Air Sentry(TM)
One of the most common causes of breakdowns, downtime, bacterial growth, and sludge products is oil contaminated by water and particulate matter such as metal, rust, and dust.
When oil becomes contaminated, a degradation process begins that downgrades the oil's quality and properties. Then, the system in which the oil resides starts to break down. It only takes dust particles to enter for a degradation process to start. The dust enters the oil and slowly but surely begins to wear away small metal particles from pipes and oil tanks. These metal particles circulate in the system, wearing away larger particles from walls and components, which begin to cause significant damage in the form of degradation of pumps, gears, and hydraulic components.
If you imagine that situation, but also add water, the damage becomes even more significant: oxygen reaches scratched areas and loose metal particles, which begin to rust. The rust mixes into the oil along with other particles and initiates a breakdown of the oil molecules, resulting in sludge products. When these sludge products adhere to walls and components, favorable environments are created for degrading bacteria that begin to "eat" the oil and produce more contamination products. These bacteria do not necessarily need oxygen; instead, they produce their own gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane – leading to gas bubbles that cause even greater mechanical damage. And if that weren't enough, they can also produce pure acid, which accelerates the rusting process and can lead to enormous and irreparable damage.
There are different ways to protect against oil degradation, and a breather is the first line of defense. By drying and filtering the air that enters the oil system, moisture and particles can be prevented. Often, one breather per system is sufficient. In well-designed systems, air usually has only one way to enter and exit.
If your oil has already been contaminated or an air filter is not enough, the second line of defense is a powerful oil filter that can continuously purify the oil and prevent a degradation process from continuing. Oil filtration, together with a breather, can restore already contaminated oil, as long as it has not degraded too much, and can extend the life of new oil by several years.
At ROVAB, for almost 30 years, we have developed a product range for the most demanding jobs in the Nordic region. We offer oil maintenance for everything from contracting and agriculture to mines, the electrical industry, marine applications, and manufacturing. Today, we have had one of the world's leading breathers, Air Sentry, for over 20 years, and can offer both broad and specific solutions to small and large companies.
Also read about Oil Filtration!
Rovab's Breathers:
