Electrical Properties of Engine Oils—Comparison of Electrical Parameters with Physicochemical Characteristics

The increasing demand for the real-time monitoring of engine oil quality has driven the development of novel diagnostic methods. Traditional techniques primarily rely on physicochemical assessments, which, while effective, are often time consuming and require specialized laboratory equipment. This s...

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Main Authors: Artur Wolak, Ryszard Żywica
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/11/2776
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author Artur Wolak
Ryszard Żywica
author_facet Artur Wolak
Ryszard Żywica
author_sort Artur Wolak
collection DOAJ
description The increasing demand for the real-time monitoring of engine oil quality has driven the development of novel diagnostic methods. Traditional techniques primarily rely on physicochemical assessments, which, while effective, are often time consuming and require specialized laboratory equipment. This study explores the feasibility of using electrical property measurements to assess engine oil quality, offering a potential alternative for rapid, cost-effective diagnostics. A proprietary measurement system utilizing two innovative sensors—rectangular and concentric—was employed to evaluate the electrical characteristics of five commercially available synthetic engine oils. Key parameters, including impedance (|Z|), phase shift angle (θ), conductance (G), susceptance (B), parallel equivalent capacitance (Cp), and quality factor (Q), were measured across a frequency range of 100 Hz to 1.2 MHz. These results were correlated with conventional physicochemical parameters, specifically viscosity and infrared spectroscopy data, to determine the reliability and accuracy of electrical diagnostics in assessing oil degradation and quality variations. The findings indicate a correlation between selected electrical parameters and traditional laboratory measurements, particularly within the 1 kHz to 10 kHz frequency range, where the measurement repeatability was the highest. The study also identifies key challenges associated with sensor sensitivity to environmental factors and provides insights into optimizing the measurement process. The results contribute to the ongoing development of alternative, real-time oil condition monitoring techniques, potentially improving the reliability of automotive and industrial lubrication systems.
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spelling doaj-art-eb53bfa99e014ababd74c099aeeafd6d2025-08-20T02:23:04ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-05-011811277610.3390/en18112776Electrical Properties of Engine Oils—Comparison of Electrical Parameters with Physicochemical CharacteristicsArtur Wolak0Ryszard Żywica1Department of Quality and Safety of Industrial Products, Institute of Quality and Product Management Sciences, Krakow University of Economics, 27 Rakowicka St., 31-510 Krakow, PolandInstitute of Management and Quality, Faculty of Economics, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, PolandThe increasing demand for the real-time monitoring of engine oil quality has driven the development of novel diagnostic methods. Traditional techniques primarily rely on physicochemical assessments, which, while effective, are often time consuming and require specialized laboratory equipment. This study explores the feasibility of using electrical property measurements to assess engine oil quality, offering a potential alternative for rapid, cost-effective diagnostics. A proprietary measurement system utilizing two innovative sensors—rectangular and concentric—was employed to evaluate the electrical characteristics of five commercially available synthetic engine oils. Key parameters, including impedance (|Z|), phase shift angle (θ), conductance (G), susceptance (B), parallel equivalent capacitance (Cp), and quality factor (Q), were measured across a frequency range of 100 Hz to 1.2 MHz. These results were correlated with conventional physicochemical parameters, specifically viscosity and infrared spectroscopy data, to determine the reliability and accuracy of electrical diagnostics in assessing oil degradation and quality variations. The findings indicate a correlation between selected electrical parameters and traditional laboratory measurements, particularly within the 1 kHz to 10 kHz frequency range, where the measurement repeatability was the highest. The study also identifies key challenges associated with sensor sensitivity to environmental factors and provides insights into optimizing the measurement process. The results contribute to the ongoing development of alternative, real-time oil condition monitoring techniques, potentially improving the reliability of automotive and industrial lubrication systems.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/11/2776engine oilelectrical propertiesviscosityinfrared spectroscopycondition monitoringnovel sensors
spellingShingle Artur Wolak
Ryszard Żywica
Electrical Properties of Engine Oils—Comparison of Electrical Parameters with Physicochemical Characteristics
Energies
engine oil
electrical properties
viscosity
infrared spectroscopy
condition monitoring
novel sensors
title Electrical Properties of Engine Oils—Comparison of Electrical Parameters with Physicochemical Characteristics
title_full Electrical Properties of Engine Oils—Comparison of Electrical Parameters with Physicochemical Characteristics
title_fullStr Electrical Properties of Engine Oils—Comparison of Electrical Parameters with Physicochemical Characteristics
title_full_unstemmed Electrical Properties of Engine Oils—Comparison of Electrical Parameters with Physicochemical Characteristics
title_short Electrical Properties of Engine Oils—Comparison of Electrical Parameters with Physicochemical Characteristics
title_sort electrical properties of engine oils comparison of electrical parameters with physicochemical characteristics
topic engine oil
electrical properties
viscosity
infrared spectroscopy
condition monitoring
novel sensors
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/11/2776
work_keys_str_mv AT arturwolak electricalpropertiesofengineoilscomparisonofelectricalparameterswithphysicochemicalcharacteristics
AT ryszardzywica electricalpropertiesofengineoilscomparisonofelectricalparameterswithphysicochemicalcharacteristics