Mineral Oils % Water

PhosLube – Mineral Oils % Water

Water can have a very serious impact on all petroleum products, not just mineral oils. Water can have a very negative effect on transformers and electrical machinery. Water increases oxidation rates in oils, which affects longevity. Water within white mineral oils and lubricating oils intended for mechanical use, can lead to equipment failures. Some of the complications water can cause include, erosion, corrosion, and etching. The solubility level of water in oils at room temperatures tends to vary with the type of oil, but stays somewhere near 40ppm. Using electrical methods and determining an end point while operating in a sealed environment, water can be measured down to 2 ppm, and sometimes even less. Water content less than 25 ppm is typically considered satisfactory. Water percentages down near 5ppm can be measured both chemically and physically. From a physical standpoint it can be measured by removing the water from the oil using a combination of heat and vacuum. The heating allows the vacuum to absorb the moisture. The Karl Fischer titration method is one of the more popular methods for determining water % and water content. This method uses volumetric titration to determine how much water the sample being analyzed contains.