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FILTRATION AND
CONTAMINATION

Objectives
List common types of contamination
Discuss the ISO 4406 method for coding contamination
Examine filters and filtration strategies

Why Worry?

Why is contaminated hydraulic fluid even a concern?

 Modern hydraulic systems do not tolerate contamination
well.
Excessive contamination will make reliable performance
virtually impossible.

Older hydraulic systems featured lower operating pressures, simple gear pumps and lever
operated directional valves. Particle contaminants may have caused some degradation, but
this seldom caused intermittent or catastrophic failure.
 Modern hydraulic systems feature valves with
close tolerances between parts, and variable
current solenoids that use minimal force.

This means that particle contaminants can easily

interfere with normal operations.

For example, particle contamination can cause a number of issues

with a modern directional control valve.

These include:

Valve stuck closed

Valve stuck open
Being stuck in a partially open position
Exhibiting a stick-slip behavior (jerky motion)

Contaminant Particle Types

There are 5 common types of particle contamination.
 Metals
Elastomers/Polymers
Rust
Silica
Fibers

There are two other types of contamination, microorganisms and carbon, but they are
pretty rare.

Metals
Metal slivers can enter a system in a number of different ways.

When hose is cut and not properly cleaned before

crimping and sending to work.

Hose Wire
 Leftover filings from the drilling and cutting of
the reservoir.

Reservoir

Gear Scuffing

Wear metals from all moving parts in contact with

other surfaces.
This is especially common in gear pumps.

Pumps

Cavitation causing pitting in pumps.

Cavitation
 It is possible to get metal shavings from any moving metal
components.
The obvious suspects include hydraulic motors, cylinders, and
spools, but metal shavings can come from anywhere that erosion
(washout) is taking place.
Don't rule out non-moving components like manifolds and
fittings.

Elastomers/Polymers
Hoses, o-rings and seals can break down and become contaminants, especially once they
are damaged.
 Polymers will fail if they are exposed to higher
pressures or higher oil temperatures than they
are intended for.

Rust
Water vapor is a common contaminant in hydraulic
systems.

Humid air drawn in through the breather condenses into

water.
Rust corrosion can occur if this water is allowed to
remain in the system.

Tiny rust (iron oxide) particles are extremely hard and

can easily score, or jam, a valve.

Silica
Silica, also known as quartz or silicon dioxide, is a very
hard and sharp edged mineral particle.

It is commonly found in the dust on a concrete floor

or a roadway.

Dirty Filler Cap

Fibers
Fibers may come from wood, cardboard, paper, shop towels, rags, etc.

Shop towel fibers found in oil

sample (100x magnification) Brand new flow control valves,
covered in cardboard package
fibers!
 Sizes

Many, if not most, of these contaminant particles are

incredibly tiny, yet can still have a huge impact on a hydraulic
system!

Contaminants are often measured in microns

(μm).

A micron is:

one millionth of a meter

one thousandth of a millimeter
The average quarter is about 24,000
0.00003937 of an inch microns wide
Picture taken with a microscope (100x) showing particles only a few microns wide

The width of a human hair is around 70 microns and objects

under 40 microns are too small for human eyesight to detect.

Even humans with good eyesight!

But many hydraulic components have clearances of 10

microns (or less!)

A particle that is a boulder in terms of the system might

remain invisible to the naked eye.
 Ingression Paths

How is all of this contamination getting into the system in the

first place?

Some contaminants are created within the system through

normal wear and tear, but many are introduced from the
outside world.
 New Fluid
Sometimes the jug/drum/tote in which the new
fluid arrives is already contaminated.

The refinery or the container the oil was stored

in may be dirty, or the container could be
contaminated by multiple careless
openings/closings.

Filling Process
A careless filling procedure without proper
filtration and cleaning will drag contaminants in
along with the new oil.

Breather
 Older style breather/filler caps have very porous mesh
(40 microns and larger is typical).

They are not up to the task of keeping contamination

out.

If someone has been shortcutting the filling process by

dumping fresh fluid in through the breather port, it
becomes an excellent entry point for contamination.

Tank Gasket
The tank gasket can become misaligned, or a bolt hole
can become stripped.

If the gasket is not being pinched tight along the entire

reservoir rim, it becomes an entry point where dirty air
completely bypasses filtration.

Quick Couplers
Quick couplers are used as test points, accessory
 attachments, and tank filling points.

If they are not spotless when you plug into them

contamination will be introduced into the system.

Cylinder Rod
Scratch/Gouge
While the cylinder is extended, dirt packs into the
scratches/gouges and sticks to the oil film.

As the cylinder retracts, the dirt/dust in the rod scratch

ducks under the wiper seal and gets a free ride into the
oil of the rod end chamber.
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