Main Causes Of Emulsification in Turbine Lubricating Oil

Writer： Kaiqian Oil Purifier Release time：2025-11-03 16:52 Clicks：

 Emulsification and whitening of turbine lubricating oil caused by water ingress are common and extremely hazardous. Oil and water form a stable mixture, preventing the lubricant from performing its critical functions of lubrication, cooling, and rust prevention.

The main causes of water entering the system :

1. Steam Seal System:

  Improper steam supply pressure to the steam seals: External air is drawn into the cylinder, and the moisture in the air condenses inside the bearing housing.

  Wear/damage to the steam seal body or teeth: Increased wear clearance in long steam seals leads to ineffective sealing and steam leakage.

  Steam Seal System Piping: Leaks in pipes or valves allow steam to enter the bearing housing area directly.

2. Shaft Seal Extraction System:

  Blockage, leaks, and scaling in the shaft seal extraction piping reduce its extraction capacity, preventing the timely removal of leaked steam and air mixtures.

3. Oil Cooler Leaks:

  Cracks or perforations in the oil cooler lead to significant water ingress, and emulsification is usually very rapid and severe.

4. Environmental effect

  High Humidity: Excessive moisture content in the air causes condensation on the inner walls of the oil tank and bearing housing.

  Large Temperature Difference: Hot oil encountering cold oil tank walls or components can cause water vapor condensation.

5. Others

  Improper Operation: During unit startup, improper operation can cause steam to escape from the shaft seals of the high-pressure and intermediate-pressure cylinders and be drawn into nearby bearing housings.

  Cylinder Joint Leakage: Insufficient tightening of cylinder split bolts or poor sealing coating can lead to steam leakage and splashing onto bearing housings and other parts.

  Oil System Cleaning: After maintenance, if the system is not thoroughly cleaned, residual cleaning water can mix with the new oil.

Prevention and Handling Measures：

1. Enhanced Operational Monitoring:

  Regularly sample and analyze oil quality, monitoring the moisture content.

  Monitor oil level and oil condition online.

  Maintain continuous and reliable operation of oil purification devices (such as vacuum oil filters and coalescence separators); this is the most effective means of online water removal.

2. Upgrade the steam seal system:

 Adjust and maintain appropriate steam supply pressure and temperature for the steam seals.

 Regularly check the steam seal clearance and replace worn steam seals promptly.

 Ensure the shaft seal system functions properly:

 Maintain the normal operating water level and sufficient extraction steam capacity for the shaft seal heater.

 Prevent oil cooler leaks:

 Perform regular leak tests on the oil cooler (e.g., pressure tests).

 Ensure the oil-side pressure is higher than the water-side pressure (as designed).

3. Enhance shutdown maintenance:

  During shutdowns, keep the desiccant in the oil tank exhaust fan or breather effective to prevent moisture from entering.

If necessary, perform circulating heating and filtration of the oil system.

4. Oil treatment:

If emulsification occurs, immediately identify and eliminate the cause.

Use efficient vacuum turbine oil dehydration Filtration equipment to demulsify and dehydrate the oil. If emulsification is severe and treatment is ineffective, consider replacing the oil.

Kaiqian offers a variety of solutions for turbine oil, such as the TY-Q series turbine oil vacuum filtration machines. For more details, please contact us:

Email:oilrecycling@kaiqiancq.com

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