Masking Water When Using a Laser Particle Counter
Abstract
The interaction of a water droplet with the sensor of a laser particle counter causes the water droplet to be measured as a (solid) particle since the droplet obscures at least a portion of the light. Thus when using a laser particle counter both water and solid particles are counted as contaminants. There are advantages for knowing both the concentration of water in an oil sample and the concentration solid' particles. Moreover, situations arise when it is advantageous to know the true concentration of solid particles when using a laser particle counter. This paper outlines a method for masking water and obtaining the solid particle content in an oil sample. The paper discusses theory and provides a procedure used for masking water in mineral oils (and also polyalphaolefins, PAO). A 1:1 mixture of mineral oil and mixed solvent (mixed solvent = 3 parts toluene and 1 part isopropanol) effectively eliminates water concentrations up to 10,000 ppm in oil. The mixed solvent essentially dissolves water present while still being soluble in mineral oils. A similar solvent mixture has been found effective in masking water in glycol based oils.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA347526
Entities
People
- A. A. Carey
- John Mountain
- Mong-chin Lin