Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Evaluation of Debris from F-18 Engine Oil Filters

Abstract

Traditionally, the primary analytical instrument that monitors the "health" of mechanical oil systems in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Canadian Department of National Defence (CDND) is rotrode atomic emission spectroscopy (AES). The engine oil filter installed in the F-18 engine captures particles from the engine oil stream as small as 0.3 microns. This phenomenon renders AES surveillance of the F-18 engine oil system ineffective in detecting abnormal wear and impending engine failure. The debris that is extracted from the F-18 engine oil filter and captured on external filter media contains all the information necessary to detect abnormal wear and engine failure in the oil wetted sections of the F-18 engine. However, the debris is not in a suitable form to be analyzed by AES and requires considerable effort, time and hazardous chemicals to transform the debris into a form suitable for analysis by AES. A method has been developed at the JOAP-TSC that utilizes Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) to analyze the debris extracted from the engine oil filter and captured on filter media with little effort. Warning levels for elements have been statistically derived. The EDXRF Filter Debris Analysis (FDA) method provided 100 or more operating hours of advanced warning of engine failure. In addition, the EDXRF-FDA method can indicate the areas of wear in the engine. The Canadian Forces (CF) at Trenton in conjunction with GasTops LTD have developed and tested a prototype Deployable Filter Debris Analysis (DFDA) machine that automatically cleans F-18 engine oil filters. The instrument also segregates particles according to size and ferromagnetic properties. A comparison is made between the evaluations of the particles on the DFDA filter and EDXRF analysis of the same particulate samples.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1998
Accession Number
ADA347528

Entities

People

  • Dianne Little
  • Gary R. Humphrey
  • R. Godin
  • Robert Whitlock

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Department Of Defense
  • Detectors
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Films
  • Filter Analysis
  • Filters
  • Filtration
  • High Pressure
  • Oil Filters
  • Particle Size
  • Physical Properties
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Synthetic Oils
  • Thin Films
  • Turbines
  • Weapon Systems
  • X Rays

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Image Processing and Computer Vision.
  • Tribology (the study of the boundary interaction between sliding surfaces, lubrication, wear and friction).