Mineral-Based Turbine Fluid Pre-Varnish Solubility Demonstration

This video shows two mineral-based lubricating fluid samples from the same gas turbine lubricant reservoir. The lubricant is approximately 3 years old and has an MPC value of 35, which is typical for average gas turbines. The sample on the right is "as found" in the reservoir and accurately demonstrates how pre-varnish compounds can be soluble or insoluble depending on the fluid temperature. At operating temperatures, the fluid can retain large portions of pre-varnish compounds. However, as the fluid cools, such as during an turbine outage or shut-down, the fluid loses it solvency and the pre-varnish compounds crash-out of the fluid. The sample of the left has been treated with ICB, which has removed the oxidation by-products (pre-varnish compounds) and does so successfully at normal operating temperatures.

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