Product category:
Bearings, lubrication, oil and filters
News Release from: Shell Lubricants | Subject: UV oil leak detection
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 05 September 2007
UV detection highlights oil leaks in
food plants
Undetected oil leaks and spillages in food production plants and other critical areas could become a thing of the past, thanks to new technology available from Shell lubricants
A new UV light source, which helps operators find oil leaks and identify their location, has been developed as part of the Shell on-going R+D commitment to customers in the food manufacturing sector The new UV light source accurately and conveniently detects oil leaks in plants where equipment such as hydraulic pumps, gear boxes, can seamers and compressors operate
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 3 Jul 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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It can also keep a check on areas such as work surfaces, conveyors and floors.
The Shell team of experienced and dedicated food sector technical specialists will be utilising the new UV light tool as part of the value added services supplied to customers to help improve process reliability, safety and food safety.
Although UV flood lights have been used to detect oil spillages and leaks for some time, they have never really been accurate, powerful or flexible enough for widespread application.
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The traditional equipment required a 240 volt power supply and was cumbersome to operate.
The new UV light source developed and used by Shell Lubricants represents a major leap forward in UV detection technology, offering a range of features which were previously unavailable.
The equipment is portable and convenient to use, and has a powerful light source which can be manoeuvred into tight spaces.
It is battery operated, lasts up to two hours and is rechargeable in car.
Dr Paul Savage is a member of the Shell Lubricants development team responsible for introducing the new UV light source.
"We recognised the need to refine UV detection so it can be used in all industrial settings.
Plant operators used to be put off by the need for a separate power supply and the difficulty of gaining access with the old technology.
A UV inspection would often cause significant disruption to the production processes.
We have overcome all these problems and made UV leak detection a much easier option for plant operators.
We have shocked some sceptical plant managers, who assumed their processes were leak free, by showing them exactly what is happening in their factories".
The new UV detection method with be of particular benefit in food processing plants where stringent regulations govern permitted spillage levels.
For example, the US FDA regulations state that for food grade lubricants, the maximum contamination level permitted is 10 parts per million (ppm).
For non food grade lubricants, zero ppm is the permitted level. Request a free brochure from Shell Lubricants ...
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