Need a specialist 2

[Lovison]

One another thread I was told to seek out an environmental specialist. Subject is "oil mist" systems. They have become somewhat controversal depending on who and where you discuss this issue.

1. Is oil mist an EPA issue?
2. Is atomized oil venting to atmosphere is considered a contaminate?
3. If filters are installed just how do they work to prevent saturation of the bearing cavity that you are trying to prevent?
4. Issues discussing a VOC (don't know what that means) product is most likely an EPA issue.
5. Using other oils such as petroleum or turbine oils are most likely favorites for viscosity issues.
6. Are there environmentally safe industrial lubricants that don't cost an arm and leg that can be subsituted and if so who are they and how can I contact them?

Oil mist has tremendous potential and has shown us tremendous reduction in bearing temperatures. But using it outside of a lab environment doesn't seem cost effective with my past experience.

I would appreciate any feed back and cost effective measures that have been applied so that I can use these tools or at least recommend them.

Thanks Wayne E. Lovison
service-parts@naglepumps.com

 

[whylie]

Hi Lovison,

VOC-Volatile Organic Compounds,a big EPA concern..
Can you please elaborate on the Oil-Mist technology ,so we can proceed with abating oil escape into the atmosphere

Regards,

 

[Texaco]

Lubricating oils are specifically exempted by the California Air Resources Board as a volatile organic compound. They are usually the leaders in air quality. One facet to consider is that air mist is not a vapor but very small droplets in an air suspension. The droplets will drop out of the air eventually.

 

[PeterAB]

Oil mists are not a subject to be taken likely, and I can see why it can provoke controversy.
Apart from environmental concerns, keep in mind that oil mist can pose a health and safety hazard. On the health side, I've heard that breathing oil mist can coat the lungs, resulting in suffocation. On the safety end, a finely divided oil mist may have an explosion hazard similar to dust explosions.
I am not sure of the environmental legislation status of oil mists. Since oils that form a mist rather than vaporize are not particularly volatile, I can see why these would not be a labelled as VOC. However, I expect that oil mist emissions would still be subject to environmental regulations regarding particulate matter (especially respirable particulate matter) and legislation regarding opacity of emissions. Finally, many oils have toxic components.
I am not sure exactly what kind of expert you are looking for, and I expect I don't qualify. But I must counsel caution.