Best Practice for Water

Removal in Hydraulic
Systems (Fluids)

Kristine Mikulan
HYDAC Technologies
Product Manager – Filter Systems
 Agenda

• Types of Contamination

• Sources of Contamination

• Influence of Contamination

• Methods of Water Removal

 Types of Contamination

Type of Contamination

Gaseous Liquid Solid

Effects

Air Water Emery

Metal Scale Extremely
Gases Chemicals Rust Particles Damaging
Iron, Steel
Brass, Bronze Damaging
Aluminum

+ Laminated Fabric
Fibers
Minimal
Damage
Heat Seal Abrasion
Rubber Hose Particles
 Particle/Solid Size Comparison

The human eye can only see

particles sized down to 40
microns.
1 m = 0.001 mm =
0.000039”

Particle Particle
14 micron 4 micron

ISO Code looks at the 4, 6, 14

Human Hair = 70-80 micron micron size particulates and
classifies by quantity.
 How to Measure Solid Particle Contamination

Structure of ISO-Code (ISO 4406:1999):

amount of dirt particles in a 100 ml
sample larger than these specified sizes:
22
4µm / 6µm / 14µm
18
Example:
larger than 4µm = 2,234,000 1
larger than 6µm = 172,000 3

larger than 14µm = 4,250

ISO Code = 22 / 18 / 13
Classification of Oil / Water Mixtures

Dissolved Water:
Homogenous mixture of oil and water. The water
molecules are discrete and thoroughly mixed with the
oil molecules.

Free Water
Bulk Water:
Above the saturation point, water molecules are
aggregated into separate drops (clumps of water). The
mixture is no longer homogenous.

Emulsified Water:
Is a special form of free water. Tiny droplets (1-10
micron size) of water stay suspended in oil and form a
hazy or cloudy mixture in the oil.
Sources of Contamination
Sources of Particle Contamination
 Sources of Air Contamination

Unprimed Pump
Suction line too small Incorrect Motor Speed

Returned
Line Above
Reservoir Fluid Level
Vent
Blocked

Suction Incorrect
Lift Too High Fluid
Viscosity

Incorrect
Fluid
Temperature

Partly Blocked Inlet

Reservoir too small; insufficient fluid rest time between use
Sources of Water Contamination

• Contaminated new oil

• Moisture from ambient air

• Leakage of cooling systems

• Process water

• Leakage of seals

• Chemical processes

• Combustion

• Oxidation

• Neutralization
O
H H
Influence of Contamination
 Effects of Contamination

GAS
 Influence of Contamination on Hydraulic Systems
Performance

• Cylinder Drift
• Jerky Steering
• Erratic Operation
• Slower Performance

• Shorter Service Intervals

Cost

• Higher Operating Costs

• Lost Productivity

System efficiency can drop by up to 20% before an operator

even detects a problem!
Over-sized Particles will Attack the Most
Critical Components of your Hydraulic System

8µ 5µ
 Effects of Gaseous Contamination

• Accelerated oil aging (Oxidation)

• Noise
t = 5 Min. t = 15 Min. t = 90 Min.
• Increase of temperature
• Dynamic operating problems, stiffness
reduction
• Decrease of pump efficiency
• Damage of components (e.g. Cavitation)
• Varnish formation
• Change of viscosity
2011-03-11
 Contamination Issues Caused by Water

Free Water
• Corrosion: Corrosion pits, rough surfaces, and release of abrasive flakes into
the fluid – rust and aluminum oxide
• Microbial colonization / Bacteria: Odors, acids, slime, and health problems
• Loss of lubricity: Contact loading zones, allowing opposing surfaces to crash
together – results in high friction, wear and seizure
• Additive depletion: Free water retains polar additives

Dissolved Water
• Faster oil oxidation: Accelerates this form of oil degradation – leads to oil
acidity, thickening, varnishes, sludge & resins
• Reduced Fatigue life: Propagation of fatigue cracks in metals
• Demolition of Ester-based fluids and additives: Reacting with esters –
hydrolysis - results in formation of acids, gels, and loss of additives
Methods of Water Removal
 Gravity

• Water settles on bottom

(due to higher specific
gravity than hydraulic fluid -
exceptions do exist e.g. Advantage:
HFD-R) - Simple device
- Low cost
• Needs sufficient resident
time in a still environment
• In basic systems, opening Disadvantage:
the drain valve and - Only for free
allowing the water to drain water
off may be sufficient. - Time intensive
- Process not very
• Increasing the fluid’s well controlled
temperature and employing - Space intensive
a cone-shaped separating setup
tank improve the
effectiveness of gravity
separation.
 Water Absorbing Elements

• Water absorbing elements Advantage:

employ a quick-acting water- - Can be used in
absorbent polymer (capable of standard filter
holding up to 400 times its own housings
weight in water) - Monitoring with
differential
• These elements are ideal for in- pressure
line use, re-circulating filter - Water is not
systems, or in portable filtration release even
carts. when pressure
• Assure that water retention is increases
positive, even under high (polymer material
pressure, so there is no only)
downstream unloading
(however, water retention Disadvantage:
capacity is dependent on the - Only for free water,
type of fluid and additives and maybe some
present in a system, its viscosity emulsified water
and its flow rate) (cellulose material)
- High element cost if
used continuously
 Coalescing Elements

• Free water settles on the Advantage:

fibers/tubes of the - High dewatering
coalescing element rate (for high
• Droplets are transported water contents –
deeper into the coalescing free water)
element by the fluid flow - Suitable for
Diesel Fuel and
• Smaller drops unite to form
hydraulic fluids
larger ones at the fiber
nodes during this process. - High flow rates
possible for
• Large water droplets are Diesel Fuel
separated by gravity or with
a special separation Disadvantage:
element/layer.
- Only for free and
• Water is collected on the emulsified water
bottom of the housing, - Lower flow rate
discharged by opening a for hydraulic
valve fluids
 Centrifuge

Advantage:
• By spinning the fluid, the - High dewatering
difference in specific gravity rate (for high
between the fluid and the water contents –
water is magnified free water)
- Removes (larger)
• Centrifugal separators particulates as
remove free water faster well
than gravity separators
• They also remove some Disadvantage:
emulsified water depending - Only for free
upon the relative strength of water, and some
the emulsion vs. the emulsified water
centrifugal force of the - Needs to be
separator adapted to
viscosity range
- High
maintenance cost
 Positive Pressure Dehydrators

• Positive pressure systems

blow air through the operating Advantage:
fluid in a reaction chamber - Removes free
and dissolved
• Drying the air is achieved by water,
increasing the temperature of particulates (filter
the ambient on units)
• The air is introduced into the - Simple system,
reaction chamber via a blower lower cost (than
vacuum)
• The dry air takes up the water - Higher
from the oil (mass transfer) dewatering rates
and is pushed out of the compared to
reaction chamber by the vacuum due to
incoming air higher air flow
rates
• The operating fluid is cycled
through the reaction chamber Disadvantage:
via a pump(s) - No degasing
 Vacuum Dehydrators

• A vacuum is created in a chamber by means of a

vacuum pump
• With the vacuum, ambient air is sucked into the vacuum
• The vacuum expands the ambient air and
proportionately reduces the relative humidity of the air.
• The oil is flowing in the chamber over a large surface
area, resulting in a large, thin fluid film.
• Due to the temperature increase when coming into Advantage:
contact with the warmer oil, the air is further dried and - Removes free and dissolved
takes up the water from the oil. water and Gases,
particulates (filter on units)
• The humid air is removed via the vacuum pump.
Disadvantage:
• Depending on the applied vacuum and oil temperature,
- High vacuum can harm oil
the water is evaporated (mass transfer) or boiled out
(flash distillation)
(flash distillation) from the oil
- Higher system cost
- Higher maintenance cost
 Summary - Comparison

Removal of Free Dissolved Free Dissolved Particulates

Method Water Water Gases Gases

Gravity Y - - - -
Absorbing Elements Y - - - Y 1)
Coalescing Elements Y - - - Y 2)
Centrifuge Y - - - Y 3)
Positive Pressure
Dehydrators Y Y - - Y

Vacuum Dehydrators Y Y Y Y Y

Notes:
1) Absorbing Elements do have a micron rating as well that is relatively high for certain manufacturers (e.g. 40 microns),
but the main purpose is for water removal. Ideally, absorbing elements should be used in conjunction with particulate
elements (staged filtration)
2) Some Coalescing Elements include a particulate filter portion (plea) for protection of the hydrophilic material. In order to
prolong the coalescing element life time, a particulate filter can be added upstream.
3) The Centrifuge can remove some of the larger particulates as well
 Contact Information

Kristine.Mikulan@hydacusa.com, Cell 1-610-577-5082

Dan Zoller
Group Product M
anager Filter Systems

DZoller@schroederindustries.com, Cell 1-412-290-4749

Matt BrSchroeder Industries

Product Manager Filter Systems
MBrown@schroederindustries.com, Cell 1-412-477-5728

Kristine Mikulan
HYDAC International
Product Manager Filter Systems
 The End

Thank you for

your time and attention!