Search Results

There has been a recent upsurge in interest from the media concerning the quality of the environment within aircraft cabins and cockpits especially in the commercial world1-4. This has included (although by no means been limited to) the air quality, with particular reference to the alleged effects of contamination from the aircraft turbine lubricant. Possible exposure to ‘organophosphates’ (OPs) from the oil has raised special concerns from cabin crew. Such is the concern that government organisations around the world, including Australia, USA and UK, have set up committees to investigate the cabin air quality issue. Concern was also voiced in the aviation lubricants world at the way in which OP additives in turbine lubricants were being blamed in some reports for the symptoms being experienced by air crew and passengers. SAE Committee E-34 therefore decided that it should gather as much available information on the subject as possible.

There has been a recent upsurge in interest from the media concerning the quality of the environment within aircraft cabins and cockpits especially in the commercial world. This has included (although by no means been limited to) the air quality, with particular reference to the alleged effects of contamination from the aircraft turbine lubricant. Possible exposure to 'organophosphates' (OPs) from the oil has raised special concerns from cabin crew. Such is the concern that government organisations around the world, including Australia, USA and UK, have set up committees to investigate the cabin air quality issue. Concern was also voiced in the aviation lubricants world at the way in which OP additives in turbine lubricants were being blamed in some reports for the symptoms being experienced by air crew and passengers. SAE Committee E-34 therefore decided that it should gather as much available information on the subject as possible.

This test method describes the procedure for the determination of the composition of the base stock of polyol ester lubricants by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS).

Employing ‘ball-on-cylinder’ philosophy, a non-rotating steel ball is held in a vertically mounted chuck and using an applied load is forced against an axially mounted steel cylinder. The test cylinder is rotated at a fixed speed while being partially immersed in a lubricant reservoir. This maintains the cylinder in a wet condition and continuously transports a lubricating film of test fluid to the ball and cylinder interface. The diameter of the wear scar generated on the test ball is used as a measure of the fluid’s lubricating properties. The apparatus can be used, by adjusting the operating conditions, to reproduce two different wear mechanisms; mild and severe wear, the ALTE therefore has the ability to assess a lubricant’s performance in that regard.

This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) is intended to evaluate corrosion inhibiting properties of synthetic gas turbine lubricants and gearbox oils.

This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) is intended to evaluate corrosion inhibiting properties of synthetic gas turbine lubricants and gearbox oils.

This method is used for determining the compatibility of a candidate lubricant with specific reference lubricants. The reference lubricants to be used will typically be mandated by the owner of the product specification against which the candidate lubricant is being compared. This method is split into two procedures (Procedure A and Procedure B) with a summary of each procedure contained in Section 4.

This Core Specification is intended as a standardization document for the basic performance requirements for 5 cSt grade aircraft gas turbine engine lubricants. It will be subject to change to keep pace with experience and technical advances.

This method is designed to evaluate the coking propensity of synthetic ester-based aviation lubricants under single phase flow conditions found in certain parts of gas turbine engines, for instance in bearing feed tubes. This method is applicable to lubricants with a coking propensity, as determined by this method, falling in the range 0.01 to 3.00 mg.

This method is designed to evaluate the coking propensity of synthetic ester-based aviation lubricants under single phase flow conditions found in certain parts of gas turbine engines, for instance in bearing feed tubes. This method is applicable to lubricants with a coking propensity, as determined by this method, falling in the range 0.01 to 3.00 mg.

This method is designed to evaluate the coking propensity of synthetic ester-based aviation lubricants under single phase flow conditions found in certain parts of gas turbine engines, for instance in bearing feed tubes. This method is applicable to lubricants with a coking propensity, as determined by this method, falling in the range 0.01 to 5.00 mg.

This method is designed to evaluate the coking propensity of synthetic ester-based aviation lubricants under single phase flow conditions found in certain parts of gas turbine engines, for instance in bearing feed tubes. This method is applicable to lubricants with a coking propensity, as determined by this method, falling in the range 0.01 to 3.00 mg.

This method is designed to evaluate the coking propensity of synthetic ester-based aviation lubricants under single phase flow conditions found in certain parts of gas turbine engines, for instance in bearing feed tubes. This method is applicable to lubricants with a coking propensity, as determined by this method, falling in the range 0.01 to 5.00 mg.

This method is designed to evaluate the coking propensity of synthetic ester-based aviation lubricants under two phase air-oil mist conditions as found in certain parts of a gas turbine engine, for instance, bearing chamber vent lines. Based on the results from round robin data in 2008–2009 from four laboratories, this method is currently intended to provide a comparison between lubricants as a research tool; it is not currently a satisfactory pass/fail test. At this juncture a reference oil may improve reproducibility (precision between laboratories); a formal precision statement will be given when there is satisfactory data and an agreed on, suitable reference oil if applicable.

This method is designed to evaluate the coking propensity of synthetic ester-based aviation lubricants under two phase air-oil mist conditions as found in certain parts of a gas turbine engine, for instance, bearing chamber vent lines. Based on the results from round robin data in 2008-2009 from four laboratories, this method is currently intended to provide a comparison between lubricants as a research tool; it is not currently a satisfactory pass/fail test. At this juncture a reference oil may improve reproducibility (precision between laboratories); a formal precision statement will be given when there is satisfactory data and an agreed on, suitable reference oil if applicable.

This test method describes a standardized process to evaluate the an aviation lubricant’s resistance to oxidation and corrosion-based degradation and to evaluate the fluid’s tendency to corrode various metals. Fluids are evaluated under a low-moisture atmosphere at a variety of times and temperatures.

This test method provides procedures for exposing specimens of elastomer materials (AS 568-214 size O-rings) representative of those used in gas turbine engines to lubricants or reference fluids under defined time and temperature conditions. This test includes both suspended and compressed O-rings. Resultant changes in the O-ring’s physical properties (tensile strength, elongation, hardness, mass, volume, and compression set) are measured to determine the amount of deterioration of the elastomer.

This test method provides procedures for exposing specimens of elastomer material (slab form) representative to those used in gas turbine engines to aviation lubricants under extended duration and engine relevant thermal conditions. For AS5780 requirements the time is at least 1800 hours and temperatures are 100 °C to 160 °C. Positive volume change is an indication of specimen swell and subsequent negative volume change is an indication of specimen deterioration, both properties are important in the evaluation of the compatibility of the lubricant with elastomers used in the construction of the gas turbine.

This test method describes a standardized process to evaluate an aviation lubricant’s resistance to thermal degradation and to evaluate the fluid’s tendency to corrode a steel specimen. Fluids are evaluated in an environment free of both air and moisture at a specified temperature and for a specified time period.

Over the past several years the FZG A/8.3/90 test method has been used to evaluate current qualified aviation lubricants. The results of the effort have been summarized in this document as a historical reference to document the findings made from the committee.