Water Contamination In Hydraulic Oil

Oil becomes cloudy when it s contaminated with water above its saturation level.

Water contamination in hydraulic oil. The saturation level is the amount of water that can dissolve in the oil s molecular chemistry and is typically 200 to 300 ppm at 68 f 20 c for mineral hydraulic oil. The saturation level is the amount of water that can dissolve in the oil s molecular chemistry and is typically 200 300 ppm at 68 f 20 c for mineral hydraulic oil. There are numerous ingression paths. Water is the leading cause of hydraulic pump cavitation vaporous cavitation.

Water passing between loading frictional surfaces can explode causing metal fracture. In journal bearings for example the incompressibility of water relative to oil can result in a loss of the hydrodynamic oil film that in turn leads to excessive wear. Focusing on water this type of contamination can be caused by moisture from ambient air leakage of cooling systems or process water leakage of seals and chemical processes such as combustion oxidation and neutralization. Water is a poor lubricant and significant concentrations of water in hydraulic fluids can decrease their viscosity and load carrying ability as well as hydrodynamic film thickness.

If you have worked with hydraulic equipment for any length of time it s likely that you ve come across a hydraulic system with cloudy oil. Dealing with water in hydraulic fluid. Common sources of contamination in hydraulic systems native contamination. These are contaminant particles that were left in the system or any of its components during.

New oil may not be clean enough for the system and is generally not clean enough for a modern. Water is a common liquid contaminant that assists in the creation of extremely hard iron oxide particles right where a rust patch forms inside a valve. Particulate contamination and water adversely affect both the base stock and the additives. Water in hydraulic oil has a number of negative effects.

50 percent or less for typical mineral oil based fluids. Reduces filterability and clogs filters. Sometimes a jug drum tote with new fluid is already contaminated. Various types of contamination occur in fluid power systems.

Oil becomes cloudy when it is contaminated with water above its saturation level. Reduces lubricating film strength which leaves critical surfaces vulnerable to wear and corrosion. Some of these particles are even manufactured on the inside of a hydraulic system. The effects of water contamination in a lubricating system the two most harmful phases are free and emulsified water.

Substantial cost savings can be gained from operating with dry fluids. Depletes some additives and reacts with others to form corrosive by products which attack some metals.