Professional lubricant oil supply for large gas engines, diesel engines and large gas compressors

Krampitz has been building oil supply systems since 1994. Several hundred systems have been produced in this period. Combustion engines as well as compressors are supplied via circulating oil lubrication from the oil pan of the machine in question. This oil, also called lubricating oil, is responsible for lubricating the crankshaft and for the sliding capability between the piston and the cylinder wall.

The machine continuously consumes very small quantities of lubricating oil during operation. A correct oil level in the oil pan is a basic requirement for trouble-free operation of the motor. In the case of small machines, the filling level in the oil pan is determined using a dipstick located in or above the oil pan. Refilling is carried out manually by the service personnel. Professional large machines are usually supplied by independent lubricating oil supply systems.

These lubricating oil supply systems have a fresh oil tank for storing the lubricating oil needed. Continuous-operation machines such as block-type thermal power stations usually have a quarterly volume for oil changes or after approx. 2200 operating hours. Of course, a suitable waste oil tank is also part of the system.

This waste oil tank is required for the collection of waste oil (accrues during the oil changes of the machines), which must be carried out regularly after 500 to 1000 operating hours, depending on the manufacturer’s specifications.

The tanks are equipped with level switches, overfill protection and mechanical float level indicators. Optionally, a fully electronic ultrasound-based content display can be installed. This shows the filling level of the tank in percent as well as in litres.
The tank is has steel double walls with vacuum leakage monitoring.

Further equipment components include the fish oil pump or the waste oil pumps and decentralised day tanks.

Waste oil conveying stations (called OSPs) are installed directly next to the oil pan of the machine if the lines to the waste oil tank are too long.

When the fresh oil is delivered in barrels, a barrel station serves to accept the oil into the system and to dispose of waste oil into barrels.

The design also includes filling and disposal cabinets with a tanker connection for receiving or extracting fresh oils or waste oils from or into tankers.

The oil pans of large machines have different level measurements and controls. Professional large-scale plants are usually equipped with electronic level switches in an external float housing right on the side of the machine. These level switches usually work with reed contacts that close the circuit when the level drops. This opens the inlet solenoid valve of the fresh oil line at the oil pan and fresh oil can flow in.

When the level rises, in the Max position, the reed contact opens. The circuit is interrupted and the inlet solenoid valve closes (closed dead).

Depending on the system design, if no day tanks are installed, the fresh oil pump of the fresh oil tank can also be requested when opening the inlet solenoid valve.

There are also mechanical oil pan inlet regulators. These, however, do not operate fully without faults.

There are two substantially different philosophies when it comes to the design of lubricating oil supply systems.

The first is based on the use of decentralised day tanks with static flow to the machine in question. These day tanks should be positioned about two metres above the inlet solenoid valve of the oil pan to achieve a proper static pressure of the oil level column in the fresh oil line. This guarantees smooth, fast flow of fresh oil into the oil pan. Advantage: The day tank operates completely independently of the rest of the fresh oil system. This variant does not build up high oil pressure in front of the inlet solenoid valve as is the case with direct filling by an electric oil conveyor pump. The static pressure causes the oil to flow in smoothly. The level of the lubricating oil in the oil pan is dosed precisely. A larger day tank (250 litres) can also supply two machines simultaneously.

The second philosophy is based on direct filling of the oil pans by the fresh oil pump of the lube oil supply system. Here, the benefits include a simple system structure and savings in investment costs.

For regular oil changes, the used lubricating oil (waste oil) is sucked out of the machine’s oil pan by the waste oil pump installed on the lubricating oil supply system and is pumped into the waste oil storage tank. For this purpose, the drain tap at the lowest point of the oil pan is opened manually immediately after the warm machine is switched off. Via the connected waste oil suction line, the warm engine oil is pumped by the waste oil pump into the waste oil tank of the lubricant oil supply system.

If the pipe routes are too long, it is advisable to install waste oil extraction stations (OSPs) directly at the oil pan to ensure safe removal of waste oil. This eliminates cavitation problems. Overfilling of the waste oil tank is prevented by an overfill protection installed in the waste oil tank. When the waste oil extraction is completed, the drain tap on the machine is closed manually.

Filling with fresh oil can now start. To this end, the inlet solenoid valve on the motor oil pan is opened. The fresh oil pump can now be started. Warning: If day tanks are integrated into the fresh oil conveying system, they must be disconnected beforehand using the installed ball cocks or solenoid valves. When the maximum filling level is reached, the activated inlet solenoid valve of the machine closes automatically. The machine is now filled correctly.

The fresh oil tank is generally filled using tankers. The fresh oil tank has a filling pipe that is connected to the filling and disposal cabinet by a pipeline. The filling and disposal cabinet is usually installed on the outside wall of the building. Filling and suction nozzles are installed in this lockable cabinet, in different configurations depending on the system standard.

The cabinet also contains the connection for the automatic switch-off of the tanker pump by the tank’s overfill protection. In addition, an alarm acknowledgement box is installed; when the overfill protection in the tank is triggered, the box triggers a visual and acoustic alarm via a flashing light and a horn. This alarm can be acknowledged by an acknowledgement button on the front of the box. This switches off the horn. The flashing light continues to flash as long as the overfill protection is no longer covered with liquid.

To extract the waste oil, the tanker driver connects the tanker’s extraction hose to the waste oil nozzle of the filling and disposal cabinet. An extraction pipe that reaches to the bottom of the tank is installed in the waste oil tank. This extraction pipe is connected to the extraction nozzle in the filling and disposal cabinet by means of a pipe connection. The tanker driver opens the ball cock on the suction nozzle and starts the extraction.

When the Min contact in the waste oil tank is reached, the second alarm acknowledgement box is triggered. This tells the tanker driver immediately that the tank is empty. Waste oil extraction is thus complete. The tanker driver acknowledges the alarm acknowledgement box and disconnects the tanker’s suction hose.