A method for determining the degree of sludge generation in oil includes: a deteriorated oil generating step ST1; a RPVOT testing step ST2; a sludge amount measuring step ST2B; and a determining step ST3. The step ST1 generates deteriorated oil oxidized by immersing and rotating a pressurized container in a thermostatic bath having a predetermined temperature. The pressurized container is pressurized until the oxygen partial pressure reaches a predetermined pressure higher than the value under atmospheric pressure by adding oil and a copper catalyst, substituting with oxygen, or injecting oxygen or air. The step ST2A measures an RPVOT residual ratio of a portion of generated deteriorated oil by the RPVOT test. The step ST2B measures the amount of sludge for a portion of generated deteriorated oil. The step ST3 determines the ease of sludge generation from the relationship between the measured RPVOT residual ratio and the amount of sludge.

Apparatuses are disclosed including an apparatus for machine fluid monitoring or sampling comprising a transparent sight glass attachable to a machine such that machine fluid is transferable to the sight glass. The sight glass is at least partially constructed of one or more materials that is transparent to light in a visible region. The sight glass has an open first end, a closed second end, an inside surface and an outside surface extending from the open first end to the closed second end and across the closed second end, the sight glass at least partially surrounds a cavity within the sight glass, the inside surface and the outside surface of the closed second end being parallel. The closed second end is constructed of the one or more materials that are transparent to light in the visible region to allow inspection of machine fluid through the closed second end.

Apparatuses are disclosed including an apparatus for machine fluid monitoring or sampling comprising a transparent sight glass attachable to a machine such that machine fluid is transferable to the sight glass. The sight glass is at least partially constructed of one or more materials that is transparent to light in a visible region. The sight glass has an open first end, a closed second end, an inside surface and an outside surface extending from the open first end to the closed second end and across the closed second end, the sight glass at least partially surrounds a cavity within the sight glass, the inside surface and the outside surface of the closed second end being parallel. The closed second end is constructed of the one or more materials that are transparent to light in the visible region to allow inspection of machine fluid through the closed second end.

A method for inspecting a lubricant oil composition containing a base oil and a fullerene, the method including: measuring at least one of a lamellar length of the lubricating oil composition and a most abundant diameter in a particle size distribution obtained by a dynamic light scattering method, and selecting the lubricating oil composition whose measured value is within a set range.

A device for measuring fluid parameters may be modular or integrally formed. The device is positioned on a machine that includes one or more fluids to be monitored, and the device includes a (1) controller, (2) spacer that connects to a power source and that may include one or more connectors to connect to remote sensors, and (3) an optional manifold through which the fluid may pass. The manifold could include fluid sensors and/or be connectable to a sample bottle for the purpose of taking fluid samples.

A device for measuring fluid parameters may be modular or integrally formed. The device is positioned on a machine that includes one or more fluids to be monitored, and the device includes a (1) controller, (2) spacer that connects to a power source and that may include one or more connectors to connect to remote sensors, and (3) an optional manifold through which the fluid may pass. The manifold could include fluid sensors and/or be connectable to a sample bottle for the purpose of taking fluid samples.

A device for measuring fluid parameters may be modular or integrally formed. The device is positioned on a machine that includes one or more fluids to be monitored, and the device includes a (1) controller, (2) spacer that connects to a power source and that may include one or more connectors to connect to remote sensors, and (3) an optional manifold through which the fluid may pass. The manifold could include fluid sensors and/or be connectable to a sample bottle for the purpose of taking fluid samples.

A device for measuring fluid parameters may be modular or integrally formed. The device is positioned on a machine that includes one or more fluids to be monitored, and the device includes a (1) controller, (2) spacer that connects to a power source and that may include one or more connectors to connect to remote sensors, and (3) an optional manifold through which the fluid may pass. The manifold could include fluid sensors and/or be connectable to a sample bottle for the purpose of taking fluid samples.

A monitoring apparatus is adapted to monitor lubricant in a hydraulic fracturing pump system, and includes a gateway and one or more sensors configured to be in communication with the gateway. The one or more sensors are configured to measure quality of the lubricant, a pressure of the lubricant, and a temperature of the lubricant. The gateway is configured to receive sensor data associated with the quality of the lubricant, the pressure of the lubricant, and the temperature of the lubricant. To monitor the lubricant, the gateway is configured to: store the sensor data on the non-transitory computer readable medium; transmit to another computing device the sensor data and/or representative data based on the sensor data; visually indicate a status of the quality of the lubricant; visually indicate a status of the pressure of the lubricant; visually indicate a status of the temperature of the lubricant; or any combination thereof.

Systems and techniques that facilitate detecting fuel in oil, lube degradation, and foreign object contamination through optical and/or color characterization are provided. A signature component can generate a digital signature corresponding to a lubricant in a lubrication circuit of an engine. The digital signature can be based on optical or visual properties of a sensor array coupled to the lubrication circuit and exposed to the lubricant, wherein the optical or visual properties of the sensor array can depend on a health of the lubricant. An analysis component can characterize the health of the lubricant by comparing, via a machine learning algorithm, the digital signature with a baseline digital signature corresponding to a desired health-level of the lubricant. In some embodiments, a light emitter component can emit a first light onto the sensor array, and a light receiver component can receive a second light emitted by the sensor array in response to the first light. The signature component can then generate the digital signature based on the first light and the second light. In some embodiments, an image capture component can capture an image of the sensor array. The signature component can then generate the digital signature based on the captured image.