Safety assessment of lubricating oil using AHP and vector projection method

Abstract

Purpose

The plant experience shows that the oil comes in contact with the operator and maintenance personnel during handling, storage and delivery. The health problems arising from their long‐term use are acute rather than immediate. Immediate health problems are caused by sudden and severe exposure and rapid absorption of the substance. Researchers have identified the hazards and their related health problems for different types of lubricating oils in use. However, there is not much application of any scientific method solidus mathematical modeling in assessing the safety qualitatively/quantitatively and considering the health problems related to lube oil in use. The main purpose of this study is to assess the safety of the lubricating oil in operation.

Design/methodology/approach

AHP and vector projection approach is applied to evaluate and analyze the lubricating oil from a safety point of view by considering identified safety attributes.

Findings

Physical and chemical properties that affect human, environment and system are considered to be the safety attributes of the lube oil. The normalized values of these safety attributes are analyzed through a vector projection approach. In this approach, module, cosine of angle and projection are defined and evaluated at different time intervals. The projection is related to module and cosine of angle is related to safety of lubricant. The suggested procedure is illustrated by means of an example.

Originality/value

The suggested procedure is useful for comparing various alternatives of the lube oil with an ideal alternative and helps in selecting the safest alternative among all possible choices.

Citation

Sharma, B.C. and Gandhi, O.P. (2008), "Safety assessment of lubricating oil using AHP and vector projection method", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 60 No. 5, pp. 259-265. https://doi.org/10.1108/00368790810895204