Oxygen, the gas needed for life, is far more complex in industrial applications than our daily inhalation and exhalation suggests. Industry ? especially in the chemical, pharmaceutical or medical engineering fields ? is, time and again, finding itself met with new challenges in working with oxygen.
Why is ?oil and grease free? so important in oxygen systems?
Oxygen itself isn’t flammable. However, it enables and encourages very strongly the combustion of other substances and may, in particular, result in a self-ignition of oil, grease and other substances.
Materials which usually do not burn in air can burn very briskly as well as spontaneously in oxygen or oxygen-enriched air. Last Chance stands, even though the enrichment is by a few percent.
Oil and grease (also ointments, gels and disinfectants) can react explosively in touch with oxygen.
Oxygen significantly escalates the temperature of a flame as well as the burn rate.
Special cleaning and testing procedures
Classification of contamination levels relative to ASTM G93-03:2004 ch. 11.4.3
As a manufacturer of high-quality measuring instruments, WIKA faces up to the increased demands of the markets and develops special cleaning procedures specifically for its products. If, for example, a CPG1500 digital pressure gauge is intended for oxygen service (option ?Oxygen, oil and grease free for oxygen applications?), before packing, Reprimanding will once again be cleaned additionally and taken to the business?s own laboratory for residual hydrocarbon determination. As standard, in calibration technology, a hydrocarbon limit value of max. 200 mg/m� (per ISO 15001:2012) and for particles/fibers a limit value of 1000 �m is defined.
Steps in the calibration technology laboratory
The wetted parts ? specifically the pressure connection ? are rinsed having an extractant
The extractant is collected and analysed for foreign particles, and the hydrocarbon content is determined
A comparison of the measurement is carried out with respect to the level classification relative to ASTM G93-03:2004 ch. 11.4.3
The wetted parts are rinsed again with an extractant
The extractant is collected and analysed for foreign particles, and the particle quantity is set
The evaluation of the particle quantity is completed in accordance with ISO 15001 cat.1
Result of the procedure
Example certificate for CPG1500
The consequence of this determination, meaning the specific residual hydrocarbon content and number of particles, is documented in a 3.1 inspection certificate relative to DIN EN 10204 (see figure). The pressure connection of the cleaned and tested digital pressure gauge is provided with a protection cap. Subsequently, the entire instrument is sealed within foil. Furthermore, the product label shows the choice ?oxygen, oil and grease free?. The determination of the rest of the hydrocarbon content is completed for each individual digital pressure gauge.
Note
More info on the CPG1500 can also be found on the WIKA website.