Portable IR Analyzer Measures Soot Levels in Diesel Engine Oils Without  Sample Preparation

Extended drain times, combined with stringent emission requirements, make it important to routinely check the soot levels in diesel engine lubricating oil. Rapid, on-site field measurement of soot concentration levels in diesel engine oils at levels as high as 12 - 15% takes less than 30 seconds with the InfraCal Soot Meter available from Wilks Enterprise (USA). This compact, pushbutton analyzer provides direct readout of the percent of suspended carbon (soot) in diesel engine lubricating oils without sample preparation, dilution, or solvents and messy transmission cells to clean. Currently, an ASTM Method covering the InfraCal Soot Meter entitled, "Condition Monitoring of Soot in In-Service Petroleum and Hydrocarbon-Based Lubricants Using a Fixed-Filter Infrared (IR) Instrument", is pending.

Since the InfraCal Soot Meter was specifically designed for easy, on-site testing, it represents a major time savings from the widely-used and accepted thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and FT-IR methods that are impractical as field analysis methods. The measurement data obtained from the Soot Meter will correlate to TGA and FT-IR analysis techniques with several distinct advantages. Analysis time with the InfraCal Soot Meter is less than 30 seconds per sample with direct readout of soot levels as high as 12 – 15% without sample dilution or transmission cells to clean. The Soot Meter is significantly lower in cost and one step, pushbutton operation makes it easy to use with minimal operator training.

A rugged, no-moving parts design ensures years of virtually maintenance-free operation with the InfraCal Soot Meter. Weighing less than 5 lbs., it operates off 12 volt d.c. power and is ideal for use along side diesel engines for on-site, field measurements, in the used oil/engine testing laboratory, at power generation stations, or for truck, bus, and off-highway equipment fleets. The InfraCal Soot Meter is Ideal for use on all types of diesel lubricating oils and engines.