Tag Archives: purification

Transformer Oil Purification by Bleaching Clay

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During transformer oil purification, not only adsorption, but also other processes such as capillary condensation, chemisorption, flocculation, coagulation have a great impact on the final product.

Very often, so-called Fuller’s earth or Fuller’s Earth filters are used as bleaching clay.  Sorbents, applied for transformer oil reclamation,  should meet the following requirements:

(1) silic acid content in the dry product no less than 32.5%; content of calcium and magnesium no more than 2.2%;

(2) the packed density of grit is no more than 0.65 g/cm3;

(3) the acid number of waste oil should be reduced by 45% per day;

(4) the size of grit grains is 3-7 mm;

(5) no more than 5% of grit grains with the size less than 3 mm;

(6) no other impurities; and

(7) moisture content is no more than 10%;

Bleaching clays may be used both for continuous oil regeneration in transformers with a dehydrating filter breather and for the restoration of oil discharged from power equipment (contact method).

Transformer Oil Recondition with Fuller’s Earth Equipment

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GlobeCore introduces transformer oil purification units in the CMM-R line to meet the needs of companies, involved in the generation, transmission and distribution of electric power.
The CMM-R line mobile oil filtration units from GlobeCore provide for the service life extension of transformers,  circuit breakers, and other oil-filled equipment since they restore dielectric strength and chemical composition of insulating oils.

It is essential to ensure the stability and performance characteristics of transformer oil since oil is constantly deteriorating and is influenced by high temperatures, atmospheric oxygen, electrical fields, metals and solid insulation.  Over time, transformer oil turns from a dielectric insulator into a conductor at low voltages which is unacceptable for proper transformer performance.  Once the oil becomes contaminated, it can no longer fulfill its functions and, as a result, becomes unfit for further useas a dielectric insulting fluid.

It is therefore, recommended to use GlobeCore’s mobile oil purificaton stations instead of buying new oil and seeking for ways to dispose of the used oil.

In the oil filtration units, oil is passed through the special sorbent, called Fuller’s Earth that allows for “Molecular Filtration” due to its microporous structure.  Mechanical impurities and products of oil degradation are soaked up by the sorbent granules.  Once the sorbent becomes saturated, the CMM-R units automatically switche to “Sorbent Reactivation” mode where impurities are removed from the sorbent material and exhausted to the special collecting tank and carbon canister.

The CMM-R line has been proved to be very efficient in practice.  The loss tangent of the oil, processed with GlobeCore equipment, is significantly reduced and meets the rated value of the fresh product after the regeneration operations are completed.

GlobeCore equipment may be either purchased from stock, or custom-made. The in-stock mobile oil degassing stations can be bought directly from the warehouse.  GlobeCore’s final assembly facilities are located in Oldenburg, Germany.  Any customized unit will be made within 45 days.
Usually, the CMM-R units are started up and run for about a week before being shipped.  Our specialists will help you to start up the mobile oil purificaton station as well as train your staff.

Once you read this, it means that you might be:

(1) the owner or CEO of a power company.   You are tired of spending much money on recycling of waste oil and purchasing new transformer oil.  You are eager to get effective solutions that will reduce your operating costs and increase profits;

(2)  you are a manager of procurment department.  You have to please the directors by finding the best deals or establishing and keeping trust relationships with suppliers.  In this regard, GlobeCore has the best solution for you:  After many years of doing business, our company has established both corporate and personal relationships with our customers;

(3) you are an engineer that services oil-filled equipment.  After having performed an oil analysis, you have determined that the performance characteristics of the transformer are below the acceptable standards, but you still want to ensure the continued smooth operation of your equipment.  Then you need to purchase one or more of the GlobeCore CMM-R mobile oil stations.  We provide maintenance services, have a warehouse of spare parts and we are always ready to help you.

Let’s check whether you need a GlobeCore mobile oil purificaton station:

  • You want to solve the problem of used oil disposal;
  • You want to save costs on purchasing new transformer oil; and
  • You want the quality of reclaimed transformer oil to comply with  recognized rules and regulations and to serve equipment for much longer than one year.

If you agree with the statements listed above then you are on the right path to the GlobeCore Servoce Life Extention Program utilizing the GlobeCore Process!

The GlobeCore CMM-R mobile oil recondition unit will help you to solve your long term preventive maintenance problems.  The following is the list of the benefits of the GlobeCore mobile oil units:

(1) They come in different design versions: general industry frame (European standards), containerized, mounted on a trailer (two or three-axle trailer), with several different optional arrangements of doors;

(2) may be equipped with an operator’s workstation to meet the customer’s needs;

(3) can be fitted with  (I) additional devices to monitor the oil level in the transformer, (II) generator to provide autonomous operation, (III) inhibition block to add special additives to transformer oil after regeneration.

(4) short delivery terms;

(5) competitive price;

(6) possibility to be trained  by a skilled engineer before purchasing the equipment and during its maintenance.

(7) constituent parts by leading world manufacturers;

(8) the characteristics of reclaimed oil fully comply with the recognized international standards and regulations;

(9) no used oil storage;

(10) cost saving;

(11) low energy consumption;

(12) automated technological processes; and

(13) optional sound and heat insulation;

Reading all this information, you may have the following questions:

(1) For how many years is it possible to extend the service life of transformers by applying the GlobeCore Process to my oil filled electrical  equipment?

The CMM-R units allow equipment owners to extend the service life of a typical transformer between 20 to 35 years.

(2) Do I need to pump out oil from the transformer before regeneration?

No, it is not necessary.  One of the primary benefits of the CMM-R units is that oil processing may be performed on the energized transformer.

(3) Why do I need to use your equipment if I can use the old transformer oil in other units that need lower performance characteristics of dielectric fluid?

Sure, you can, but it won’t solve the problem of its disposal.

(4) Is it possible to use another sorbent instead of Fuller’s Earth?

Yes, it is. The GlobeCore’s CMM-R units successfully operate using other sorbents.  But, Fuller’s earth can be reactivated during transformer oil processing so there is no need to unload and reload sorbent during the processing job.

(5) How long will the Fuller’s Earth last? 

About 300 cycles which is equal to between 1.5 to 3 years of operation depending on the amount of oil process and the overall amount of contamination.  Additionally, regeneration of oil, performed on the GlobeCore’s units allow for loss tangent reduction.

(6) And what about the acid number? 

The acid number is also reduced to the specific values.  The values of these and other performance characteristics of transformer oil before and after regeneration are defined in the table below.

Industrial Oil: Wholesale or Retail?

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The volume of oil required to be purchased is defined by the needs of the company or the facility.  Normally, a large amount of oil is purchased wholesale, while a smaller amount needed for the replacement of oil fir one or several machines, is usually purchased retail.

Based on price, it would seem that wholesale purchases are better for your company financially.  The price of a large batch of oil per liter purchased wholesale will be lower than purchasing smaller retail volumes pre liter.

There are however, problems with large amounts of oil.  Wholesale volumes of oil must be stored somewhere. Industrial oil is obviously sensitive to various contaminants such as water, particulate matter and other unwanted contaminants.  Apart from allotting storage facilities, the oil also requires constant monitoring of purity and and water content.

Purity of industrial oil purchased wholesale or in smaller retail batches can be ensured by two methods:

  • Prevention of contamination in storage; and
  • Purification of contaminated oil.

Both include a whole range of measures.  As stated above, purity of industrial oil can be ensured by prevention or purification, but the best results are achieved by combining the two.  This also allows savings of money since preventive measures require quite less investment than actual purification and regeneration.

Prevention alone however, cannot maintain industrial oil’s purity in the long run.  It requires a complex approach to transportation and storage using the following equipment:

  • air-tight tanks;
  • equipment made from non-corroding materials;
  • correct temperature in storage and transportation;
  • and the use of inert gases to fill gas space.

This increases the cost of prevention.  The goal therefore, is to reduce the amount of contaminants as much as possible in the oil going to purification devices, which finalize the required purity of the product.

The following systems from GlobeCore GmbH are recommended for the purification and regeneration of industrial oil:

●      Mobile oil unit CММ-1.7 CM;
●      Mobile oil unit CММ-3.5 CM;
●      Mobile oil unit CММ-5 CM;
●      Filter cart CFU-0.8М;
●      Filter cart CFU-1.7М, (CFU-4).

Industrial Oil Sales: Preserving the Oil’s Performance Characteristics

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So, you have decided to sell industrial oil?  Let’s assume that you already have found a storage facility for the product.  One thing remains however, knowing what the consumer needs and how to provide that need.

Besides better terms of supply, lower price, and various discounts, the client is mostly interested in the quality of the product.  Industrial oil quality in our case.  The quality is a combination of many parameters and characteristics that must not fall below regulated specifications during storage, transportation and operation.

Let us look into the characteristics, which define the quality of industrial oil and are important for the client’s choice:

  • Viscosity.  This is the first thing to consider about oil.  It is very important for the use of the majority of industrial oils.  When friction parts are designed and calculated, the parameter taken into consideration is the dynamic viscosity of the oil.  This is a regulated parameter of all oil made from crude base stock.  Dynamic viscosity used be defined at between 50ºС/122ºF and 100ºС/212ºF. That has changed and now all measurements are made according to ISO 3448-75 (instead of measuring viscosity at 50ºС/122ºF, the reference temperature is now 40ºС/104ºF).  When choosing industrial oil, the buyer usually considers three critical viscosity values: optimal at working temperature, minimal at maximum working temperature and maximum at the lowest working temperature;
  • Pour Point. This parameter is defined by testing a sample of the oil.  The Pour Point is the lowest temperature that the oil will continue to flow.  This temperature does not entirely indicate the dynamics of the oil in operating conditions at low temperatures.  That is shown better by actual viscosity at a given temperature. To reduce the pour point of industrial oil, it is mixed with special additives. This parameter is meaningful to the buyer planning his storage operations, dispatch, and draining and for using the oil in low temperature environments;
  • Flashpoint. This is the temperature at which the vapor of the oil can form a flammable mixture with the air. It defines the relative fire hazard of the oil and shows the presence of volatile fractions within it.  It is measured in special open or closed type devices;
  • Ash content. This parameter indicates the amount of non-organic contaminants left after burning a sample of the industrial oil. It is expressed in percentage of weight.  If ash content of oil without additives is too high, it indicates insufficient purification.  In most cases, ash content of industrial oil is from 0.002% to 0.4%;
  • Content of particulate matter, solvents, water, water-soluble acids and bases. This indication is extremely important in controlling the oil quality after production as well as determination of its further usability.  Mobile oil purification units for treatment and regeneration of oil can significantly increase the service life of the oil and improve reliability of machinery;

In practice, GlobeCore products are used for the purification and regeneration of industrial oil.

  • Color.  The color is a visual indication of the purity of industrial oil.  It also allows the buyer to make a judgment on the oil’s origins.  Keep in mind that some additives can make the oil darker.  If the color of the oil changes during use however, this is an indirect indication of its oxidation and/or contamination;
  • Acid number. Knowing this important neutralization number allows the buyer to determine the oil’s purity as well as the stability in use and in storage.  Additives can increase the acidity of the oil, but can also increase the stability of oil for long term use and storage;
  • Sulfur content.  The amount of sulfur initially depends on the amount of sulfur in the crude base stock the oil was blended from and the degree of purification and refinement.  After purification of industrial oils made from sour crude, sulfur remains in the oil in organic compounds and under normal conditions does not cause corrosion of metals.  Sulfur may become aggressive in elevated temperatures.  The content of sulfuric compounds is higher in oil with additives. This is due to the fact that additives containing sulfur are mixed with industrial oil to increase their lubrication qualities.

How to Choose the Best Oil Filtration System?

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The choice of a product depends on various external factors.  Price, quality, performance, and reliability are just some the considerations when choosing a product.  The choice of industrial equipment also depends many of the same factors.

In choosing oil processing equipment, you will find that there are many different types of processing units intended for purification of different petroleum based oils  and fluids.

There are a large number of manufacturing companies specializing in oil processing systems. These systems include a wide range of equipment used to process different lubricants, hydraulic and turbine oils, and complex systems for oil regeneration.

The purchase of equipment for the filtration and purification of used oils is justified through the saving of money and resources.  Additionally, this equipment greatly helps in reducing problems with equipment failures and downtime, as well as reducing environmentally harmful waste oil products.  Overall, these modern machines greatly increase the service life of industrial equipment.

When choosing the right processing equipment for your business, strict attention should be paid to the technical specifications of the filters that will be used by the processing equipment:

  1. The physical size of the oil filter. This key component of the purification system must be small enough to save space and weight, but have high filtration performance in both volume and filter fineness;
  2. Filter Test Results.  Oil filters can be monitored in various ways, but one of the most common methods is the beta-factor test.  The beta factor is calculated by dividing the number of the larger particles trapped in the filter medium by the number of particles of the same size downstream of the filter.  For example, if the beta ratio is 10:1, it means that for every ten (10) particles that enter the filter, only one (1)passes through the filter without being trapped in the filter medium;
  3. Pore ​​size of the filter medium; and
  4. Performance and rate  flow.

According to studies conducted by General Motors, and published by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), it was determined that the service life of an engine can be increased eight times by using five (5) micron filter mediums instead of the standard 40mm filter medium found in most massed produced automotive oil filters.

This means that the steady improvement of oil filtration systems will continue as the cost of new equipment rises and consumers demand better equipment with longer service lives.  There is an old saying that contends that oil does not wear out, it only becomes dirty.  In any case, keeping oil clean and free from contaminants and moisture will greatly extend the service life of your electric power equipment and hydraulic systems.

The traditional oil change therefore, is no longer necessary.  The high tech equipment available from GlobeCore can keep your insulating oils and hydraulic fluids in new like condition indefinitely.  Oil Processing units from  GlobeCore remove soot and sludge, dirt, moisture and dissolved gases.

If however, you decide to invest in oil processing equipment, it is worth taking the time to carefully consider your needs.  You will soon learn that not all systems for filtering oil are created equal.  Sometimes, bright brochures are specifically designed to confuse the customer.  As the consumer and business manager, you should make sure that filtration and processing equipment has passed all the necessary tests and has verified results of performance.  Here at GobeCore, we work with our customers to determine the best equipment that meets the needs of our customers.  GlobeCore has a very large and diverse line of oil processing equipment.  We work very closely with our customers so you get the best and most cost effective equipment to compliment the needs of your business.

UVR purification unit: lightening of diesel fuel

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The most common contaminants in diesel fuel are products of corrosion of storage tanks and pipelines, water, particulate matter and oxidation products. These substances can also form insoluble compounds.

One of the most important parameters of diesel fuel purity is the absence of water. Hydrocarbons are by nature hygroscopic. Water enters the material and can remain there either as free water or in the form of emulsion. To increase reliability of fuel systems, this emulsified water must be removed. When fuel passes through the pumps, free water is broken into small droplets. If fuel temperature drops, solved water precipitates and emulsion is formed. Fuel at a filling station may accumulate contaminants including surfactants. They form fine emulsions, which are very difficult to settle out and pass through precision parts of fuel systems even through filters.

At present, free water can be removed from oil products using physical, chemical and their combination.

Porous sheets, organic or non-organic materials, metal mesh, special paper, metal-ceramic or porous ceramic materials can all be used as filter media.

However, as was mentioned above, not all contaminants can be filtered out. Thorough purification of diesel fuel requires special equipment.

Globecore has developed and manufactures UVR units for removal of water, particulate matter, products of oxidation and some paraffins and sulfur from diesel fuel.

The equipment operates on the principle of vacuum micronfiltration and absorption.

Depending on the processing capacity of the specific UVR model, these units can be helpful to small farms and large facilities with truck fleets.

This model features some important advantages, making it stand out:

  • versatility. The UVR can regenerate, lighten, filter and purify not only diesel fuel, but also mineral oils, HFO, gas condensat etc;
  • the unit can operate in manual or semi-automatic mode. This helps to reduce labor costs, since operator presence is only required for start, stop and sorbent replacement;
  • energy efficiency. Actual power consumption when purifying diesel fuel is no more than 3 kW/h;
  • the unit does not require complex manipulations when switching to a different processed media;
  • the plant ensures full compliance of the output product with the existing standards and regulations.

Oil filtration

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During operation, transformer oil accumulate contaminants, which can form various chemicals. These substances reduce the oil’s performance and are, of course, undesirable.

Operation of the transformer becomes unstable. To prevent this, transformer oil is filtered and purified. Some of the methods are discussed in more detail below.

The first stage of transformer oil purification is mechanical. This is a superficial treatment to remove particulate matter and water. The next step is deeper purification performed in vacuum with heating.

The first two stages are, in fact, preliminary. The main process involves various chemicals.

One of the methods is purification of oil with a 98% sulfuric acid solution.

In comparison to other chemical purification methods, the use of sulfuric acid has a significant drawback. Beside reacting with the contaminants, the acid also adversely influecnes the structure of the oil, making it somewhat unstable. Additional processes are required to resolve that problem.

The nature of selective purification is evident from the title. Speical solvents are introduced into the oil to remove specific impurities.

De-waxing is another widely accepted process. In this process, oil is treated with special solvents: acetone, toluene, bensol etc, to remove solid contaminants.

It should be noted that chemical methods influence oil’s stability, but extend the oil’s service life at the same time.

It should also be remembered that any purification process should end with finishing purification, closing the cycle of oil processing and filtration. This is usually done by contact method.

This means that the oil is mixed with special materials, usually clay or bleaching earth. The materials are then mixed and heated. Heating facilitates acviation of all sorbents in the clay.

These absorbents capture contaminants. Deep filtration separates oil from the clay. When selecting adsorbent, it is necessary to pay attention to the content of moisture. It should be suffucient to make production efficient and to make processed oil compliant with specifications.

The most interesting technology today involves the use of bleaching clays (Fuller’s earth). Globecore manufactures a range of CMM type units for filtration of various oils with the use of Fuller’s earth. The advantages of the design are the ability of multiple reactivation of the sorbent, mobility, simplicity of operation and high quality of the output product.

Downtime is significantly reduced by the ability to reactivate the sorbent without the need for frequent replacement, thus increasing process efficiency.

Influence of Hydraulic Fluid Contamination on Equipment Wear

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According to recent industry statistics, 70-80% of hydraulic system malfunctions and up to 90% of bearing failures are caused by media contamination.

Types of Contamination and the Long Term Impact

The performance, quality, and purity of operating fluids directly affect the reliability and the service life of pumps, hydraulic drives and various hydraulic equipment installed in mobile and stationary locations.  If high precision hydraulic equipment is used with gaps between moving parts of 5 to 24 microns, then the use of high quality hydraulic fluid that is free from contaminates is a must to ensure continuous trouble free operation of the system.  The effects of contamination on the performance of equipment will vary and depends on the size and composition of the contamination.

The aggressive effects of fluid contamination is detrimental to the reliability and durability of hydraulic systems.  Undesirable consequences may be caused by solid particles carried by the fluid that enter through the gaps in the system.  Contamination will be found on the surfaces of flat friction pairs, valve facets etc.  This unwanted contamination leads to increased wear and equipment failures that include hydraulic lock, clogging of small valves, plunger jamming, loss of valve tightness and other system failures.

Axial-plunger pumps and the control slides of automatic control systems are especially sensitive to fluid contamination.  Solid particles of comparable sizes to the gaps pose the biggest threat to plunger and slide pairs.

Entry of Contaminants into the Hydraulic Systems

There are five ways contaminants can enter hydraulic system:  (1) Through insufficient and improper cleaning of components and parts during manufacture (metal files, remaining abrasives, fragments of construction material etc;  (2) through the introduction of contaminated fluid when initially filling or refilling the system;  (3) through the introduction of contaminants during assembly and repairs;  (4) through the wear and corrosion of parts during normal operation; and (5) from dust and dirt that enters through vents or loose hydraulic tank plugs.

Particle Size

Despite the fact that Solid Contaminants are extremely small, they can still accelerate the aging of oil, cause rapid wear of components, and cause failure and malfunction of operating assemblies.

Gaps in Typical Hydraulic System Components

In modern hydraulic systems, the gaps between components are limited to the range of 1 to 25 microns.  Lately, as technology and machining processes improve, the gaps have been decreasing raising the fluid quality and purity requirements higher and higher.

Contamination reduces the reliability of hydraulic equipment and accelerates its wear and shortens effective service life.  Hence the reason research into the most efficient ways of purification has been part of the industry for decades.  GlobeCore is a leader in research and development of purification systems that are efficient and protect the environment.

Purification

GlobeCore offers a line of UVR vacuum purification systems that are designed for purification of hydraulic fluid, turbine oil, industrial oil, mineral oil, compressor oil, and transformer oils.  The UVR units are built around a vacuum and adsorbent treatment process.  These systems can also lighten the product appearance and remove paraffins and some sulfur from fuels.

The main advantage of the UVR plants is their economy and versatility (requires no additional adjustments when switching from one product to another since the machine operates in an automatic mode).

GlobeCore is the Industry leader in the manufacture of the highest quality oil purification systems anywhere in the world today.

Purification of Hydraulic Fluid used in Excavator Equipment

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Excavator hydraulic systems are powered by hydraulic fluids derived from mineral oils.  Hydraulic fluids operate at constant pressure created by one or more pumps known as “hydraulic prime movers.” This pumping action causes the transfer of energy to actuators, hydraulic motors and hydraulic cylinders.  Besides transferring motion to various parts, the fluids also serve to lubricate friction parts and prevent corrosion.

Since mineral oil must freely pass through hydraulic lines, hydraulic system channels and high pressure hoses, it should be able to maintain the proper viscosity at a range of operating temperatures.  It should also retain its performance characteristics with temperature deviations found in extreme cold and extreme heat climates and with temperature variations that come with the change of seasons.

Another important characteristic of hydraulic fluid is its ability to resist the affects of oxidation and remain stable against chemical reactions with hydraulic system construction materials (bronze, steel, rubber, plastic etc), as well as with other dynamic parameters both in storage and operation.

Manufacturers offer many types of hydraulic fluids for use in various climates and make recommendations on which fluid is best for a particular climate and equipment type.

The above requirements for operating fluids must be observed in the operation and maintenance of your of equipment.  The hydraulic system in any piece of equipment must be able to maintain air tightness to avoid the entry of moisture, dust and other contaminants that will rapidly degrade the quality of the fluids and damage internal parts.

Hydraulic fluids are usually delivered in special barrels or by oil-carrier trucks.  Reputable manufacturers normally guarantee the quality of fresh and unused oils, but it is still in your best interest to test the oils and fluids before use to ensure its absence of contaminates and to ensure that it meets the requirements of your equipment.  Testing is initiated by taking samples of the fluid and performing an analysis.  If the testing and analysis reveal that the oil or fluid does not measure up to the quality standard, or contains unacceptable levels of contaminates, the oil should either be replaced or cleaned.  The manufacturer has a responsibility to provide you with a clean and high quality oil or fluid, but cleaning the oil through an in-house purification process may actually save you time and money over sending the oil back.

GlobeCore has a solution for your company.  GlobeCore’s UVR equipment line of purification units offer high quality purification of mineral oils that comply with the highest quality standards of new oil.  The GlobeCore Regeneration Process restores the oil to new like condition and improves the oil making it more stable and resistant to oxidation.   The GlobeCore Process will ensure the highest efficiency of your excavator equipment during operation and will help to eliminate the costs of unscheduled repairs and component replacement caused by hydraulic fluid contamination.

Fluid and Oil Contamination Problems

The idea that storage of oils and fluids in a clean warehouse will prevent contamination from entering your hydraulic equipment is a dangerous misconception.  Oils and fluids may become contaminated during the filling process or during transportation that may or may not be due to the negligence or incompetence of service personnel.  Oil carrier tanks must also be checked regularly and cleaned of dirt, dust and water, but ultimately you are the one that must ensure uncontaminated oil or fluid is not being placed in our equipment.

Water may enter the oil when filling the hydraulic oil tank when it is raining at the fill location.  Water is a major enemy of hydraulic systems because of the corrosion it creates in the internal parts of the hydraulic system.  Corrosion from water results in contamination of the fluid and changes the composition of the fluid leading to internal damage and performance problems.  For example, the internal surfaces of hydraulic cylinders may form blisters or scratches and may lead to internal leaking of fluids.  This will cause the excavator to lose tension and droop when un-powered.

The first source of contamination is usually created by, and is introduced into the hydraulic system during the manufacturing process.  Slag, metal filings, rubber crumbs, and other manufacturing waste and by-products can all enter the system during the manufacturing process.  These unwanted particles may vary in size from only 3 to 5 microns, but still pose problems for sensitive internal parts of the hydraulic system.  Obviously, the better the production process, the less debris that will enter the hydraulic system.  Less debris will help to reduce the negative impact on the clearances between moving friction parts.

Contaminants may also form during the course of the natural wear process of hydraulic system components.  Normally these contaminates will be removed by special filters, but once those filters become saturated they will require timely replacement.  If the filters are not replaced, contaminates will continue to circulate causing internal damage to your hydraulic system.  Besides visual inspections, many manufacturers now include special sensors that indicate filter contamination levels alerting the operators that it is time to replace the filters.

Oil and Fluid Replacement Intervals

Replacing operating liquids based on time, miles/kilometers, or hours was at one time the only real way to manage your equipment preventive maintenance program.  Replacement of fluids based on the operating time of the excavator is no longer necessary from an economic and labor cost viewpoint.   With time and distance based change intervals, the actual condition of the fluid was not taken into  consideration.

Today, Oil Sampling and Analysis Programs are far better at monitoring fluids and oils and telling us the proper time to replace or regenerate the oils rather than using time and distance only parameters.  Oil analysis, along with timely filter replacement will prevent the contaminates from circulating in your equipment’s hydraulic system.  Magnets placed on filters, drain plugs, and in fluid reservoirs can also reduce the amount of metal contaminates from circulating and causing damage in the hydraulic system.

Danger of Non-Organic Contaminates

Non-organic particles, such as quartz, feldspar, aluminum oxides, and iron pose the greatest amount of danger to the hydraulic drive system.  The main danger is that the hardness of these highly damaging particles is higher than that of the hydraulic system parts.

These harmful contaminants enter the gaps between the moving friction parts suspended in the fluid.  They disrupt the oil film and tear the surface of the components with their edges like a piece of course sandpaper.  The time it takes before wear becomes a problem depends on the amount of contamination in the fluid, but unless they are removed or prevented from entering the hydraulic system, they will cause damage.  If the size of the particles are between 5 and 45 microns, the pumping assemblies and the spool may further pulverize them causing accelerated component wear.  For instance, before operation, the correct radial gap in precision pairs of distribution valves is between 6 and 8 microns.  Due to contaminate based wear, the radial gap may grow to as much as between 32 and 46 microns reducing performance and causing long term damage problems.

Preventing Contamination from Entering Hydraulic Fluid Reservoirs

Contamination of oil also occurs when oil comes in contact with dusty air when the fluid is poured into the hydraulic tank or when transported in open containers.  Airborne dust may also enter the fluid through loose connections of hydraulic system pressure lines and hoses.

The question you may be asking is; Can dust, dirt, and water be excluded from entering the hydraulic system when it is filled?  The answer is yes.  Since oil is lighter than water, the water will settle below the oil.  If at all present, water and other settled contamination will be found at the bottom of the oil container holding the oil you want to introduce into the hydraulic equipment.  The oil may be put into the hydraulic tank by placing the end of a suction line into the oil container which effectively eliminates any mixing of oil and outside air.  The hose must not however, be lowered to the bottom of the container where it may transfer water, moisture, and other contaminates into your hydraulic equipment fluid reservoir.

Of course, the hydraulic system should not be filled with a bucket or other open containers, but with special filling equipment similar to the kind that is used at gas stations.

The best way to handle the transfer of oil is with the “refinery – oil truck – hydraulic tank.”  In order to prevent contaminants from entering the hydraulic equipment’s fluid reservoir however, the oil from the refinery should be clean.  It should also be passed through a “special 4 micron filter” as it is being pumped from the truck’s oil container into the equipment’s hydraulic fluid reservoir tank.

Importance of Monitoring Filter Service Life and Fluid Service Life

Engineers always look for ways to increase filtration fineness which in some cases may lead to filter clogging and buildup of back pressure tripping the safety valve.  When that happens, fluid will by-pass the filter and unfiltered fluid will be circulated through the hydraulic system.  Do not try solve this issue by increasing the safety valve pressure parameter.  It will only serve to increase the load on the hydraulic pump and could possibly result in premature pump failure.  The best solution is to replace filters on a timely basis and to employ the GlobeCore Process as part of your ongoing preventive maintenance program.  The GlobeCore Process eliminates contaminated oil and fluid problems before they cause damage to your valuable hydraulic system equipment.

Its time to get with the Process, The GlobeCore Process!