRF technology allows the user to measur
concentrations of elements with atomic numbers from 12
(magnesium) to 92 (uranium). The sensing unit can be configure
to sense any of these elements or their compounds; up to six different elements at a tim
The advantages of XRF technology are that it is nondestructive, noninvasive and typica
needs minimal service. Analysis times can vary from 125 milliseconds to 600 seconds
with typical times of 100 to 240 seconds. The Controller cabinet holds the electronics. T
Analyzer cabinet contains the flow cell and XRF measurement head.
The measurement takes place in the flow cell, which is made of materials specifically
chosen to be inert to the fluid being analyzed. The flow cell has a window that is
application-specific based on process variables and energy characteristics. As the fluid
goes through the flow cell, the analyzer’s X-ray tube or radioisotope source emits X-ray
through the flow cell window into the process fluid. The targeted elements are excited b
the X-rays and fluoresce photons back through the flow cell window to the detector, whi
converts them into an analog output. The analog output is then converted into a scaled
signal by the controller electronics. The Model 600(T)-LP is capable of monitoring up to
seven sample streams in a single analyzer cabinet. Spectro’s EDXRF analyzer can be
used in a wide variety of applications in monitoring the elemental constituents of
lubricating fluids.
New Technologies Lockheed Martin Corp. and FRAS
Technology
LaserNet Fines
LaserNet Fines technology is unique because it combines particle
counting and shape classification into a single instrument. The
LaserNet Fines Wear Debris Analysis instrument analyzes particles
in a fluid using laser-based image processing technology to directly
size and characterize particles in the 4 µm to greater than 100 µm range. As a particle
counter, the unit measures particle concentration levels in accordance with standard
cleanliness ratings: ISO 4406, NAS 1638 and NAVAIR 01-1A-17. As a wear particle
classifier, the unit can classify particles greater than 20 µm into wear debris and
contamination categories: severe sliding wear, cutting wear, fatigue wear, fibers,
nonmetallic particles, free water, air and others.
LaserNet Fines is a commercial PC-based instrument which combines custom laser
imaging of particles and artificial intelligence to monitor wear condition of critical
machinery components. It analyzes machinery fluids such as hydraulic oil, lubricants an
fuels with a laser-imaging optical flow cell. The laser-based camera images the fluid
moving through the flow cell to detect wear particles, which are classified by size and ty
to create reports to identify machinery components for preventive maintenance. It also
maintains a database of detected particle images greater than 20 µm to allow trending o
historical wear data.

When integrated with FRAS Technology’s DynaSamp on-line fluid sampler, the existing
batch commercial unit can continuously withdraw samples from the fluid to create an
accurate and automatic on-line particle analyzer; thus removing the chance of
contamination when retrieving samples. Lockheed Martin is currently developing LaserN
Fines products for portable and wireless applications.

For more information on the LaserNet Fines see “LaserNet Fines - A New Tool for the O
Analysis Toolbox” in Practicing Oil Analysis magazine’s September - October 2002 issu
Smiths Aerospace Electronic Sensors
Oil-Line Sensor
Smiths Aerospace is developing an electrostatic oil-line sensor
(OLS) to detect both smaller metallic wear particles, or fines, and
nonmetallic particles in lubricating oils and liquids produced durin
the earliest stages of component degradation. The OLS is based
on the proven principle of electrostatic monitoring originally
developed to detect debris in the gas paths of jet engines using
strategically located sensors to monitor the electrostatic charge a
specific changes associated with debris generated by wear. Sensor data is usually
downloaded to a PC-based analysis package for further processing and trending. The
early detection of wear afforded by this direct technique offers a range of benefits in
several applications including aerospace, industrial, marine and others.
Future Technologies Qcept Technologies

CPD-DAQ Sensor and Software

Qcept Technologies is the developer of the patented Scanning Contact Potential
Difference (CPD) Sensor. The company, in collaboration with Georgia Institute of
Technology, is currently lab testing its CPD-DAQ sensor and software and is confident t
technology will provide revolutionary breakthroughs in machine condition monitoring. Th
CPD sensor is a fast, non-contact, robust sensor. It can measure multiple parameters a
high speed with a single sensor, including position, rotational velocity and acceleration,
torque, bearing skew, improper alignment, corrosion and contamination, and lubrication
condition and breakdown. While the technology doesn’t directly measure wear debris in
oil, it can detect the scars in the machine surface left by the wear process. Testing has
shown that the sensor and software have the capability to detect wear scars of only 0.3
µm depth, and sensitivity analysis suggests that even smaller deformations can be
detected. The sensor has also detected chemical films as thin as 3 nm or less.
Additionally, the sensor has been shown to produce a repeatable reliable signal in an oi
stream for varying concentrations of oil additives (simulating oil breakdown), and is
sensitive to changes in chemistry, contamination and wear. Along with its proprietary
software for data acquisition and imaging, and complete inspection systems, the CPD
sensor can be used to inspect and monitor a wide range of high-value components in
multiple industries.
Conclusion

Real-time wear debris monitoring technology is far from a mature technology. As

technologies advance, sensors are becoming and will continue to become more
accurate. They will offer more options and will become more compact. Technologies
like those used in the LaserNet Fines are able to discriminate between wear particles
and determine the likely origin of a problem before equipment failure occurs.
 Click Here to See Table 1 - Summary of Products
The costs of the available on-line and in-line monitors vary widely, based on the
technology and features. While it may appear that some of these wear debris monitors
are not cost-effective and sending samples quarterly or monthly to a lab is the best
maintenance strategy, it is important to consider the options. What would happen if a
process-critical machine were to fail today? How much profit is lost for each day of
unplanned shutdown? If the answer to that question is “not significant,” then
continuous sampling may not be the way to go. However, if mechanical failures can
shut down operations for extended periods and/or cost millions of dollars in damages
or lost revenue, continuous monitoring could be needed. When weighed against the
consequences of failure, the cost of an on-line or in-line monitor might be insignificant.
Sidebar 1 - Wear Debris Detection Technologies

Various methods exist for detecting wear particles in lubricants. Below are some
common technologies used in wear debris analysis:
Dielectric Constant
A dielectric is an insulator.Dielectric constant is the rate of electric flux density
produced in a material to the value in free space provided by the same electric field
strength. This technique is able to detect when a change has occurred in the oil. Oil
characteristics that affect the dielectric constant are oxidation, water, acids, mixed
fluids and wear debris.
Magnetic Flux
With this technique, the concentration of ferromagnetic particles is estimated by means
of a fixed magnetic field. The field collects the particles and the field is likewise
modified by the presence of the particles. This change in the magnetic flux is
monitored by a sensor. The change in flux is converted to ferromagnetic particle
concentration by means of an algorithm.
Magnetic Collection Switch/Grid
With this technology, ferromagnetic particles are attracted to an electric grid or plates
which serve as opposing electrodes. Current flow between the electrodes signals the
presence and general concentration of conductive magnetic particles. Depending on
the design, the spacing of the grid/plates and a time-sequence can be used to
estimate particle size and concentration of wear debris in the oil.
Induction Sensors
Induction involves modifying the magnetic flux as particles enter the magnetic field.
Typically, some kind of inductive coil is placed around a tube or container to create a
magnetic field through which the fluid passes. By using electronic circuitry, it is
possible to neglect signals from air bubbles. Induction sensors can also differentiate
between ferrous and nonferrous debris.
X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectroscopy
XRF identifies and quantifies chemical elements in a sample. The sample is irradiated
with X-rays, which causes electrons to move to higher levels. When electrons return to
their original state, they emit X-rays at an energy level associated with the particular
element. The intensity is proportional to the concentration of the element.
Dielectric Loss Factor
(see description of Lubrigard Onboard Oil Condition Sensor above.)
Laser Imaging
(See description of Lockheed Martin LaserNet Fines above.)
Electrostatic Collection
(See description of Smith Aerospace Oil Line Sensor above.)
Sidebar 1 information cited from:
Hunt, Trevor M., Handbook of Wear Debris Analysis And Particle Detection in Liquids.
London: Elsevier Applied Science, 1993.

Sidebar 2 - Supplier
Contact Details
Eaton Engineered Sensors
1111 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114-2584
 Phone: 216-523-5000
www.eaton.com
MACOM Technologies Ltd.
17 Glasgow Road
Paisley PAI 3QS
Scotland, UK
Phone: +44 (0)141 849 6287
www.macomtech.net
GasTOPS Ltd.
1011 Polytek Street
Ottawa, Ontario Canada
K1J 9J3
Phone: 613-744-3530
www.gastops.com
Manor Technology Monitoring Ltd.
7 Oldenburg,
Whiteley, Fareham, Hants, UK, PO15
7EJ
Phone: +44 (0)1489 880552
www.manortec.co.uk
T. F. Hudgins Inc.
Spinner II Products
PO Box 920946
Houston, TX 77292
Phone: 713-682-3651
www.spinnerii.com
Spectro Analytical Instruments Inc.
1515 North Highway 281
Marble Falls, TX 78654
Phone: 830-798-8786 option 4
www.spectro-usa.com
 Lubrigard Ltd.
PO Box 4186
Stowell, Sherborne, Dorset UK, DT9
4YE
Phone: +44 (0)7989 266 743
www.lubrigard.co.uk
Lockheed Martin Corp.
Naval Electronics & Surveillance
Systems - Akron
1210 Massillon Road
Akron, OH 44315-0001
Phone: 330-796-2800
www.lockheedmartin.com
Smiths Aerospace Electronic
Sensors-Southampton
School Lane, Chandlers Ford,
Eastleigh,
Hampshire, England,
SO53 4YG
Phone: +44 (0)23 8024 2000
www.shl.co.uk

Qcept Technologies Inc.

250 14th St. NW, Suite 4016
Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: 404-685-9434
www.qceptech.com