Evaluation of Sensors for On-Board Diesel Oil Condition Monitoring of U.S. Army Ground Equipment

The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) recently completed a Science and Technology Objective (STO) to develop and demonstrate a compact on-board smart sensor system for monitoring the operational condition of in-service diesel engine oils. The goal of such technologies is to reduce or eliminate the Army's dependence on traditional oil analysis methods, by providing real-time condition monitoring and to project the remaining usable life of the lubricant. Commercially available and prototype sensors were obtained and evaluated on a diesel test engine. Algorithms were then developed from the sensor and laboratory data to determine the real-time condition of the oil and to calculate the remaining usable life of the oil.