Mechanics of Smart Structures

Mechanics of Smart Structures

Localization, Experimental Performance Evaluation, and Techno-Economic Analysis of Coalescing Filters for Oil Aerosol Separation in Lubrication Systems

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Alireza Rahimi
General Engineering and Technical Services Department, Bushehr Petrochemical Company, Asaluyeh, Iran
10.30511/jmms.2026.2092456.1059
Abstract
Oil mist emissions from turbomachinery lubrication reservoirs cause lubricant loss, environmental contamination, varnish deposition, and operational safety concerns. This study investigates the localization and experimental performance of an oil mist coalescing cartridge filter through reverse engineering and techno-economic assessment. A localized prototype was designed using pleated glass microfiber media with an effective filtration area of 2.55m2, following structural and material characterization of an imported reference filter. Tests were conducted according to ISO 12500-1 and ISO 12500-3 at 20℃, relative humidity below 50%, and operating pressure of 7±0.1 bar(g), using a laser particle counter. Based on three independent trials, the localized filter achieved a separation efficiency of 99.95%±0.04% for 1 μm oil aerosols, clean-filter pressure drops of 0.01 MPa (100 mbar) and collapse pressure exceeding 10 bar(g). The prototype exhibited performance equivalent to the imported filter while reducing procurement costs by approximately 35%. Long-term saturation and drainage behavior were not investigated and should be addressed in future studies.
Keywords
Coalescing filter
Oil mist
Lubrication systems
Reverse engineering
Mechanics of Smart Structures

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 10 October 2026