SpectrOil M Series - for Elemental Analysis in Oil and Fuel

The SpectrOil M Series is a precision, durable RDE-OES elemental analyzer designed to assess lubricants, fuel, coolants, and water samples.

The newest iteration of the SpectrOil M series represents the eighth generation of RDE Optical Emission Spectrometers tailored for elemental analysis in oil and fuel. Compact, durable, and easily transportable, this optical spectrometer complies with military shock, vibration, and environmental testing standards.

Its rugged design allows it to be deployed in the harshest remote environments worldwide while still delivering laboratory-grade accuracy and sensitivity crucial for aerospace engine testing.

Principle of Operation

Image Credit: Spectro Scientific

SpectrOil RDE-OES consists of three main components, including:

1. Excitation Source: Adds energy to the sample. A high-voltage AC source is used in this setup to apply voltage across a small gap created by a disc and purified graphite rod. The disc rotates, collecting oil from the sample holder underneath it.
2. Optical System: Breaks down the emission from that excitation into its wavelengths.
3. Readout System: The device detects and quantifies light separated into its wavelengths by the optical system and then presents this information to the operator in a comprehensible format.

The raw spectrum is subjected to a particular calibration program that removes the matrix effect, ensuring that the results meet ASTM requirements. The user then chooses the calibration profile for those particular fluids. Therefore, switching only takes seconds, unlike ICP and other instruments, which take hours to switch from oil to fuel to coolant or water.

Key Features

• Simple to operate without special training or background
• Tough frame made to withstand environmental testing and military shock and vibration standards (JOAP CID-0191), ideal for distant locations and frequent transit
• No special utilities or gases are required; only AC power
• No sample preparation
• 30-second analysis time
• Analyzes up to 31 elements simultaneously
• Self-sustained with built-in industrial touch panel PC

ASTM Standards

• It meets ASTM D6595, the “Standard Test Method for Determination of Wear Metals and Contaminants in Used Lubricating Oils or Used Hydraulic Fluids by Rotating Disc Electrode Atomic Emission Spectrometry.”
• Complies with ASTM D6728, “Standard Test Method for Determination of Contaminants in Gas Turbine and Diesel Engine Fuel by Rotating Disc Electrode Atomic Emission Spectrometry.”

Calibration Programs

Source: Spectro Scientific

Consumables Used by Calibration Programs

Various consumables are used for calibration programs to guarantee precise and consistent measurement results. Only consumables with Spectro Scientific certification can fulfill performance requirements.

Source: Spectro Scientific

Product Models

The SpectrOil M/C-W for commercial oil analysis, the SpectrOil M/N-W for military applications, the SpectrOil M/F for gas turbine and diesel engine fuel analysis, and the SpectrOil M/F-LD with lower detection limits for alkaline metals and V for GE gas turbines make up the SpectrOil family of elemental analysis spectrometers. The only differences between the SpectrOil M family models are their applications and calibration methods; all other versions have the same hardware.

Source: Spectro Scientific

Fuel Analysis with SpectrOil M/F

For installations using heavy petroleum fuel, the fuel must be preconditioned before it enters the gas turbine. The SpectrOil M/F-W is used in spectrometric analysis to assess the effectiveness and quantity of treatment required. To precisely measure sodium and potassium to less than one part per million (ppm) and determine the concentration of vanadium, the amount of magnesium treatment compounds that need to be added to the fuel must be determined. The need for analysis begins with fuel delivery, continues through fuel handling, and concludes only when fuel is injected into the turbine.