Discussion
Patrick Bateman said:
LolThe Plasma in the Process
A spectrometer can be aimed at a star to determine what elements may exist in the star, if all the star's light is being generated by the star (rather than reflected off the star). Spectrometry works on the same principle, but we have to first create the light. We do this by converting the actual oil into light energy. This is done by injecting the oil into something called plasma. You can think of plasma as a flame, since it looks like a green flame. But plasma is much hotter than a normal flame, and it needs to be in order to do its work. The plasma we use has a temperature of about 10,000° C. Plasma is actually the highest state of energy (the states of energy being solid, liquid, gas, and plasma).
Different types of plasma have been used over the last several decades that oil analysis has been commercially available. Early on, plasma was electrically generated as an arc. The drawback of an electric arc is that as it is generated, it can vary in intensity because the electrical part generating the arc erodes. The erosion causes changes in system resistance, resulting in variable plasma intensity. When using plasma to read the intensity of light from elements, it's best if the plasma's light is constant. Otherwise, errors can be introduced into the process.
Inductive coupled plasma, known in the trade as ICP, works by converting argon gas into plasma. So long as the argon pressures and flow rates don't change, and the power causing the plasma's generation is steady, the intensity of the plasma stays the same. This gives ICP spectrometry the industry gold star for incredible accuracy.
The Rainbow Connection
To understand what happens next, think of a rainbow. When you see a rainbow, what you're really seeing is moisture droplets in the air acting as prisms to refract (to separate) the various wavelengths of light into individual colors that can be seen by the human eye.
ks!Patrick Bateman said:
Then you don't know what you're talking about.
Well admittedly, no I don't.But I've never heard of oil analysis and the blurb you've provided sounds a load of cock.
Can you provide something actually worth reading that will convince me it's an important process let alone worth employing on a car?
twazzock said:
Well admittedly, no I don't.
But I've never heard of oil analysis and the blurb you've provided sounds a load of cock.
Can you provide something actually worth reading that will convince me it's something worth reading let alone worth employing on a car?
Is it that hard to accept that oil can be analysed in great detail? How do you think manufacturers test the stuff?But I've never heard of oil analysis and the blurb you've provided sounds a load of cock.
Can you provide something actually worth reading that will convince me it's something worth reading let alone worth employing on a car?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_analysis
I fully appreciate that oil can be 'analysed' but see next to no purpose for any car to have its oil poked and prodded. If there was really a problem I imagine you'd notice it in the drive way before the oil.
It's a bit like having the Daily Mail diagnosing your car with cancer, I imagine.
It's a bit like having the Daily Mail diagnosing your car with cancer, I imagine.
this is the only application i can think its justifiable for
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTofA--Urxc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTofA--Urxc
twazzock said:
I fully appreciate that oil can be 'analysed' but see next to no purpose for any car to have its oil poked and prodded. If there was really a problem I imagine you'd notice it in the drive way before the oil.
It's a bit like having the Daily Mail diagnosing your car with cancer, I imagine.
Not really.It's a bit like having the Daily Mail diagnosing your car with cancer, I imagine.
The whole point of it is to identify any future problems before they fully develop, hence why it's used across industry.
Didn't think it'd be so unheard of on this site of all places.
It does seem quite a big thing in the US - they take this stuff very seriously.
Be aware that the labs use different test methods to each other so once you pick a lab you have to stick with it for any comparison to previous results to be valid.
It does seem a bit pointless to me - the idea of oil analysis is mainly to determine the optimum time to change the oil but most people change it way before it needs doing anyway. In the US even if they do run it for extended periods it seems they would never dream on running the oil filter past 10K miles.
Be aware that the labs use different test methods to each other so once you pick a lab you have to stick with it for any comparison to previous results to be valid.
It does seem a bit pointless to me - the idea of oil analysis is mainly to determine the optimum time to change the oil but most people change it way before it needs doing anyway. In the US even if they do run it for extended periods it seems they would never dream on running the oil filter past 10K miles.
Patrick Bateman said:
Brilliant. Not a single academic source (or any source at all) in sight and yet so much authority, apparently $35 to get an analysis... might as well get your oil changed and benefit more.Deva Link said:
It does seem quite a big thing in the US - they take this stuff very seriously.
Be aware that the labs use different test methods to each other so once you pick a lab you have to stick with it for any comparison to previous results to be valid.
It does seem a bit pointless to me - the idea of oil analysis is mainly to determine the optimum time to change the oil but most people change it way before it needs doing anyway. In the US even if they do run it for extended periods it seems they would never dream on running the oil filter past 10K miles.
A useful response, what is this??Be aware that the labs use different test methods to each other so once you pick a lab you have to stick with it for any comparison to previous results to be valid.
It does seem a bit pointless to me - the idea of oil analysis is mainly to determine the optimum time to change the oil but most people change it way before it needs doing anyway. In the US even if they do run it for extended periods it seems they would never dream on running the oil filter past 10K miles.
My car had a gap of 29k miles in between services under the previous owner, never noticed it properly until I'd got home after buying the car. Wasn't thinking clearly in the anticipation of buying the car.
Just curious to see if there's anything of note, can't do any harm and will satisfy my curiosity at least.
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