SENSING OIL CONDITION THROUGH TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT OF DIELECTRIC CONSTANT

Josep M. Torrents, Ramon Pallàs-Areny

Abstract

Time-scheduled oil changes in internalcombustion engines are often performed well before the oil starts to significantly lose its lubricating properties. A check of oil properties using laboratory analysis methods is expensive. Using the same techniques during service would be extremely difficult. Consequently, oil is seldom analyzed before substitution, which results in oil wasting. This paper shows that in the low frequency range, the temperature coefficient of the dielectric constant of lubricating oils depends on whether the oil is fresh or it has been used. Hence, the change in dielectric constant from ambient temperature to working temperature is a possible sensing method for engine oil condition.

Keywords

oil condition sensor, oil degradation sensor, oil quality sensor, dielectric constant, temperature coefficient

Download

PWC-2003-TC4-108.pdf

DOI

-

IMEKO TC

TC4 - Measurement of Electrical Quantities

Back to the proceedings