Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors

Tom Bishop, P.E.- Senior Technical Support Specialist

Electrical Apparatus Service Association, Inc.
+1 314 993 2220 | tbishop@easa.com

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Introduction

• Focus on best methods

• Features
• Benefits
• Drawbacks
• Determine which options are best for you

Methods and Selection Factors

• Methods
– Solvent
– Aqueous (water-based)
– Other more aggressive methods
• Selection Factors
– Size and quantity of parts to be cleaned
– Type of part, e.g. stators, rotors, housings
– Type of cleaning agent
• Solvent
• Aqueous
– Environmental and safety concerns

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Methods Addressed

• Solvent cleaning • Enzyme systems

• Steam cleaning • Pyrolysis cleaning
• Pressure washer • Dry ice cleaning
• Parts washing • Grit blasting
machines • Water blasting
• Ultrasonic systems
Also addressed
• Selection of aqueous cleaning agents
• Disposal of aqueous cleaning byproducts

Solvent Cleaning

• Primarily immersion or rinse tanks

• Best suited to small and infrequent cleaning
tasks
• Typical solvent is mineral spirits
• Alternative “solvents” are citric based cleaners
• Waste byproducts may be hazardous

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Solvent Cleaner

Solvent Cleaning

• Declining use due to environmental concerns

(VOCs) and regulations
• Issue of waste disposal
• Health concerns include inhalation and skin
contact

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Aqueous Cleaning Overview

• Most common methods are steam cleaning

and parts washing machines
• Better for human health and the environment
than solvents
• Waste byproduct disposal is still an issue

Steam Cleaning

• Labor intensive: operator is working all the

time
• Pressurized hot water and soap solution is an
effective cleaner
– A time proven technology
– Typical nozzle pressure 90 psi (620 kPa)
• Heating coil can become clogged, and is costly
to replace
– Softening the water extends coil life

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Steam Cleaner Coil

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Steam Cleaning

• Has been method of choice for moderate

cleaning volume requirements
• Can safely clean windings as well as
mechanical components
– Winding insulation can be affected by soap
– Too much pressure can damage delicate parts
• Some parts can air dry
– Windings should always be baked

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Pressure washer (aka power washer)

• Similar to steam cleaning

• Cold water and soap solution
• Typical pressure to 200 psi (1400 kPa)
• Lack of heated solution tends to extend
cleaning time
• Grease and oil removal can be difficult

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Parts Washing Machines

• Oversimplification: Oversized dishwasher

• On the market for over 30 years
– Environmental regulations spurred interest and
sales
• Water and cleaning detergent use is
minimized
– Cabinet storage basin must be periodically
changed out
• 2 to 6 months typical frequency
• Soap can become ineffective if left unchanged

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Parts Washing Machines

• Simple three step process

– Parts loaded in washer cabinet and timer set
– Machine cleans automatically through cycle
– Parts unloaded and dried if necessary
• Typical cleaning cycle time is 20-30 minutes
• Turntable rotates parts through jets of low
pressure cleaning spray

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Parts Washing Machine

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Factors in Machine Cleaning

• Soap compatibility with windings and other

components, e.g., commutators, slip rings
• Wash water temperature and cycle time
• Foaming of soap
– Most soaps contain a defoamer (and rust
inhibitor), but…
– May take several tries to obtain a soap that does
not foam
– Use manufacturer’s recommended soaps first

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Some Machine Options

• Timers for preset heat-up

– It takes time to heat the cabinet water basin
• Fresh water rinse
• Oil skimmers
• Filters to remove particulates so they don’t
get redeposited on parts
• Thermal insulation of the cabinet to retain
heat and reduce energy consumption

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Ultrasonic Systems
• Principles of operation
– Ultrasonic waves in a liquid remove deposits
– Typical wave frequency is 28 kHz to 50 kHz
– Imploding bubbles (cavitation) strike surfaces to
create cleaning action
– Detergent allows bubbles to grow faster
– Heat promotes bubble formation and implosion
rate
– Particularly effective on parts with complex
geometries and passages
• Armatures
• Parts with blind holes

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Ultrasonic Cleaner

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Enzyme Systems (Bioremediation)

• Principles of operation
– Microbes are added to break down contaminants into
carbon dioxide and water
– Microbes “eat” the oil and contaminants, i.e.,
bioremediation
– Cleaning solution emulsifies grease and oil
• Considerations
– Generally smaller rinse basin units
– Enzyme formulation well suited to removing oily residue
– Cleaning bath can last indefinitely
– Relatively economical system

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Other Cleaning Methods

• More aggressive than conventional cleaning,

e.g., abrasive methods
• These include:
– Pyrolysis (burnout oven)
– Carbon dioxide (dry ice)
– Grit blasting
– Water blasting

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Pyrolysis Cleaning

• Burnout process may be capable of more than

breaking down winding insulation
• Can be used to remove contaminants or
coatings
• Oven must be designed for the purpose
• Environmental regulations must be followed,
e.g., air permits

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Pyrolysis Cleaning

• Some process ideas are ill-advised

– Varnish laden bake oven trays
– Parts with heavy paint accumulation
– Large volumes of trade or lead wire
• Sheer volume of combustibles may be too
great for oven
• Follow oven manufacturer’s instructions and
recommendations

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Pyrolysis Cleaning

• Oven damage and fines are costly

• Pyrolysis does significantly reduce the volume
of waste byproduct
• Waste byproduct must be lab tested for
regulated hazardous substance content

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Carbon Dioxide (Dry Ice) Cleaning

• A cryogenic method using CO2 – dry ice
– Dry ice pellets dispensed in pressurized stream of
nitrogen gas
– Dry ice sublimates (changes) from solid to gas upon
impact
– Can be mildly abrasive but leaves no residue
(evaporates)
– Waste byproduct may contain hazardous substances
• Well suited to in-place cleaning of large
apparatus, e.g., generators and motors
– Purchase price of system is very high
• More practical for most to hire a dry ice cleaning firm

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Dry Ice Cleaning

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Grit Blasting

• Abrasive media dispensed in high pressure air

stream
• More aggressive materials:
– Silicon sand, steel grit, aluminum oxide
• Moderate abrasives:
– Glass beads, steel shot, plastic, corncobs
• Air permits usually required due to use of
control equipment

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Grit Blasting

• Well suited to cleaning metal parts

• Can easily damage windings or other delicate
parts
• Waste byproduct, and abrasive itself may be
composed of hazardous substances
• Blast cabinets are relatively expensive
– Attendant may be required for blast rooms

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Water Blasting
• Directs a 15000 to 40000 psi (100 to 275 mPa)
stream of water at parts to be cleaned
– The water can remove:
Dirt Heavy corrosion
Oil Paint – layer by layer
– Aggressive action can be controlled
• Amortisseur bars can be cleaned to bare metal without
harming field coil windings
– Abrasives can be added to make cleaning more aggressive,
e.g. , to:
• Remove scale from pump casings
• Remove wedges and cut through insulation to “cold strip”
windings

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Water Blasting

• Cleaner alternative to grit blasting

– No dust – water retains the particles
– Can be used with a steam booth to control
overspray
• Environmental permits for steam booth may
also be applicable to water blaster
• Relative cost is very high
• Safety concerns
– Can literally slice through flesh
– Extremely noisy when contacting blind holes

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Water Blaster

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Aqueous Cleaning Agents

• An expanded discussion as water is common

to so many cleaning methods
• Selection of aqueous cleaning agents
(cleaners)
• Disposal of aqueous cleaning byproducts

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Selection of Aqueous Cleaners

• Inappropriate cleaner can leave electrically
conductive crystalline deposits on windings
– Acceptable chemical or soap cleaner should be
rinseable and nonconductive
– Seek washing equipment manufacturer’s advice first
• Your primary interests:
– Cleaner’s ability to clean parts
– Prevent winding damage
– Avoid degrading delicate components
• Manufacturer’s primary interests:
– A cleaner that is compatible with the equipment
– Avoid rust or scale buildup

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Selection of Aqueous Cleaners

• Environmental issues
– Cleaners with no hazardous components
identified on their MSDS are preferred
– Environmental hazards can affect people as well as
the environment, e.g., by inhalation or skin
contact
• Safety concerns
– The lesser the degree of personal protective
equipment (PPE) required the more desirable
– Cleaners that are neutral or only slightly alkaline
are preferred

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Disposal of Aqueous Cleaning Byproducts

• Address disposal issues before purchasing or
activating cleaning equipment
• Remember “cradle to grave” liability when
choosing and using a waste disposal firm
• Wastewater disposal directly to sewer is
usually not permissible
– A filter may be required
– Obtain waste authority approval to discharge to
sewer
– You may have to have all wastewater handled by a
disposal firm

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Disposal of Byproducts

• Filters can extend life of cleaning solution

• Precleaning parts by manually removing
excess grime is an even better way of
extending cleaning solution life
• Excess grime may be a regulated waste
• An oil water separator extends cleaning
solution life
– May be a requirement for discharge to sewer
– Avoids waste “meatballs” and associated fines and
negative publicity

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If You Can’t Discharge to Sewer

• Changeout is typically into drums that are
taken away by a waste disposal firm
• Waste reduction techniques:
– Consider allowing contents to settle and extract
clarified solution for reuse
– Commercial evaporator systems are available to
boil off water
• Check with environmental authorities before
trying to use reduction techniques
– May be a prohibited form of “treatment”
– May be a regulated form of “recycling”

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If You Can’t Discharge to Sewer

• Wastewater may not be hazardous

– Have a representative sample tested by an
environmental laboratory
– Work with your disposal firm on this
– You may not have to test every time you dispose
• Exercise caution and follow the environmental
regulations to avoid
– Fines
– Negative publicity
– Potential criminal prosecution

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How to ask questions

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When prompted, reconfirm

Wait to Submit the audio source you’re using
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verbally

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Motor Cleaning Methods and Selection Factors June 10, 2020

Next webinar

Pump Reliability Essentials

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

12:00pm – 1:00pm CDT

Presented by Gene Vogel

EASA Pump & Vibration Specialist

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Survey / Recording

Tomorrow, you will be emailed:

• A link to a survey if you would like to provide
feedback.
• A link to a recording of this presentation.

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