Water Saturation In Hydraulic Oil

Depletes some additives and reacts with others to form corrosive by products which attack some metals.

Water saturation in hydraulic oil. This is because once the saturation point is exceeded the moisture in the oil will tend to exist in an emulsified state which is the most destructive form of water in oil. Once the molecules in the oil can take in no more water the fluid is considered saturated. Any water beyond the saturation limit does not bind to the molecules in the oil and it becomes free water. Note that if hydraulic oil is cloudy it indicates that a minimum of 200 300 ppm of water is present.

Water activity the water vapor pressure above the respective material fluid depends on the characteristics of the material e g the base oil type and additives. In this state the water is in globules suspended throughout the 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. Note that if hydraulic oil is cloudy it indicates that a minimum of 200 300 ppm of water is present.

Water is perhaps the most harmful of all contaminants with the exception of solid particles. While the presence of water is often overlooked as the primary root cause of machine problems excess moisture contamination can lead to premature oil degradation increased corrosion and increased wear. When there is excessive water contamination the oil can also experience a state called free water. Water in hydraulic oil has a number of negative effects.

The water activity is defined as the quotient of the water vapor pressure above the material and the saturation vapor pressure above pure water. Reduces lubricating film strength which leaves critical surfaces vulnerable to wear and corrosion. Reduces filterability and clogs filters. 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.

You will often see this water sink to the bottom of a container while the oil floats to the top. Note that if hydraulic oil is cloudy it indicates that a minimum of 200 300 ppm of water is present. Once the amount of water has exceeded the maximum level for it to remain dissolved the oil is saturated. A saturation curve for a typical turbine lube oil figure 1 illustrates the relationship between temperature and saturation levels.

This typically appears in sump bottoms or low traps zones like nooks and crannies within the machine. Moisture upon contaminating hydraulic and lubricating oils has a degrading effect to both the.