Removal of Wear Particles from Oils Using High Gradient Magnetic Separation

Information concerning the efficiency with which small ferromagnetic wear particles may be removed from lubricating oils by high gradient magnetic separation, and to determine the dependence of that efficiency upon system parameters such as magnetic field strength and flow rate. An attempt has also been made to provide evidence that lubricant properties are improved by high gradient magnetic filtering in accelerated wear situations. Although the results of such tests have been positive, they must be considered tentative until more comprehensive tests under normal wear conditions have been carried out. Tests of this kind involving normal wear in a Diesel engine are now being planned. Quantitative determinations of the efficiency of high gradient magnetic filtering of oil were made using clean oil that had been seeded with micron size iron spheres. These determinations were later repeated and fortified by experiments in which oil was circulated through a loop containing both a filter and a wear particle generator in the form of a Falex lubricant test machine.