BTSA (Bench Top Soot Analyzer
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In the world of lubrication oil soot measurements on diesel engines, the BTSA saves time and money by compressing 100 to 500-hour tests into a few minutes. The methodology through which this is accomplished requires extreme measurement precision and a very robust continuous oil sampling system. This combination allows engine oil to be continuously circulated from the engine to the instrument and back during measurements. The oil soot is measured with an extremely sensitive optical subsystem that provides fast and precise soot concentration measurements in real time.
A rate is calculated by analyzing the trends associated with the soot accumulation in time. This process is normally accomplished in under 15 minutes. The rate is then translated into a predicted concentration at a specified number of hours, i.e., 100 or 250 hours. Therefore, engine testing for lubricant oil soot can be accomplished in a few minutes instead of weeks or months, saving time and significantly lowering cost.
The system utilizes a light source which emits wavelengths over the far infrared (>20 micron) to visible region (0.5 micron). This beam passes through engine lubricant which is being circulated from the engine. Light and particle interactions occur which preclude the transmission of certain wavelengths through the lubricant. The direct measurement of this light (or absence thereof) can be correlated with the concentration of soot in the oil. By the utilization of a computer, very accurate trends can be established and calculated “real time.”
The system returns the lubricant to the engine without any chemical or physical changes, thus the system is effectively unobtrusive.