System and method for flushing contaminated lubricant from gear driven rotating equipment

Abstract

A method of flushing contaminated lubricant from gear teeth of an industrial gear set, while leaving a boundary layer of lubricant on the gear teeth, comprising: imaging the contaminated lubricant with at least one imager of an imaging system to provide images; either a user viewing the images and determining that an upper threshold of contamination has been reached or a computer of the imaging system analyzing the images and determining that an upper threshold of contamination has been reached; under control of the user or the computer, activating a controlled pressure washer or a controlled delivery system, which includes nozzles; and spraying a flushing lubricant into the contaminated lubricant on the gear teeth between lubricant delivery times while the industrial gear set is operating under normal operating conditions, thereby flushing contaminated lubricant from the gear teeth, while leaving a boundary layer of lubricant on the gear teeth. . 20 26 20 14 23 25 F eb 2 02 6 2 0 2 6 2 0 1 4 2 3 2 5 F e b 2 0 2 6 FIG. 3 182 186 184 188 230 212 240 242 232 234 236 238 216 190 214 222 224 220 218 3 / 53 / 5 186 232 O 236 238 240 212 214 222 20 26 20 14 23 25 F eb 2 02 6 2 0 2 6 2 0 1 4 2 3 2 5 F e b 2 0 2 6 2 3 0 2 1 2 2 1 6 1 8 2 F I G . 3

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