Estimated Navy Cost Avoidance:
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Minimum annual:
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$ 6,000 K
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Minimum 15 Year:
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$ 90,000 K
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| Shipboard and laboratory testing has been completed on the Lube Oil Polisher. There were issues during shipboard testing regarding data recording and sample production. Nevertheless, it has been shown that the polisher removes particulates down to 5 microns. There is ongoing discussion in the Navy regarding the requirement to achieve these levels and the value of it. There are also other types of soot removal systems available that may be applicable. Lab testing of the submarine portable hydraulic oil polisher should be completed in the near future. |
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Problem:
| Hydraulic and lubricating oil containing fine particulates and water has been identified as the main cause of lubrication failure, and hence, engine failure. As-received oils contain these materials. The soot and hydrocarbon byproducts produced in diesel engines rapidly contaminate these working oils. Robust oil monitoring programs are required to monitor oil condition. Despite all these efforts, deteriorated oil continues to be a primary cause of engine failure and the requirement to conduct avoidable engine overhauls. |
Solution:
| Within the past few years, industry has developed new systems that will remove water and particulates down to less than two microns in size. Caterpillar has determined that lube oil, cleaned to these limits, including removal of water, will reduce friction by an order of magnitude over oils cleaned down to only 25 microns. Furthermore, polished oil will eliminate 2-3 oil changes, over current standards. The submarine community is also interested in using this technology to regularly purify the external hydraulic system on its boats. |
Fleet Impact:
| The Navy has conservatively estimated that, based on the Caterpillar standards, it will be able to reduce the number of annual diesel engine overhauls from the current six to two. If the technology is extended to other diesel applications on other ships, the impact could be enormous. |
Applications:
| Initially, this system is targeted to LSD-41/49 class ships. It could easily be applied to all surface ships with diesels used for main propulsion, electrical generation and emergency electrical generation. |
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