MechChem Africa May-June 2023

How to find reliable lubrication solutions for coastal environments Llewellyn Owen, national sales manager at Lubrication Engineers (LE) talks about the need to work with clients to understand their challenges and find the right lubrication solutions for their specific needs, particularly in coastal areas.

while these assets ‘breathe’. Where storage tanks and working assets are subjected to continuous temperature changes and large fluctuations in humidity, it is critical to in vestigate preventative measures to combat potential problems and implement them. ARS tools can play an important role in this regard. Owen adds that different industrial and agricultural applications require lubrication that will help get the best out of equipment and get the best returns for clients on the lifespan of their machinery. “Every industry has its own troublesome or problematic ma chine or component,” he says. Having the right lubrication partner gives maintenance teams access to expert advice, skills, and technology to help them solve any challenges that arise. For example, marine application lubrication can be particularly tricky – on fishing boats and boat trailers, for example. LE has developed a range of products specifically designed for these applications. For instance, LE 1498/9 is a waterproof grease that is suitable for marine use as it is not affected by saltwater. In the coastal agricultural industry, equip ment such as crop sprayers require a lubricant in the gearbox that can handle not only the environmental issues, but also constant water ingress. “In these instances, you need to have a high-quality lubricant that can separate from water easily, yet still protect the moving parts. LE’s high quality multi-viscosity EP gearbox oils outlast the majority of other lubricants offered in this market,” says Owen. “We like to think of ourselves as a head ache tablet. Regardless of the difficulty a client might be experiencing, whether it be a lubricant solution problem or a heat problem, we are able to assist our clients in solving or greatly reducing their downtime and improv ing their productivity,” he concludes. www.lubricationengineers.co.za The more we can help a client to protect and extend the life of its assets, the better the client’s business does.

Oxidation, rust, corrosion and water exposure can be significantly higher along South Africa’s coastal belt than inland. So much so that coastal conditions are often classified as ‘extreme condition environments’.

O xidation, rust, corrosion, and water exposure can be signifi cantly higher along South Africa’s coastal belt than inland. So much so that coastal conditions are often classified as ‘extreme condition environments’. This does not have to mean, however, that components operating in coastal plants will always have a shorter lifespan or run less efficiently than their inland equivalents. The key to extending the life of any piece of equipment is to protect it by using the right lubrication products in the correct quantities and at the appropriate frequency. Lubrication Engineers (LE) South Africa has long-standing relationships with clients in many different industries in South Africa’s coastal areas and has seen immense improve ments in its clients’ equipment lifespans and performance where the right lubrication is applied, and preventative maintenance devices are used. Llewellyn Owen, National Sales Manager at LE, explains that it is essen tial to work with clients to understand their challenges and find the right solution for their specific needs. This is particularly important in coastal areas where clients have to factor in the environmental impact on wear and tear, and contamination. Beginning with an onsite equipment as sessment, a trained lubrication consultant should be able to recommend lubricants, application methods, usage amounts, and drain or lube intervals to ensure effective maintenance.

Protecting coastal equipment Preventative maintenance and LE’s aftermar ket reliability solutions (ARS) form an impor tant part of this approach. “The better we can help a client in protecting and extending the life of its assets, the better the client’s business does, and the more money the client makes, because there are no continuous issues with downtime. Clients can achieve their targets as far as asset life is concerned. We find that the predictions set out are often exceeded by implementing these systems when running a high-spec, appropriate lubricant,” explains Owen. One example of this is enclosed gear boxes. Owen says that many imported en closed gearboxes do not have adequate level monitors or sight glasses, or the sight glasses get contaminated over time and it becomes difficult for operators to see what is happening inside the gearbox. LE’s Duolec ® Industrial Gear Oil solutions have proved to be an excellent and extremely reliable solution for enclosed gearboxes in coastal applications. “We have cases where we have gearboxes using Duolec ® lubrication that have been running for more than 22 years. The way that the Duolec ® Industrial Gear Oil product keeps oxidation from metal parts and gears is mindboggling,” Owen adds. Preventative devices, such as LE’s High Humidity Desiccant Breathers, can also be helpful air recovery system (ARS) tools when installed on gearboxes, pumps, transformers, and lubricant reservoirs. They help to exclude large amounts of airborne contamination

10 ¦ MechChem Africa • March-April 2023