The present invention relates to a change tracking facility quality lubricant circulating in equipment, such as a ship engine. The invention also relates to the evolution of the content of a predetermined chemical element tracking method of a lubricant, including dissolved iron and / or particulate lubricant. In addition, the invention relates to a method of monitoring the operation of a vehicle equipment on a ship.

The field of the invention is that of lubricants analysis equipment, including engines, particularly marine engines.

In the field of internal combustion engines used on commercial vessels, it is known that should monitor the situation of an engine by analyzing the lubricant flowing through the engine. Such analysis can detect phenomena of wear and / or corrosion that tend to occur in an engine. In the past, the operation of the engines was relatively stabilized and it was sufficient to control the quality of an ad-hoc basis lubricant during stopovers to anticipate maintenance operations to achieve. Today, engines are becoming more sophisticated and sensitive to the phenomena of wear and / or corrosion, so analysis must be carried on board ships and offshore, in particular to follow the overall content of iron lubricant, also known as oil or engine oil, this amount resulting from abrasion phenomena. The total content of lubricant iron comprises iron content present in the lubricant in the particulate form, for example as an oxide of iron, and in dissolved form, for example in the ionic form. This requires staff training and boarding an elaborate equipment, the operation is relatively difficult to master even the aircrew trained. Furthermore, this increases the workload of the staff. This requires staff training and boarding an elaborate equipment, the operation is relatively difficult to master even the aircrew trained. Furthermore, this increases the workload of the staff. This requires staff training and boarding an elaborate equipment, the operation is relatively difficult to master even the aircrew trained. Furthermore, this increases the workload of the staff.

WO-A-2010/046591 provides to use a system board wherein the oil coming out of an engine is directed to a functional component associated with a measuring system for determining the index of basicity or its content of metal particles. In practice, the engine of the outgoing oil flow is low and the engine output flow consists of droplets ruissèlent inside of a pipe, to the point that it is not certain that the functional component is supplied with a sufficient flow of oil for the measures carried out are correct.

WO-A-03/091 550 discloses a method of analysis of a lubricant wherein a measurement performed by means of an XRF sensor on a sample of lubricant to be monitored, is compared to measurements made on samples of reference lubricant. This approach is designed to allow working in the laboratory and requires skilled labor.

It is also known from US-A-5,982,847 to use a spectrometer comprising an X-ray source and an X-ray detector for measuring the metal particle content in a lubricant due to wear of the lubrication system 'a motor. This source and the X-ray detector associated with a cell made of a non-metallic material or aluminum-based alloy and which is equipped with a window transparent to X-rays and which can be achieved, for example, beryllium, in boron or aluminum coated polymer. Beryllium gives satisfactory results but can be toxic for an operator. Other materials tend to filter X-rays Given the pressure and temperature of the fluid flowing in the cell, the window should be relatively thick,

Furthermore, laboratory equipment, such as that known from US-B-6233307 that could help detect iron content dissolved in a lubricant, are difficult to transport and use of a complex, making the very accessible to crewmembers, even trained for this.

These problems are not only on the two-stroke or four propulsion time of vessels, but also on other secondary engines also embarked on ships, eg for hoist type accessories. In general, monitoring the overall content of iron, that is to say, the dissolved iron content and / or particulate, in a lubricant is important for all lubricated engines and known techniques are not conducive to automation .

Similar problems arise in the determination of the content of a lubricant in a different predetermined chemical element, in particular calcium, vanadium, chromium, molybdenum, copper, sulfur, lead, silver, tin, aluminum, nickel, zinc or phosphorus .

It is these drawbacks in particular remedy the invention by providing a new monitoring system of the evolution of the quality of a lubricant circulating in equipment that is adapted to operate simply and

autonomous, which notably frees staff boarded a ship repetitive tasks and developed.

To this end, the invention concerns an installation for monitoring the evolution of the quality of a lubricant circulating in equipment, this installation comprising at least one lubricant circulation conduit, this conduit being connected, upstream, to the equipment and, downstream, to a recovery tank. This installation further comprises a sensor for determining, by the X fluorescence technology, the overall content of a predetermined chemical element, a lubricant sample, the sensor comprising an X-ray source, an X-ray detector and a cell for holding a lubricant sample and a wall forming a passage window of X-rays from the source or towards the X-ray detector According to the invention, this installation comprises a first interrupt valve controlled the flow of lubricant in the pipe, a lubricant accumulation buffer reservoir, a first bypass line connected firstly to the line upstream of the first valve and secondly to the buffer reservoir, a second valve controlled interruption of the lubricant flow in the first bypass line, a second lubricant discharge line, the buffer reservoir to the recovery tank, and a third valve controlled interruption of the flow of lubricant in the second discharge line. The sensor determines the overall content of a predetermined chemical element of a lubricant sample the output of the buffer tank. In addition,

Thanks to the invention, the sensor which operates by the X fluorescence technology allows an onboard measuring the overall content of a predetermined chemical element in a lubricant. Within the meaning of the present invention, the overall content of a chemical element in a lubricant is the content of dissolved and particulate member of this chemical element in said lubricant. Advantageously, the sensor is a sensor of the iron content in the lubricant. The measurement carried out is not affected significantly by the wall which forms the beam passing window X. In effect, the wall, made of poly (ethylene terephthalate) or PET, may be provided with a thickness relatively small, especially less than 200 μηι (micron) while exhibiting satisfactory mechanical properties to withstand the pressure forces and vibrations in an installation according to the invention. The constituent material of the wall also allows it to not be altered by the lubricant flowing through the cell.

The lubricant in question in the present invention is a lubricant conventionally used and known in the art and helps lubricate equipment, including a ship engine. This lubricant comprises at least one lubricating base oil. In general, lubricating base oils may be mineral oils of origin, synthetic or vegetable as well as mixtures thereof.

In lubricants, lubricating base oils can be used alone or mixed. For example, mineral oil can be combined with a synthetic oil. The lubricant may further comprise at least one additive conventionally used and known in the art for the lubricant formulation and particularly marine lubricant. For example, the additive may be selected from overbased detergents, neutral detergents, dispersants, antiwear additives, any other functional additive, or mixtures thereof.

For example, the overbased detergent and the neutral detergent may be selected from carboxylates, sulfonates, salicylates, naphthenates, phenates, and mixed detergents combining at least two of these types of detergents. The overbased detergent and the detergent include neutral compounds based on metals selected from calcium, magnesium, sodium or barium, preferably calcium or magnesium. The overbased detergent may be overbased metal insoluble salts selected from the group of carbonates of alkali and alkaline earth metals, preferably calcium carbonate. The lubricant can comprise at least one overbased detergent and at least one neutral detergent as defined above.

For example, succinic acid derivatives are compounds of dispersants particularly useful as lubricating additives. Mannich bases, obtained by polycondensation of phenols substituted with alkyl groups, formaldehyde and primary or secondary amines, are also compounds used as dispersants in lubricants.

For example, from anti-wear additives conventionally used to formulate marine lubricants, anti-wear additive most commonly used is the di thiophosphate zinc or DTPZn.

For example, other functional additives may be chosen from thickeners, defoamers to counter the effect of the detergents, which may be for example polar polymers such as polydimethylsiloxanes, polyacrylates, antioxidant additives and / or anti rust, for example organo-metal detergents or thiadiazoles.

According to advantageous but non-obligatory aspects, a system according to the invention may incorporate one or more of the following characteristics, taken in any technically feasible combination:

- The cell comprises a metal housing which is placed on the wall.

- The cell comprises a hollow housing for receiving the wall and a threaded washer immobilization of the wall in the hollow housing.

- The sensor is a sensor for determining the iron content of the lubricant sample.

- The casing is made of a metal or a non-ferrous alloy, in particular an alloy based on aluminum.

- The X-ray source and the X-ray detector are mounted on a cover that positions relative to the housing and to the wall, whereas this support forms a shield against the spread of X-rays

- A line of sight of the X-ray source and a line of sight of the X-ray detector form between them an angle between 20 ° and 25 °, preferably of the order of

22°.

- The wall has a thickness less than or equal to 200 μηι, preferably less than or equal to 150 μηι, more preferably of the order of 125 μηι.

- The sensor for determining the content of a predetermined chemical element is disposed on the second discharge line

- The installation further comprises a sensor for determining the base number of the lubricant, arranged on the second discharge and for determining the base number of the lubricant at the outlet of the buffer reservoir line.

Furthermore, the invention relates to an automated method of monitoring the evolution of the overall content of a predetermined chemical element in a lubricant circulating in an equipment, by means of an installation as mentioned above, wherein the sensor determining the content of iron is disposed on the second discharge line. This method is characterized in that it comprises at least steps of:

a) closing the first valve,

b) opening the second valve and closing the third valve for supplying the buffer tank from a quantity of lubricant accumulated in the line upstream of the first valve,

c) opening the third valve for circulating the lubricant present in the buffer reservoir through the second discharge line into a cell of the sensor,

d) using the sensor for determining the overall content of a predetermined chemical element in the lubricant outlet of the buffer tank.

The invention also relates to a method of monitoring the operation of equipment onboard a vessel, the method comprising determining, on board the vessel, the overall content of a predetermined chemical element, in particular iron, the lubricant flowing in the equipment in question by the implementation of an automated method as mentioned above.

Finally, the invention relates to the use of an automated method as mentioned above for determining the overall content of a predetermined chemical element, in particular iron, a lubricant circulating in an equipment of a ship, especially in a ship engine.

The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the light of the following description of two embodiments of an installation in accordance with its principle, given solely by way of example and in reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an installation according to the invention as qu'embarquée on a ship,

- Figure 2 is an enlarged view of detail II in Figure 1, showing a determination of total content sensor at a predetermined chemical element, in particular iron, used in the installation of Figure 1.

- Figure 3 is a larger scale of detail III in Figure 2,

- Figure 4 is a perspective view of the sensor shown in Figures 2 and 3,

- Figure 5 is a perspective view, from another angle, of the sensor of Figures 2 to 4,

- Figure 6 is a schematic representation on a smaller scale of the fluidic part of the Figure 1 system in a first operating configuration,

- Figures 7 to 9 are views similar to Figure 6 when the system is in a second, a third and a fourth operating configuration,

- Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 1 for an installation according to a second embodiment of the invention,

- figures 1 1 to 21 are views similar to Figure 6 for the installation of Figure 10 in different configurations of use, and

- Figure 22 is a view similar to Figure 1 for an installation according to a third embodiment of the invention.

Figures 6 to 9 and 1 1 21, the lubricant present or circulating in a part of the installation is shown in gray.

The facility 2 shown in Figures 1 to 9 is loaded onto a ship shown in Figure 1 by equipment M. In particular, the equipment M is an engine which has several cylinders, e.g., two to fourteen cylinders, preferably a ship of the two-stroke or four-stroke. A conduit 4 connects the M equipment in a tank 6 lubricant recovery. In practice, the engine oil flows into the pipe 4 with a pressure P4 comprised between 1, 1 and 6 bar absolute. The oil flow in the pipe 4 may be low, so that the oil runs down the inner wall of this pipe.

The pipe 4 extends vertically, from top to bottom, equipment M toward the tray 6. In this embodiment, the oil flowing in the conduit 4 is derived from at least one equipment cylinder Mr.

A tap 8 is provided on the conduit 4 and equipped The 10-manually controlled valve, which allows to collect a quantity of oil which leaves the device M to conduct physicochemical analyzes, according to a known approach itself.

The facility 2 comprises a shutoff valve 20 mounted on the pipe 4 and which can be interrupted, selectively, the oil flow in the pipe 4, toward the tray 6. The shut-off valve 20 is controlled by an electronic unit 22 by means of an electric signal S20.

As shown only in Figure 1, the plant 2 comprises a cabinet 24, represented by its trace line in axis and inside which are arranged the components of the system 2, with the exception of the part of the stop valve 20 which is incorporated in the pipe 4.

The system 2 also comprises a buffer reservoir 26 which is disposed in the cabinet 24 and is connected to the pipe 4 by means of a first branch line 28.

One notes 282 the mouth of the line 28. This mouth is arranged upstream of the valve 20 on the conduit 4. The first bypass line 28 is equipped, downstream of the mouth 282 to its outlet 284 in the buffer tank 26 , a filter 30, a stop valve 32 and a branch pipe 34. the filter 30 serves to prevent too large for impurities to flow into the first bypass line 28. the valve of stop 32 allows a choice of making bandwidth or close the first line

28. The bypass valve 32 is controlled by the electronic unit 22 by means of an electric signal S32. The tap 34 is connected, through a controlled valve 36 to a source 12 of air under pressure which is not part of the installation 2 but belongs to the standard equipment of a ship.

In practice, the source 12 of air under pressure may be an onboard compressor on the ship and that feeds a compressed air network which is also used for other equipment installation 2. Alternatively, the source 12 may be a pump dedicated to the installation 2.

The system 2 also comprises a tap 38 connected to the tank 26, on which is mounted a stop valve 40 and which allows communicating the internal volume V26 of the reservoir 26 with the ambient atmosphere.

In this embodiment, the nozzles 34 and 38 are independent. Alternatively, they may be replaced by a single stitching, connected to the first line 28 or directly to the tank 26, on which the valves 36 and 40 are connected in parallel, being connected to the source 12 of pressurized air respectively and to the ambient atmosphere. In this case, it is possible to combine the valves 36 and 40 as a single three-way valve.

The valves 36 and 40 are controlled by the electronic unit 22 by means of respective electric signals S36 and S40.

The system 2 also includes a second line 42 to the lubricant discharge, the internal volume V26 of the reservoir 26 to the drain pan 6. The second discharge line 42 is disposed downstream of the first bypass line 28 and the reservoir 26, the flow path of the lubricant. In the example, the second line 42 extends from tank 26 to line 4. The mouth 422 is located in the lower part of the tank 26, whereas its outlet 424 is disposed on the conduit 4, downstream of the valve stop 20, as shown in the figures, which allows to reduce the time of an analysis cycle because the stop valve 20 can be closed to create an oil column in the pipe 4, while steps measurement takes place. Alternatively,

The second line 42 is equipped with a stop valve 44 which is controlled by the electronic unit 22 by means of an electric signal S44.

Three sensors 46, 48 and 50 are disposed on the line 42, upstream of valve 44.

The sensor 46 for measuring the density D, the viscosity V, H humidity and temperature T of a lubricant present or flowing in the second line 42. This sensor may be of the type sold by the company AVENISENSE under the name Cactus. Alternatively, the sensor 46 may be of another type or not possible to measure only one or some of the above mentioned parameters.

The sensor 48 is a sensor base number or BN, sometimes referred to as index of alkalinity. It may be a sensor operating with infrared technology in the mid-infrared, or any other sensor suitable for determining the BN of a lubricant.

The sensor 50 is a determination of the overall iron content sensor, that is to say the dissolved iron content and / or particulate from a sample of lubricant out of the tank 26, by means of fluorescence technology X.

As seen more particularly in Figures 2 to 5, the sensor 50 comprises a source 502 of X-ray, a detector 504 of X-ray and a cell 506 which is mounted in series on the second line 42. To do this, the cell 506 is provided with a member 506A upstream coupling cooperating with the complementary coupling member 42A provided on the line 42, and a downstream coupling member 506B which cooperates with a complementary connector 42B member provided on line 42 .

The source 502 comprises a cathode and an anode between which flow of electrons under the effect of a potential difference of the order of 50 kV, a current of the order of 500 mA flowing through the cathode. The anode is made of metal, for example gold, tungsten, silver or rhodium. The power required to source 502 is relatively small, especially between 4 and 10 W. A collimator 502C is used in source output 502 to focus the electron beam focused on a line of sight of the source A502 502.

The rays emitted by the X-ray source are within the range of X-ray with a wavelength between 0.01 and 10 nm, that is to say a frequency of between about 3 x 10 19 and 3 x 10 16 Hz.

The detector 504 is SDS-type (from the English Silicon Drift Detector) that includes a single electrode on the front panel, which collects electrons generated by the interaction of X-rays in the PN junction of a photodiode. This type of sensor has the advantage of low capacitance due to the small surface area of ​​the anode. This type of sensor provides a high counting rate, good resolution and effective cooling Peltier. Alternatively, the detector 504 is SI-pin type, with a photodiode made of silicon, which has an intrinsic region interposed between the two zones respectively positively and negatively doped.

The detector 504 is capable of counting "hits" each emission energy level over time, which allows for an energy levels spectrum. It is noted A504 boresight of the sensor 504, which corresponds to the principal direction of the X-rays detected by the detector.

The cell 506 comprises a body 508 made by machining or molding of a metal block. This body 508 is preferably made of aluminum or an alloy based on aluminum, such as Zicral (7075) which is an aluminum alloy with zinc as the main alloying element. Alternatively, the housing 508 may be made of another aluminum base alloy. For the purposes of this description, a aluminum-based alloy is an alloy which comprises at least 50% by weight of aluminum. The use of an aluminum based alloy allows the housing 508 to withstand the temperature, pressure and chemical composition of the lubricant flowing in the line 42. The

However, alternatively it is possible to provide that the housing 508 is made of stainless steel.

The housing 508 defines a volume V508 of lubricant flow between the coupling members 506A and 506B in the direction of the arrow F50 in Figure 3. This volume V508 is tubular with a circular or rectangular section, at the option of the designer housing 508. It is noted X508 a longitudinal axis of the volume V508.

The housing 508 is provided with a bore 508A, which is centered on an axis perpendicular to the Y508 X508 axis and opens into the volume V508. The bore 508A has a circular section centered on the Y508 axis and provided with a thread 508B.

The bore 508A is closed by a wall 510 disc-shaped, which can also be called "membrane", which is held pressed against the bottom of a counterbore of the bore 508A 508C by means of a ring 512 provided with a complementary external thread 512B 508B thread and which cooperates therewith. The wall or membrane 510 is mounted on the housing 508 in the plating against the counterbore 508C, then screwing the ring 512 in the bore 508A.

The ring 512 is made of the same metal or the same alloy as the body

508.

The wall 510 constitutes a viewport for the source 502 and the detector 504 that allows X-rays to pass from the source 502 to a lubricant sample contained in the volume V508 and the volume 508 to the detector 504.

The wall 510 is made of poly (ethylene terephthalate) or PET, which confers satisfactory mechanical properties, so it can have a small thickness, less than 200 μηι, so that it does not interfere with the rays X coming from the source 502 or departing to the detector 504.

In practice, the thickness of the wall 510, which is measured perpendicularly to the axis Y508 may be chosen less than 150 μηι, preferably of the order of 125 μηι.

The source 502 and detector 504 are mounted on a cover 514 that determines their position relative to the cell 506, particularly relative to the housing 508 and wall 510. This cover 504 surrounds the casing 508 on the side of bore 508A, so that it insulates the window formed by the wall 510 from outside the sensor 50. E514 Note the thickness of the cover 514. the material of this cover 514 and E514 thickness are selected so that they are an effective shield against the X-ray flowing between the source 502, the detector 504 and the cell 506. This cell allows free passage of the lubricant and allows analysis of static or dynamic fluid lubricant. In practice, the 514 cap can be made in stainless steel, for example of 316, and

On the other hand, an additional shield 516 is mounted about the housing 508, the side of the housing opposite to the cover 514. For clarity of the drawing, this shield 516 is only shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The parts 502, 504, 506, 514 and 516 of sensor 50 are fixed on a support 518 consisting of a plate which can be fixed in the cabinet 24 by means of screws 518A. A bracket 502A and a spacer 54A are used to respectively fix the source 502 and the detector 504 on the support 518.

Thus assembled, the sensor 50 is a subset easy to handle, easily identifiable and which can be a standard exchange operation by unscrewing the screws 518A and separating the joint members 506A and 42A, firstly, 506B and 42B, on the other.

The source 502 is controlled by the electronic unit 22 through a signal S502 and the detector 504 outputs to the electronic unit 22 a signal S50 output from the sensor 50.

In practice, the X508 axes Y508, A502 and A504 are coplanar.

It is noted a measured angle between the axes A502 A504 and outside the housing 508. This angle has a value between 20 and 25 °, preferably of the order of 22 °.

In operation, the X fluorescence technology the sensor 50 is used to determine the total content of iron, that is to say the dissolved iron content and / or particulate, an amount of oil passing through the volume V508 , the output of the buffer tank 26.

Measuring the iron content performed by the sensor 50 when the lubricant flows in the second line 42, that is to say when the valve 44 is opened. This is called dynamic measurement.

Alternatively, this measurement can be performed when the lubricant is static in the volume V508, that is to say when the valve 44 is closed. This is known as static measurement.

The system 2 also includes a first level sensor 54 and a second level sensor 56 which respectively detect when the amount of oil in the tank 26 reaches a first level N1 or a second level N2. The electrical output signals S54 and S56 of the sensors 54 and 56 are supplied to the unit 22.

Alternatively, the sensors 54 and 56 may be replaced by a single sensor, such as a pressure sensor, which detects when the oil reaches each of the two levels N1 and N2 in the tank 26.

Figures 6 to 9 schematically illustrate the successive steps of an automated process implemented by the installation 2 in Figure 1. This process is automated in the sense that it can be implemented, partially or preferably completely without human intervention, under control of the unit 22. The same applies to the method explained below on the second embodiment of the invention.

By default, and outside the sampling phases, the oil leaving the equipment M flows in the pipe 4 in the direction of the arrow F1 in Figure 1, the equipment M to the drip tray 6, without being retained by the valve 20 is open or bandwidth configuration, while the other valves are closed.

Where it is appropriate to determine the iron content of the oil exiting the motor M, the unit 22 controls the valve 20 to close, so that it is created in the conduit 4 a retainer where an amount accumulate oil, that is to say lubricants, as represented by the shaded portion L in Figure 2.

In the configuration of Figure 6, line 4 serves as a settling leg and impurities I accumulate in the vicinity of the valve 20, inside the duct 4 and in the lower part of the quantity of lubricant L.

In this first step represented by the configuration of Figure 6, valves 32 and 40 are open, while valves 36 and 44 are closed.

When the level of lubricant L in the line or column 4 reaches the opening 282, oil begins to flow through the first bypass line 28, in particular through the filter 30 and valve 32, into the internal volume V26 of the reservoir 26 in which oil flows. Indeed, the outlet 284 of the first line 28 is located in the upper part of the tank 26 and oil can flow along the tank wall 26. As the valve 44 is closed, the oil gradually fills the part the second discharge line 42 upstream of valve 44, including the internal volumes of the sensors 46 and 48 and the internal volume V26, driving the air towards the atmosphere through the valve 40.

When the sensor 56 detects that the N2 oil level inside the tank 26 is reached, the unit 22 switches the system 2 to a new configuration shown in Figure 8, wherein the valve 20 pass through the open configuration , thereby emptying the settling leg directing the remainder of the amount L of this lubricant upstream of the valve 20 as well as impurities I to the drain pan 6. the flow in the direction of the arrow F1 therefore continues into the tray 6. Furthermore, the valves 32 and 40 are closed and valve 36 is opened, allowing to put the V26 of the volume that is not occupied by the lubricant, that is -dire the portion of the volume V26 located above level N 2, under a pressure P1 of air equal to that of the source ofair 12 which, in the example, is 7 bar absolute.

This being done, the unit 22 passes the installation 2 at a next step, represented by the configuration of Figure 9, wherein the valve 44 is opened, other valves retaining their configuration status of Figure 4. In this case, the air pressure P1 in the upper part of the volume V26 has the effect of pushing the oil in the second discharge line 42, through the sensors 46, 48 and 50, which allows these sensors to provide the unit 22 of the signals S46, S48 and S50 respectively, representative of the parameters they have detected.

Where appropriate, the S46, S48 and S50 signals can be processed in the unit 22 to determine the values ​​of the controlled parameters, in particular by comparison with known values ​​for the reference lubricant.

S46 signals S48 and S50, or extrapolated signals from these signals, may be provided outside of the installation 2 in the form of a conjugated signal S2, operable by a central control unit of the Mr equipment

In practice, the passage section of the sensor 50 of iron content is about 70 mm 2 . It can be up to 200 mm 2. In all cases, it should be able to supply this passage section at a sufficient rate, for a time sufficient to achieve the extent the overall iron content. Alternatively, the same applies to the sensor 46 and the sensor 48 of base number. The construction of the installation with the reservoir 26 makes it possible to create a reserve forming a "buffer" of oil, as the amount of oil L1 contained in the tank 26 in the configuration of Figure 4. A portion of this L1 oil reservoir can be discharged, continuously or sequentially, in the second discharge line 42 so that the sensors 48 and 50 have a sufficient amount of oil to be analyzed.

Starting from the configuration of Figure 9, it is possible, in a subsequent step, to continue the evacuation of the tank 26 and the entire second discharge line 42 maintaining valve 44 open and continuing the injecting compressed air through the valve 36.

Alternatively, it is possible to stop the emptying of the tank 26 when the oil level reaches the level N1, so as to maintain continuously a L2 amount of oil in the second discharge line 42, especially in sensors 46, 48 and 50 in which the active parts in contact with the oil are not likely to dry. This avoids in particular the deposition of traces of oil on the wall 510 of the sensor 50. If this second approach is selected, a certain amount of oil should be used at a next step, for pre-clean the second discharge line 42 and not to disturb the next measurement.

In the second and third embodiments of the invention shown in Figures 10 and following, the elements similar to those of the first embodiment bear the same references. In the following, we mainly describe what distinguishes the achievement from the previous modes.

In the embodiment of Figures 10 to 21, the first and second lines

28 and 42 meet at a junction 29 T. Thus, the outlet 284 of the first bypass line 28 is coincident with the mouth 422 of the second discharge line 42. The line section between the tank 26 and the branch

29 is common to the first and second lines 28 and 42. This line section opens

in the lower part of the tank 26 so that oil which flows from the pipe 4 to the reservoir 26 reaches directly the lower part of this reservoir.

It defines three levels N1, N2 and N3 in the tank 26, the levels N1 and N2 being comparable to those of the first embodiment.

In this second embodiment, it is not used in the same level sensors the level sensors 54 and 56, but a pressure sensor 58 whose output signal S58 is supplied to the electronic control unit 22. By Furthermore, a level sensor 60 is mounted in the duct 4, upstream of the valve 20, that is to say above the latter. It provides the unit 22 a signal S60.

In addition, nozzles 34 and 38 and valves 36 and 40 of the first embodiment are replaced by a single stitch 38 'on which is connected the pressure sensor 58 and a distributor 62 three-way and three orifices, which is connected on the one hand to the pressurized air source 12 and secondly to the ambient atmosphere. The distributor 62 is controlled by the unit 22 by means of a dedicated electric signal S62.

The installation 2 comprises, as in the first embodiment, a sensor

50 for determining the total content of iron, that is to say the dissolved iron content and / or particulate, identical to the first embodiment and mounted on the pipe 42.

The operation of the system 2 is as follows:

By default, the valve 20 is open and valves 32 and 44 are closed, while the valve 62 is in the configuration shown in Figure 10 where it isolates the internal volume V26 of the reservoir 26 of the compressed air source 12 and from the ambient atmosphere.

Where it is appropriate to proceed to the determination of the iron content and optionally the base number of the oil leaving the equipment M, the unit 22 activates the valve 20 by means of the signal S20 in a first step to bring it in the closed configuration shown in Figure 1 1. In this configuration, the oil is present in the first bypass line 28 between the filter 30 and the valve 32, due to a declogging operation of the filter 30, previously made and which is explained below.

In this configuration, the valves 32 and 44 and the dispenser 62 are closed.

The level sensor 60 is positioned so that when the column of oil retained in the conduit 4 upstream of the valve 20 reaches the N0 level detected by the sensor, as shown in FIG 12, a predetermined amount of lubricant is present above the mouth 282. for example, the predetermined amount may be equal to 100 ml. When the level sensor 60 detects that this level is reached N0

in line 4, the internal volume V26 of the reservoir 26 is vented to atmospheric pressure by operating the distributor 62 to bring it into the configuration of Figure 12.

From this configuration, the unit 22 controls the valve 32 and the distributor 62 in a subsequent step to complete the transfer of the amount of oil from the conduit 4 to the reservoir 26 as represented by the configuration of Figure 13 . In this configuration, the valve 32 is opened, while the valve 62 is closed. The oil transfer line 4 to the buffer tank 26 is therefore accompanied by an increase in the air pressure inside the tank 26. The air compression ratio trapped in the reservoir may be connected after calibration, the initial volume of air in the tank 26 and the volume of decanted oil.

For example, for an adiabatic compression and an initial air volume in the tank 26 equal to 160 ml, the pressure in the reservoir 26 reaches 1, 7 bar absolute to 50 ml of transferred oil.

Similarly, assuming a reservoir 26 initially containing 250 ml of air, it is possible to transfer 80 ml, the amount L1 shown in Figure 10, the reservoir 26 before reaching the upper part thereof a air pressure P1 equal to 1, 7 bar absolute. This is the example in the following.

In this case, the N2 oil level is reached in the tank 26 at the step shown by the installation 2 in the configuration of Figure 14.

The unit 22 controls automatically the valves and the distributor to reach the configuration of Figure 15 where the reservoir 26 is pressurized through the manifold 62 which connects the volume V26 to the compressed air source 12, so that pressure P1 'of air within the tank 26 becomes equal to 7 bar. For this to take place, the valve 32 has previously been switched by the unit 22 in the closed configuration, to prevent a tank of the oil return pipe 26 to 4. Furthermore, in this step, the valve 20 is switched by the unit 22 in the open configuration, so that the engine oil flow circulating in the equipment M to the drain pan 6 can again take place in the direction of the arrow F1.

The oil thus flows through the sensors 46, 48 and 50 which are able to detect the parameters for which they are provided and provide corresponding signals S46, S48 and S50, to the unit 22, as in the first embodiment.

The oil discharge in the tank 26 through the second discharge line 42 can take place in several cycles, by successive pressure of the trapped air volume in the container and successive connections to the air source 12. for a tank of 250 ml initially containing 80ml of oil, there may for example carry three successive detents, between 7 bar and 6.2 bar, preceded by three connections to the air source 12. This allows to grant a total volume 50 ml in the second discharge line 42 and reach the configuration of Figure 17 where a residual amount L2, 30 ml of lubricant remains in the reservoir 26 by being subjected to a pressure P2 equal to 6.2 bars.

The three successive detents are held in advance and sequentially filling the tank 26 with air to 7 bar, by means of appropriate control of the dispenser 62.

These three detents for circulating 50 ml of lubricant in the sensors 46, 48 and 50 in three successive stages, which allows them to generate three sets of signals S46, S48 and S50 or a set of combined signals, for (s) and to provide (s) in the unit 22, then transmitted and / or treatment (s) as in the first embodiment.

Starting from the configuration of Figure 17, the unit 22 switches the system 2 in the configuration of Figure 18 wherein the internal volume V26 of the reservoir 26 is again pressurized to the pressure P1 'of 7 bar, with a appropriate control of the dispenser 62, while the valve 44 is closed.

Once this operation, the unit 22 controls the valve 32 to open and the distributor 62 to the closure, which has the effect of driving the oil present in the lower part of the tank 26 through the first bypass line 28, into the conduit 4, in a direction of unclogging the filter 30. This step is represented by the configuration of Figure 19. the fact of lowering the pressure in the reservoir 26 from 7 to 6.2 bar makes it possible to circulate an amount of about 20 ml of the tank 26 towards the pipe 4. at the end of this stage, there remains a L3 amount equal to 10 ml of lubricant in the reservoir 26 under a pressure P2 of 6.2 bar.

Once this unclogging operation of filter realized, the unit 22 passes the installation 2 in the configuration of Figure 20 where the valve 32 is again closed, while the valve 44 is opened and the valve 62 is placed in

Power System V26 volume of pressurized air. This has the effect of discharging the residual oil amount present in the second discharge line 42 and the sensors 46 and 48 until the configuration of Figure 21 where the second discharge line 42 and sensors 46 and 48 are empty of oil and filled with air. This corresponds to the configuration of Figure 1 January mentioned above.

Figures on the 20 and 21 it is noted that the portion of the first bypass line 28 between the valve 32 and the outlet 284 is emptied by the air from the tank 26. This is linked to the fact that, in practice, the valve 32 is disposed immediately upstream of the branch 29.

In the third embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 22, several pipes 4 are used, each of them being adapted to collect oil from a single cylinder of the equipment M.

Each conduit 4 is equipped with a 20 controlled by the electronic unit valve 22 and thereby interrupting the flow of a flow F1 of lubricant in the pipe 4 in question. A first bypass line 28 is connected on the one hand, to each pipe 4, upstream of its valve 20 and, on the other hand, to the input of the buffer reservoir 26 which is the same as in the first embodiment production. The installation 2 therefore comprises as many first bypass lines 28 that lines 4. Thus, starting from its mouth 282, each first bypass line 28 is equipped with a filter 30 and a stop valve 32. The four first lines 28 join downstream of their respective stop valves 32 and the tap 34 is common to the first four-pass lines 28,

A tap 8 is provided on each pipe 4 and equipped The 10-manually controlled valve, in a parallel approach to the one mentioned above about the first embodiment. Alternatively, only one or some circuits 4 and / or are equipped with such a stitching 8.

The second discharge line 42 is common for all the cylinders of the equipment, in particular the motor, and receives, downstream of the reservoir 26, the oil from all the first lines 28. The bypass outlet 424 of the second discharge line is arranged on one of the conduits 4, downstream of its stop valve 20.

This third embodiment optimizes the footprint of pipes 4 and their progression within the engine compartment of a ship. It allows space savings compared to the first embodiment.

By successively implementing the method explained above regarding the first embodiment, for each of the pipes 4, the installation of this third embodiment is used to find, through the sensor 50, identical to that of the first embodiment embodiment, the total iron content of the lubricant at the outlet of each of the cylinders of the equipment M of which is connected a conduit 4.

In the example of Figure 19, four circuits 4 are provided, each dedicated to an equipment cylinder M. Alternatively, the number of circuits 4 is different, but still greater than or equal to 2, in order to adapt installation 2 according to the configuration of the equipment M and the space available for housing the pipes 4.

Alternatively, the invention can be represented with the sensors 46, 48 and 50 arranged in this order along the discharge line 42. This is not mandatory and other order is possible. For example, the sensor 50 may be disposed upstream of the sensors 46 and 48, or therebetween, along the line 42.

Whatever the embodiment, the sensors 46 and 48 are optional, in that they are not useful in determining the overall iron content of the oil. However, they are very beneficial because they allow the installation of 2 automatically perform several actions more representative of the oil quality parameters, in addition to the only dissolved iron content and / or particulate. Thus, the system 2 allows efficient measurement of the total content of iron, base number or BN and / or other parameters of outgoing oil from M by a process equipment which can be automated and requires no special knowledge on the part of a user or flight personnel, since the signal S2 can be read directly, or through the

In practice, the maximum pressure P1 'prevailing in the interior volume V26 of the reservoir 26, which depends on the pressure of the source 12 is not limited to 7 bar. It is between 6 and 12 bar, preferably between 7 and 10 bar depending on the pressure of the compressed air system provided on the vessel. The value of 7 bar is preferred because it gives good experimental results and corresponds to a commonly available pressure level. It is important that this pressure P1 is greater than the P4 of the oil pressure in the conduit 4, which is between 1, 1 and 6 bars as mentioned above. Indeed, it is the difference between the pressures P1 and P4 which ensures the flow of oil through the second discharge line 42.

Whatever the embodiment, the system 2, which is essentially included in the box 24, is easy to install on board a ship and does not require the installation of the valve 20 in the pipe 4, connection lines 28 and 42 of this pipe and its power supply and pressurized air. The installation 2 can be easily located on a new ship or a ship used to be retrofitted in service.

The invention is described above in the case where the sensor 50 serves to determine the overall iron content of the lubricant. However, it is applicable for determining the overall content of a lubricant in a different predetermined chemical element, for example, calcium, vanadium, chromium, molybdenum, sulfur, lead, copper, tin silver, aluminum, nickel, zinc or phosphorus . In this case, the material constituting the housing is adapted to the chemical element in question, not to interfere with the measurement by X-ray fluorescence

The invention is described above in the case of its use for a ship propulsion engine. However, it is applicable to other ship equipment, such as an auxiliary engine or ship accessory.

In the foregoing, the words and phrases "oil", "Engine oil" and "lubricant" are used interchangeably for the purposes of the invention, an oil or engine oil is a lubricant.

In the foregoing, the terms "iron content," "overall iron content" and "dissolved iron content and / or particle" are used interchangeably, as well as the phrases "content predetermined chemical element" and "overall content in predetermined chemical element ".

The characteristics of the embodiment and variants envisaged above modes can be combined to generate new embodiments of the invention.

CLAIMS

1. - Installation (2) monitoring the evolution of the quality of a lubricant circulating in an equipment (M), this installation comprising:

- at least one pipe (4) of movement (F1) of the lubricant, the conduit being connected, upstream, to the equipment and, downstream, to a recovery tank (6), and

- a sensor (50) determining, by X fluorescence technology, the overall content of a predetermined chemical element, a lubricant sample, the sensor comprising an X-ray source (502), an X-ray detector (504) and a cell (506) for holding a lubricant sample and equipped with a wall (510) forming a ray passage window or from the source towards the detector;

characterized

• in that the plant comprises:

- a first valve (20) controlled interruption of circulation (F1) of the lubricant in the conduit (4),

- a buffer tank (26) of accumulation of lubricant,

- a first line (28) connected to bypass the one hand, to the line upstream of the first valve and, secondly, to the buffer tank,

- a second valve (32) controlled interruption of the lubricant flow in the first bypass line,

- a second line (42) for discharging lubricant, buffer tank to the recovery tank,

- a third valve (44) controlled interruption of the flow of lubricant in the second discharge line

• in that the sensor (50) determines the overall content of a predetermined chemical element, a lubricant sample, at the outlet of the buffer tank (26); and · in that the wall (510) which forms a passage window of X-rays from the source (502) or towards the detector (504) is made of poly (ethylene terephthalate).

2. - Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the cell (506) comprises a housing (508) of metal on which is the wall (510).

3. - Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the cell (506) comprises a hollow housing (508C) for receiving the wall (510) and a threaded ring (512) for immobilizing the wall in the hollow housing .

4. - Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the sensor (50) is a sensor for determining the iron content of the lubricant sample.

5. Installation according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the housing (508) is made of a metal or non-ferrous alloy, especially an alloy based on aluminum.

6. - Device according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the X-ray source (502) and the X ray detector (504) are mounted on a cover (514) that positions relative to the housing (508) and the wall (510) and in that said support forms a shield against the spread of X-rays

7. - Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a sighting axis (A502) of the X-ray source (502) and a sighting axis (A504) of the X-ray detector (504) form between them an angle (a) between 20 and 25 °, preferably of the order of 22 °.

8. - Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wall (510) has a thickness less than or equal to 200 μηι, preferably less than or equal to 150 μηι, more preferably from about 125 μηι .

9. - Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor (50) for determining the content of a predetermined chemical element is disposed on the second discharge line (42).

10. - Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a sensor (48) for determining the base number (BN) of lubricant disposed on the second discharge line (42) and for determining the base number of the lubricant at the outlet of the buffer tank (26).

January 1. - An automated method of monitoring the evolution of the content of a predetermined chemical element with a lubricant circulating in an equipment (M) by means of an installation (2) according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises at least the steps of:

a) closing the first valve (20),

b) opening the second valve (32) and closing the third valve (44) for feeding the buffer tank from an amount (L; L ') of accumulated lubricant in the conduit (4) upstream of the first valve ,

c) opening the third valve (44) for circulating the lubricant present in the buffer reservoir (26) through the second discharge line (42) into a sensor cell (50).

d) using the sensor (50) for determining the overall content of a predetermined chemical element of the buffer reservoir at the output of lubricant (26).

12. - Tracking Method of operation of a device (M) on board a ship, characterized in that it comprises determining, on board the vessel, the overall content of a predetermined chemical element, in particular iron, a lubricant circulating in the equipment by the implementation of a method according to claim 1 1.

13. Use of the method according to claim 12 for determining the overall content of a predetermined chemical element, in particular iron, a lubricant circulating in an equipment (M) of a ship, in particular in a ship engine .