Multi-channel IR sensor system for determination of oil degradation

A miniaturized infrared (IR) multi-channel sensor system was realized to determine chemical oil degradation, e.g., oxidation, increasing water content. Different artificially aged oil samples (synthetic motor oil, mineral hydraulic oil and ester-based hydraulic fluid) were prepared by oxidative degradation at elevated temperatures or addition of water, and characteristic degradation features in the IR spectrum were detected using FTIR spectroscopy. In addition, the absorption behavior of water contaminated synthetic motor oil was analyzed with increasing temperature. To determine the influence of different degradation effects on the measurement results the sensor system was characterized with the various oil samples. The system uses a reference channel to suppress the effect of decreasing transmission over the entire spectrum caused, e.g., by increasing soot content in the oil or contamination of the optical path