By Mark Barnes, Des-Case Corporation
Based on a Customer Testimonial by Jim Pezoldt, Lubrication Engineers, Inc.

From dozers to graders and loaders to haul trucks, diesel engines are everywhere. For companies that rely on diesel power to make their living, there’s no greater emphasis than diesel engine reliability. But when it comes to diesel engines, they also have some of the shortest life expectancies.

Compared to fixed equipment, where mean-time-between-rebuilds is measured in years, most diesel engine original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) recommend an engine overhaul or rebuild every 12,000 to 15,000 hours. Even with oil analysis, which allows the rebuild interval to be optimized, 20,000 to 25,000 hours is about as good as it gets for engine life in off-highway applications.

So why is it that an engine has such a short life expectancy? The issue is less about maintenance than it is about the operating conditions and environment of a typical engine. With temperatures close to 200 degrees F, severe duty and shock loads, internal contaminants like soot, acids and wear debris, and the possibility of fuel or glycol leaks, engines have a tough life.

But perhaps the biggest engine killer is external contamination in the form of dust and dirt sucked into the engine through the air intake each minute of operation. Particle contamination can be lethal for engines –even microscopic particles no bigger than a red blood cell can result in a significant reduction in an engine’s life expectancy. In fact, studies by General Motors, Cummins Inc., and other engine OEMs have proven that particles in the 0–to–5 and 5–to–10 micron size ranges are three times more likely to cause wear in critical piston rings and bearings than larger particles (Figure 1). To put that into context, particles that are less than a tenth of the diameter of a human hair are enough to reduce an engine’s life expectancy by one half or more! These particles, which are often called silt-sized particles, are so small that a large percentage of those ingested into the engine air intake manifold pass straight through the air filter, which, by comparison, is really only equipped to take out rocks and boulders.

WearRate_GraphFigure 1: Relative wear rates for engine rings and bearings versus particle size distribution (Ref: Cummins, Inc.).

Armed with these facts–which are widely known by OEMs, lubrication engineers and filter manufacturers alike–why is it that most full-flow engine oil filters are at best 70 percent efficient at removing 10 micron particles and are effectively useless at removing silt-sized particles? The answer is largely a question of flow. With any filter, there is always a balance between flow rate and filter efficiency. With most filters, as the micron rating and filter efficiency improves, the flow rate drops off significantly. This should be fairly obvious: the smaller pore sizes necessary to trap smaller particles create a greater barrier to oil flow. But the problem is exacerbated by simple physics: For most mechanical filters, halving the micron rating, say from 10 to 5 microns, would require a fourfold increase in filter surface area to maintain the same flow rate. Because of this and due in part to the physical limitations in the size of an engine filter, it is almost impossible for filter manufacturers to reduce the micronrating to be more efficient at removing silt-sized particles while maintaining adequate flow rates.

So that’s it, right? We’re stuck with accepting the fact that the most harmful particles to an engine are going to be present in an engine with no hope of removing them? Wrong! By thinking outside the box a little, silt particles can be removed from engines effectively, with a dramatic impact on engine life. To illustrate the effect, consider the following example:

fig2_graphFigure 2: Projected engine life, with oil analysis.

Case Study
A maintenance team at a 25,000-acre surface coal mining operation in Montana was seeking to improve profitability by lowering direct maintenance costs and extending the operational life of the engines. They were well aware that the service life of their engines was being cut short by particles that the OEM fullflow filtration was not designed to remove. They contacted Jim Pezoldt from Lubrication Engineers to help them improve their engine life. Starting with their CAT 992G bucket loaders equipped with CAT 3508B engines, the mine developed an approach to reduce silt-sized particles from the engines. Initial oil analysis data on one 992G in the mine’s fleet indicated a particle count of 22/21/18, with copper and iron levels at 118ppm and 53ppm respectively, levels commonly found across the rest of the fleet. Maintenance personnel also indicated that a typical engine “top end” overhaul interval was approximately every 12,000 hours, and when engines were torn down, they were typically very dirty inside with evidence of scuffing on the cylinders. The team set about lowering in-service contamination levels through an aggressive contamination control strategy, as well as switching to an enhanced diesel engine oil – LE’s Monolec Ultra® Engine Oil (8800).

figure3_graphFigure 3: Schematic illustration of engine oil side stream filtration.

Exactly 931 hours after improving their oil filtration, an oil analysis was conducted to evaluate if any improvements had been made in oil cleanliness. To their surprise, ISO cleanliness levels went from 22/21/18 (c) to 17/16/13 (c), soot levels were maintained at or below 0.1% volume and iron levels dropped from 53ppm to 7ppm. Based on this and the standard life-extension tables (Figure 2), the mine has projected a four-fold life extension, resulting in a savings of $129K over five years, equivalent to a 216 percent return on their investment (Table 1). This is just one of many examples that demonstrate the effect of improving slit particles in engines.

table1_graphTable 1: Oil analysis data and investment analysis for CAT 992G (3508B engine).

Bypass Filtration
So how did they do it? The answer is fairly straightforward as illustrated in Figure 3. Without changing the flow of oil within the engine, a small slipstream of oil is taken after the full-flow filter using a flow control valve. By regulating oil flow through the valve, only 10 percent of the total oil flow is removed at any given time, which is not high enough to cause any harm to the engine. This side stream of oil is passed at normal engine oil pressure through a depth media filter with an efficiency rating of 99.9 percent at 3 microns (β3(c)>1000). The oil is then returned to the sump. For safety, a relief valve is included to avoid over pressurization of the bypass filter during start-up.

Conclusion
Engine overhaul and rebuilds are a significant cost to diesel engine maintenance budgets. With few exceptions, significant improvement in engine life can be achieved by controlling silt-sized contaminants.

uptime-article_pezoldt-2authorsNote: Originally published in the December 2011 issue of Uptime magazine. Bypass Filtration Lubrication consultant Jim Pezoldt, MLT I & MLA II, has represented Lubrication Engineers, Inc. since 1992. His company, Pezoldt Petroleum Products, services portions of Montana and North Dakota and has significant experience working with mining and drilling operations. www.LElubricants.com


BISMARCK, ND – The North Dakota Petroleum Council (NDPC) today announced that legendary Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz will provide a keynote address during the NDPC’s Annual Meeting to be held Wednesday, Sept. 18 at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, ND. Holtz took his Notre Dame teams to nine straight New Year’s Day bowl games from 1987 through 1995 and remains 11th on the NCAA all-time win list for Division I-A coaches.

“The petroleum industry has had incredible success in helping our economy and our country, and I am delighted to be joining the North Dakota Petroleum Council and its members in Grand Forks,” said Holtz. “There are a great deal of similarities between being a coach and one of the many industry leaders who have seized this tremendous opportunity to help move our state and nation forward. Just as on the athletic field, the ability of leaders to adapt, find solutions for evolving challenges and issues, and capitalize on opportunities makes for a winning proposition.”

“We are excited to have a legend like Coach Holtz join us at our 32nd Annual Meeting,” said Ron Ness, president of the NDPC. “Coach Holtz’s record as a coach demonstrates his ability to motivate others, and there is no doubt his talk will be an inspiration for our attendees and the leaders of our state and the industry.”

Also joining Holtz as a featured speaker at the Annual Meeting will be Statoil’s General Manager of North America, Bill Maloney; Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s CEO Matt Rose; and North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple.

In addition to the business meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 18, this year’s Annual Meeting will feature a Community Education Day and BBQ on Sept. 16. The event will be free and open to the public and will include two Bakken Basics Education sessions, which will be held from 2:30-4 p.m. and 4-5:30 p.m. in Ballrooms 4 and 5 in the Alerus Center. A free BBQ will be held from 5-7:30 p.m. and the community is invited to attend and visit the Members Only Showcase, which will be open from 3:30-7:30 p.m.

“We are excited to take our Annual Meeting to Grand Forks this year and showcase the support, products and services that many of the businesses in the Red River Valley provide for the Bakken,” said Terry Kovacevich, NDPC chairman and regional vice president for Marathon Oil. “Many business leaders in eastern North Dakota have capitalized on the opportunities provided by the petroleum industry in western North Dakota, which has created jobs and helped the economies of communities from Pembina to Wahpeton.”

NDPC members will also have an opportunity to showcase their products and services during a Members Only Showcase to be held for Annual Meeting attendees on Tuesday, Sept. 17. For a full schedule and agenda of speakers, visit https://annualmeeting.risprojects.org/agenda.aspx. 

Since 1952, the Petroleum Council has been the primary voice of the oil and gas industry in North Dakota. The Petroleum Council represents more than 420 companies involved in all aspects of the oil and gas industry, including oil and gas production, refining, pipeline, mineral leasing, consulting, legal work, and oil field service activities in North Dakota, South Dakota, and the Rocky Mountain Region. Our members produced 98% of the 243 million barrels of oil produced in North Dakota last year.  For more information, go to www.ndoil.org.

See KLJ in the April/May BAKKEN OIL BUSINESS JOURNAL

KLJ, a multi-disciplinary engineering and planning firm, is proud to announce that the company has been recognized as one of the nation’s Top 500 Design Firms by Engineering News Record (ENR). “This is an outstanding achievement for KLJ and evidence that we are positioned well strategically and have a great team who will continue to lead us to future successes,” said Chief Executive Officer Niles Hushka.

The Top 500 Design Firms list, published annually in April, ranks the 500 largest U.S. based designs firms, both publicly and privately held, based on design-specific revenue. Companies engaged in general contracting specialty contracting, engineering, architecture, planning and studies are ranked through an annual survey. The rankings are then divided into specific market categories

KLJ was ranked 16th in the Nation for telecommunications, as the 76th largest designer in the United States and as the 110th largest firm in the United States. The rankings established KLJ as the highest ranked firm that originated in the region.

“The accomplishment is a great way to begin our 75 year anniversary. We have taken calculated risks which have proven to be successful and we will continue to be a leader in the industry” said Hushka.

Since 1938, KLJ has provided multi-disciplinary engineering-based solutions for national, large-scale operations, with the local expertise to drive projects forward and deliver successful results. As an employee-owned firm with a focus on innovation and hard work, we help clients succeed by developing lasting infrastructure that responds to the social, civic and economic needs of our communities. KLJ currently has 18 office locations throughout North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana and Wyoming. For more information about KLJ, visit www.kljeng.com.

Bob van der Valk recently joined the Bakken Oil Business Journal as their Managing Editor of the bi-monthly print and digital journal editions, connecting business and resources for the greater Bakken area. Bob has collaborated & contributed to the editorial voice of the Bakken Oil Business Journal since its inaugural issue in May of 2012. He has been the source of information on the petroleum industry, as a whole, in addition to paying specific attention to the booming growth of Oil & Gas industry in the Bakken Oil Shale Region. Bob is quoted regularly in the national media for his expertise on petroleum industry matters and fluctuations in the prices of petroleum products.

Bob has over 50 years of experience in the downstream refining and marketing sector of the petroleum industry with particular expertise on the U.S. western region. He is also a regular guest on Tom Egelhoff’s “Open for Business” radio program on KMMS-AM 1450 from Bozeman discussing current events in the petroleum industry for the region.

Mary Edwards is the Publisher of the every other month edition of the Journal teeming with petroleum industry articles about the current news, technology advancements, and information pertaining to the businesses and services operating in the Bakken Oil Shale Region. In addition to the glossy color print edtionof the Journal, a corresponding digital version is available via the Internet designed for today’s popular computer tablets & smart phone mobile devices. Up to 4,000 of the Journal’s print editions are mailed direct to a demographic of businesses & companies active in the regional petroleum industry. They are also being made available to individuals attending the top Bakken Oil Regional Conferences & Energy Trade Shows.

URTeC, 12-14 August 2013 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver

News Release

Engineering Company of the Year

Spartan Engineering, Inc., a full-service engineering company with offices in Tulsa, OK, Denver, CO, and Minot, ND, was honored as the Engineering Company of the year during the first ever Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Awards gala held in Denver on March 12, 2013.

Spartan was among 19 companies and individuals recognized by the Oil and Gas Awards for excellence and achievement within the oil and gas industry serving the Rocky Mountain region.

“We are honored to have been selected to receive this recognition from the Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Awards. It truly is the result of hard work and an excellent team that works together every day to meet our customers’ expectations,” said Spartan President Wayne Lagorin.

This is the inaugural year for the Oil and Gas Awards, which are designed to give recognition to those individuals and companies in the upstream and midstream sectors of the oil and gas industry for their contributions and efforts in “Corporate Social Responsibility, the Environment and Health and Safety,” Oil and Gas Awards Founder and CEO Daniel Creasey states on the company’s website (www.oilandgasawards.com).

From its early beginnings in 2009, Spartan has focused on being a one-stop resource for engineering services. Using quality, customer service, value and results as cornerstones, Spartan assembled a team of industry leaders. Today, the team represents a tremendously broad spectrum of technical expertise, with decades of experience in engineering, construction management, and GIS mapping services, enabling Spartan to meet the fast-paced nature of the energy industry. The team’s wide- reaching connections within the industry offer Spartan access to additional high-level resources on an international level.

Spartan offers services in engineering and design in civil, electrical, instrumentation, mechanical, process and structural engineering, but also has strong expertise in GIS mapping, project management, construction management and inspection, and much more. The diversity and experience of the team make Spartan uniquely qualified to respond to any project need.

“Our team prides itself in our ability to work closely with our clients on any size project to not only identify the needs of the project, but to fully understand the project from cradle to grave,” said Lagorin. “Our expertise really comes through in conceptualizing and shaping the projects’ needs, and addressing those needs with our client’s goals in mind, as well as the best interest of the community in which the project is being completed. Whether it is regulatory issues, such as complying with FERC or DOT, or providing the best conceptual, technical solutions, we address each need that arises and guide the project to a successful and safe completion.”

Spartan has continued to grow, more than doubling its revenue and team members in 2012, with expectations of continuing to expand its capacity and services in the next year, reaching 120 employees in 2013. Spartan has been involved in many large energy projects across the nation, including work on several gas plants, a major pipeline for one of the nation’s largest pipeline operators, as well as other projects. Spartan is also pursuing opportunities for professional services in the Middle East, Canada and Russia.

Spartan’s success may be attributed not only to its exceptionally talented team members, but also to a firm commitment to being on the leading edge of technology on all fronts. From utilizing innovative technology in telecommunication and remote office locations, which allows tremendous flexibility to bring employees and clients together across the country and internationally, to implementing state-of-the-art computer equipment, tools and software, Spartan technology access is second to none.

“Spartan combines all of these outstanding assets and abilities to assure clients their projects are completed by exceptional professionals with the experience and state-of- the-art technology needed in this competitive field,” Lagorin said.

For more information, visit the websites at www.spartan-eng.com.
Director, Business Development: Don Hochhalter, 918-236-3920 | Don.Hochhalter@spartan-eng.com
Media Contact: Wendy Blatman-Long, 918-895-7666 | Wendy.Long@spartan-eng.com

SOURCE Spartan Engineering, Inc. 10820 E. 45th St., Suite 100, Tulsa, OK 74146