Elemental analysis of lubricant and hydraulic oils is important for predictive/ preventive maintenance and trend analysis. The data helps users avoid the expense and downtime caused by damage to engines, transmissions, turbines, and other important equipment. In lubricant manufacturing, analysts routinely assess the metal content of base oils and lubricants, as well as the homogeneity of any additive-blends.
Standard method ASTM D5185-18 is the gold standard test used by oil-testing (tribology) laboratories around the world for the rapid determination of 22 elements in used and unused lubricating and base oils. The method uses Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) for the determination of additive elements, wear metals, and contaminants. Many laboratories that use this method process hundreds of samples per day, so high sample throughput is critical. A major challenge faced by high throughput tribology labs is instrument downtime from blockage of the injector in the ICP torch caused by carbon deposits. To clean the torch, it must be removed from the instrument. The deposits are usually removed by baking the quartz components in a muffle furnace at high temperatures (> 600 °C) or using a handheld blow torch to “flame” the injector. Another challenge is the potential for premature cracking of the outer tube of the torch, around the portion of the outer tube that is close to the induction coil. Outer tubes (or the complete torch) that are affected must be replaced once the physical structure has been damaged.
Agilent has developed an Easy-fit fully demountable torch for Agilent 5100 or 5110 and 5800 or 5900 ICP-OES instruments (Figure 1). The fully demountable torch is designed to improve laboratory workflows, reduce instrument downtime, and lower running costs. All the quartz components of the torch can be easily removed for maintenance or to change the injector when switching applications. No tools are required. Also, Agilent has developed an outer quartz tube-set for Agilent semi- and fully demountable torches that improve the robustness of the torch when analyzing samples prepared in organic solvents. The new torch and outer quartz tube-set have been extensively tested in customer laboratories with positive feedback. Analysts who have used the new products have found them more cost effective and convenient than alternatives, such as using a torch with a ceramic outer tube.
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