Progressive Oil Sensor Systems for Extended IDentification ON-line

In the European funded project POSSEIDON  IMM is developing solutions for the online analysis of lubricants used with ship motors. Aim of the overall project is to develop an online sensor system which is able to perform in use a maximum comprehensive condition analysis of lubricants used on board of a ship. The following achievements are aspired: 

• Detection of problems resulting in instant measures
• Enhanced life time of motor components and lubricants
• Reduction of used lube oils (currently 2 Mt/a)
• Avoidance of undesirable breakdowns and disastrous errors 
• Incorporation of planned and initiative maintenance and inspection
• Improved understanding of motor operation and design 
• Reduction of the dependency on inadequate analyses on shore and on field tests
• Integration with the board management system as well as remote supervision

Essential components of the online sensor system being implemented by IMM are NIR sensors, realized as transmission or ATR cells for the detection of contaminations like water, or micromechanical sensors allowing to measure viscosity via shear forces. Other partners take care of suitable sensors for particle detection in the lubricant and for the determination of the Total Base Number (TBN). The single sensors will later be integrated with the entire system via a bypass and will be centrally controlled.

Contact: Dr. Thomas Klotzbücher, Microstructuring Technologies and Sensors Department,
Phone: +49 6131/990 143