ABSTRACT
Oil mist lubrication, as shown schematically in Figure 10-1, is a centralized system which utilizes the energy of compressed air to produce a continuous feed of atomized lubricating oil (Ref. 10-1). This atomized lube oil, or “oil mist,” is conveyed by the carrier air-usually dry air from the plant instrument compressor or dry plant air-to multiple points through a low pressure distribution system. The system typically operates at a header pipe pressure of about 20 inches H2O (~5 kPa). The oil mist then passes through a reclassifier nozzle before entering the point to be lubricated. This reclassifier nozzle establishes the oil mist stream as either a mist, spray, or condensate, depending on the application of the system (Ref. 10-2). At its destination, the oil mist provides either only a protective, or both a protective and lubricating environment (Ref. 10-3).
