During a scheduled shutdown at a major automotive manufacturing facility in Martorell (Barcelona, Spain), Sicelub Lubritech performed a specialized off-line oil filtration service on a power generation turbine, achieving a significant reduction in particle contamination in approximately 24 hours.
Reliability and maintenance in cogeneration facilities
Cogeneration plants play an important role in energy-intensive industrial facilities by enabling the simultaneous production of electricity and useful thermal energy for manufacturing processes.
In these installations, maintaining adequate lubricant cleanliness is essential to protecting mechanical components, reducing contamination-related wear mechanisms, and supporting equipment reliability.
In this project, the intervention was carried out on a 15 MW SGT-400 turbine, equipped with a lubrication system containing approximately 5,000 liters of Castrol mineral oil.
High-efficiency filtration during the scheduled shutdown
To perform the service, Sicelub Lubritech’s technical team deployed a mobile filtration unit with a nominal flow capacity of 300 liters per minute, equipped with 1-micron filter elements rated at β ≥ 1,000, according to the equipment specifications.
The service was performed using an external (off-line) filtration circuit, allowing the lubricant to be recirculated and conditioned independently of the turbine’s main lubrication circuit during the maintenance shutdown.
This approach enables contamination removal activities to be concentrated within a defined maintenance window, taking advantage of equipment availability and preparing the lubrication system for its subsequent return to service.
Oil cleanliness monitoring through on-site particle analysis
A key aspect of the project was the ability to verify filtration results directly at the facility using a PAMAS S40 portable particle counter, based on laser optical detection technology.
The instrument enabled oil cleanliness measurements throughout the intervention, providing results in less than five minutes and allowing the technical team to monitor changes in cleanliness levels according to ISO 4406.
The recorded results were:
- Initial ISO cleanliness code: 20/18/11.
- Final ISO cleanliness code: 16/14/11.
- Approximate intervention duration: 24 hours.
- Lubrication system oil volume: 5,000 liters.
The four-code reduction in the first two ISO 4406 particle-size categories demonstrates a significant decrease in lubricant particle contamination, corresponding to an estimated 94% reduction in particle concentration within those categories.
Maintenance focused on industrial reliability
Lubricant contamination control is a fundamental practice in proactive maintenance and industrial asset reliability management.
Solid particles can contribute to abrasive wear and accelerate the deterioration of lubricated components. Their removal and continuous monitoring are therefore important elements of condition-based maintenance programs.
Through this intervention, Sicelub Lubritech once again demonstrates its ability to deliver specialized lubricant conditioning services by combining high-efficiency filtration equipment, diagnostic instrumentation, and experienced technical personnel.
The results highlight the importance of incorporating measurable oil cleanliness targets into maintenance strategies for critical equipment, particularly during scheduled shutdowns at demanding industrial facilities.
