MT COOLANT CHECK (patent pending)
Non-Chemical Approach to Engine Cooling System Predictive Maintenance
The test device MT COOLANT CHECK is the latest technological development of Martechnic, designed for routine assessment of the engine coolant quality in the global shipping sector and beyond.
The conventional coolant testing, including also the test kits of Martechnic COOLANT & LUBE OIL and MT COOLING WATER CHECK, is based on complex physical and/or chemical analyses of individual parameters (chlorides, nitrite additives, pH etc.) in order to determine the corrosion protection level of the additive package used for the cooling water system. To measure the specific parameters, different chemicals, predominantly classified as hazardous products, are normally used.
In contrast, the MT COOLANT CHECK offers a completely different, non-chemical and environmentally friendly approach for on-board evaluation of water-based engine coolants running just one single test. The measurement method is based on the use of an electrotechnical apparatus with constant (corrosion resistant) and working/changeable (corrosion-prone) electrodes in a simulated engine cooling system. No chemicals are required at all.
Both electrodes are subjected to corrosion stress. The protection capacity of the engine coolant is measured on the metals used in the cooling system. All the evaluation is carried out fully automatically. The remaining corrosion protection of the engine coolant in use is determined with a new unit of measurement: Lagner (lag).
Technical Features
- Measuring range: water-based coolants in maritime sector
- Measured sample: a small coolant sample of 30 ml in a simulated cooling system
- Measuring time: up to 15 min.
- Measurement unit: Lagner (lag)
Benefits
- Time-saving: just one single test instead of a series of individual tests
- Environmentally friendly: easily recyclable electrodes are used for testing instead of hazardous chemicals
- No chemical wastes: electrodes disposed as a regular scrap metal on a vessel
- Suitable for different coolant formulations regardless of the coolant additive composition/ manufacturer
- Commercially advantageous: no shelf-life limitations for test electrodes in comparison to chemicals
Thereby, the MT COOLANT CHECK aims at the determination of the gradual (or sudden) deterioration in anti-corrosion performance of the engine coolant, that is unavoidable during engine operation, before the individual analyses of the chemical composition and physical properties allow any conclusions to be drawn.
The measurement of a pH value can be carried out through the integration of a separate optional pH electrode into the sensing head of the MT COOLANT CHECK to replace the use of disposable pH test strips. In this case, the pH value of the coolant sample will be automatically measured and directly displayed.
When the anti-corrosive effect of the engine coolant in use is insufficient, the dosing rate of the chemical additive to be added is automatically calculated, by entering the following available technical data provided in the manufacturer's coolant specifications:
- CW (cooling water) volume in m3
- Dosing method: liquid or powder
- Dosing factor: l/m3 or kg/m3
Therefore, the maintenance crew on-board a vessel receives a clear recommendation to further actions if required:
Automatic assessment of the coolant’s anti-corrosive protection with recommendation to action
Overall, the innovative testing equipment of Martechnic® with the environmentally-friendly and resource-efficient measurement allows the engineers and users to reduce their ecological CO2 footprint by implementing chemical-free testing of the engine coolant into their predictive on-board maintenance practices.
