The ABCs of Varnish

Downtime, repair, or replacement can cost millions. Did you know approximately one in three large industrial gas turbines show signs of oil varnishing? As the oil heats and cools in a mechanical system, impurities begin to develop and adhere to internal components. These impurities are commonly referred to as sludge or tar.

What is varnish?

Varnish is the result of a chemical reaction within oil, leading to the creation of a new chemistry that is distinct from both the oil and its additives. A common varnish begins as an acid, typically caused by a reaction of the oil’s additives as they are consumed, or from the degradation of the base oil’s chemistry.

By not removing the varnish, it builds up in the internal components of your equipment. This causes them to become less efficient, causing oil to flow at a higher temperature than it should, which can lead to even more varnish. With varnish comes reduced oil life and increased risk of unplanned outages.

How can Breaux Petroleum help?

We offer a suite of varnish mitigation services including:

  • Oil analysis with results interpretation and customized varnish mitigation strategy
  • Varnish testing using Membrane Patch Colorimetry (MPC) — the only test that can effectively identify the onset of varnish within a turbine oil
  • Removal of varnish deposits in lubricants and restoration of the oil’s original solubility

How does varnish removal work?

Using our resin-based filtration process, we are able to attack the source of the problem on a molecular level, removing the soft contaminants that form varnish deposits. The filtration allows the oil to regain its solvency abilities and restores oil health throughout the system and its critical components.

The costly effects of varnish can range from downtime and maintenance to catastrophic failures of equipment. To ensure system reliability, it’s best to monitor your system regularly for varnish build-up, before it becomes an expensive problem. Our condition monitoring services can help evaluate the buildup of varnish in the oil and manage its negative effects before it’s too late.

Choosing the right varnish mitigation strategy can maximize the lifespan and operational efficiency of your equipment. Not sure where to get started? Contact our team today to learn more.