Viscosity sensor certified for ship-board use

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Aug 8, 2007

DRDC - Atlantic has applied to DND to conduct shipboard tests for consideration of installation of the ViSmart into ship-board equipment for continuous real-time lubricant monitoring.

The Sensors and Advanced Packaging (SAP) business unit of Vectron International's ViSmart viscosity sensor has been successfully evaluated in a simulated ship-board application for a major national maritime application by the Defense Research and Development Canada - Atlantic (DRDC - Atlantic), an agency of the Canadian Department of National Defense DND).

As a result of the performance testing, DRDC - Atlantic has applied to DND to conduct shipboard tests for consideration of installation of the ViSmart into ship-board equipment for continuous real-time lubricant monitoring.

Randy Haggett, the condition based monitoring project scientific authority for DRDC - Atlantic, stated: "The results of the evaluation of the ViSmart sensor are very positive so far".

"The sensor has been shown to track the change in viscosity as a function of temperature, while also accurately monitoring fuel dilution effects on the condition of oil".

"Such products will enable the fleet to deploy real-time on-line diagnostic capabilities to optimise engine performance and preventive maintenance procedures".

The ViSmart sensor was integrated into a diesel engine and testing was carried out across the entire temperature spectrum ranging from 0C to 120C for a series of specified commercial oils that are used on-line at the ship as part of the routine operating conditions.

After testing for repeatability and reproducibility, the manufacturer's test data showed that the ViSmart detected oil aging as a function of viscosity to accuracy and repeatability values of plus or minus 1%".

"Vectron's Sensors and Advanced Packaging business is dedicated to quality, service, flexibility, and innovation", said Kerem Durdag, Director of Business Development, SAP business, Vectron International".

""The fact that our ViSmart viscosity sensor's potential for continuous, real-time lubricant monitoring in a ship-board application has been successfully demonstrated is further validation of the technology in a wide array of oil condition monitoring applications".

Vectron's ViSmart viscosity sensor is designed to provide instantaneous sample and/or continuous, real-time, in-process viscosity measurements for embedded real-time, in-line environments requiring high resolution and accuracy in low- to mid-range viscosity fluids.

The ViSmart viscosity sensor uses robust and reliable semiconductor technology, has no moving parts, and is sealed for complete immersion.

It is unaffected by vibration or flow conditions, does not need field calibration and is packaged in a very portable, lightweight size.

The ViSmart sensor measures a wide range of viscosity of fluid and is rated for temperatures up to 125C in a threaded bolt package for quick installation, with custom options and configurations available for specific industry applications and process requirements.

The ViSmart model series can be connected to any computer or control platform via the standard USB port and the forthcoming CANBUS and 4-20mA options to provide a continuous audit trail for process monitoring markets to control operating costs and maintain quality standards.

Additionally, leveraging Vectron's Starter Kit bench-top viscometer data station, the customer can acquire multiple channels of continuous viscosity and temperature data.