I often assume that people know what I mean when I talk about my work. Recently, I was talking with someone about Oil Mist Lubrication. I talked about the subject for a while. Then the listener asked, “Is that oil mist for machining parts?” This question made me think. How many people really understand Oil Mist Lubrication when I write about it on LinkedIn? I need a short elevator speech about the what, where, and why of Oil Mist Lubrication?
What is oil mist? Oil mist is a mixture of air and oil. It looks like cigarette smoke. But this mist is cool, dry, and free of contaminants. A bearing needs the correct type, quantity, quality, location, and time of lubrication. We call these the five “Rights” of lubrication. Oil mist gives a bearing all five Rights. This creates the perfect environment for a long bearing life.
A generator in one central location combines the oil and the air. This generator creates very small particles, only a few microns in size. Oil mist at this size can travel long distances, up to 1000 feet. But this dry mist cannot lubricate a bearing by itself. At the bearing, the oil mist passes through a reclassifier. A reclassifier is a small device with an orifice, or opening. The reclassifier gives the correct amount of oil mist to the bearing. It also causes the oil particles to collide and combine. This wets the bearing surface for lubrication.
Where do you lubricate with oil mist? The oil mist enters the bearing housing and flows through the bearing. You no longer need an oil sump, an automatic oiler, or a slinger ring. We call this method “pure mist.” In pure mist, oil mist is the only source of lubrication for the bearing. But some bearings still need an oil sump. Examples are journal bearings (metal-to-metal) and the gears inside a gearbox. For this equipment, we use a method called “Purge Mist.”
For electric motors, we remove the grease fitting and all the grease. Then we apply oil mist instead. We also purge mist other equipment, such as cooling tower gearboxes.
Why do hundreds of thousands of pumps and motors worldwide use oil mist lubrication? Here are the benefits:
- Up to 90% fewer bearing failures caused by lubrication.
- Users report 40% fewer failures in wet-sump equipment purged with oil mist. Oil change intervals also increase by a factor of 8.
- A large reduction in seal failures.
- Less oil usage.
- Better storage preservation. Oil mist continually purges standby equipment. This keeps the bearing ready for service.
There is more to say about oil mist. I tried to keep my elevator speech to 150 words or less. I could not do it. But this is my best attempt to explain the technology well.