Fluid Analysis

Making sure the coolant and cooling systems in your equipment are running properly is essential to preventing premature wear and unexpected breakdowns. Empire Fluid Lab offers 2 levels of coolant testing. 

Coolant Condition Analysis: Level 1 and Level 2 

Factors tested in a basic (Level 1) coolant analysis include: 

• pH: Abnormal pH levels contribute to a number of problems with the cooling systems of your equipment. Low pH (more acidic) coolant will wear out your cooling system components faster, whereas high pH (more alkaline) test results may indicate contaminants in your coolant. 
• Conductivity: Conductivity is a useful factor for identifying contaminants in coolant fluids as conductivity is an important safety concern for certain equipment and applications. 
• Nitrite: Nitrite is present in most coolant fluids as an additive that protects certain parts from erosion and oxidation. Conventional coolants with reduced nitrite levels should be replaced to ensure the proper functioning of your equipment.
• Physical properties: In addition to chemical testing, factors tested in a coolant analysis include odor, appearance, color, and precipitate. 

Also included in a basic coolant analysis: Boiling Point, Freeze Point, Glycol Percentage, Visual assessment, Foaming, Oil, and Fuel presence testing. Clients requiring a more detailed look at the condition of their coolant, including chemical, system health and water quality measurements, can upgrade to a more extensive Level 2 coolant testing.

Fluid Analysis fuel testing services include API gravity, flash point determination, wear metal and additive analyses. Our services determine the presence of oil in the fuel system and pinpoint the likeliest source of the leak. As part of our standard fuel testing services, we also check for bacterial contaminants, fungus, dirt, and other things that can build up and lead to fuel filter clogging. 

We also offer quality assurance Biodiesel testing per ASTM D6751 performs critical specification testing for the quality assurance of routine fuel samples. Our broad range of testing addresses most quality issues with biodiesel processing and blending. 

Fuel that has been stored for an extended period of time can become contaminated through water condensation and algae growth. Regular monitoring and testing can help ensure your stored fuel supply remains usable over the long term. 

Fluid Analysis offers a number of additional fluid analysis tests to check on component functionality. These tests include: 

• Hydraulic Fluid Analysis: Measures a number of factors to assess the overall health of your hydraulic systems. It’s not uncommon for a hydraulic oil test to find elevated levels of iron, chrome and silicone. 
• Transmission Fluid Analysis: Identifies typical transmission problems such as friction materials, dirt and wear materials from bearings and bushings.
• Microscope Analysis: Microscope Analysis provides a clear and accurate view of the types of particles that are being produced in the oil, as well as their number and size. 
• Advanced Wear Analysis:  Provides options for ferrous density, coarse wear metal content, membrane patch analysis, direct and analytical ferrography.
• DEF Analysis:  Quality analysis including Percent Urea, or analysis to detect contamination. Find out if you have DEF in your hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon in your DEF.