From 4Q 2001 ORBIT, reprinted with permission of Bently Nevada.
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Dust + Oil = Problems

You've probably heard that water and oil don't mix. When it comes to lubricants, dust and oil don't mix either. Dust contains numerous particles that can literally cut and abrade your machine’s internals. Those who live in dusty places already, such as the Middle East or the Southwestern U.S., understand the havoc dust can play with their machines, and they've learned a very basic facet of proper machinery care: change air and oil filters regularly to keep dust out. What many people don't realize, however, is that even if you don't live in a dusty area, dust can still be a problem. How? Through the earth’s weather patterns and huge dust storms. Such dust storms occur in many places; one example is the well-known storms that occur annually in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. Storms like these can put millions of tons of dust into the air, where it is carried around the globe with tradewinds, settling in places tens of thousands of miles away on different continents. Such dust contains quartz and silica, extremely hard abrasives that can be very damaging to machinery. The solution? Understand such phenomena and change your filters at appropriate times. You can learn more about dust storms, keeping your filters clean, and many other facets of lubricant care in an extensive Applications Note titled “Lubricant Cleanliness,” available at www.bentlytribology.com.

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