DEVICE AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY MONITORING THE OPERATING CONDITION OF A LUBRICANT OF A MACHINE OR MACHINE PART

摘要

The invention relates to a device and a method for automatically monitoring the operating condition of a lubricant of a machine or machine part. According to the invention, the monitoring process entails: introducing a lubricant sample from the machine into a sample chamber (4) and introducing carrier gas into the sample chamber (4); adjusting the physical conditions of the sample in the sample chamber (4) to a predetermined value; enriching the carrier gas with volatile components of the lubricant sample (6); and detecting at least one characteristic gaseous and/or vaporous substance of the lubricant sample, which is contained in the enriched carrier gas, by means of at least one gas sensor (26).