On-Site's Construction Forum
Getting The Most Out Of Your Hydraulic Equipment – In Extreme Hot & Cold Conditions
by Jennifer Lai
Do you ever wonder why many surfers wear wet suits year round, throughout different water temperatures? It’s because water conducts heat away from the body, which means that even in warm water, hypothermia is still a threat. A wet suit works by trapping a thin layer of water between it and the skin. Then the body temperature of the surfer heats this water giving a nice warm water blanket. So as you can see, the wet suit gives surfers many year-round benefits, including peace of mind, protection, comfort and performance.
So what does this have to do with your hydraulics? Well, believe it or not, the benefits that the wet suit provides the human body are similar to what a quality, all-season hydraulic fluid can provide to your hydraulic system. Don’t you want peace of mind, protection and performance too?
As you know, today's hydraulic systems are much smaller, run at more extreme temperatures and work harder than ever before. On top of those challenges, many hydraulic systems, especially in mobile outdoor applications, have to operate through a wide temperature range.
Finding the right hydraulic fluid can make a big difference in ensuring peak performance throughout extreme temperatures and conditions as well as helping to reduce downtime and extend drain intervals. Fortunately, just like our hydraulic systems, hydraulic fluids have come a long way in terms of performance.
Knowing what to look for is key to getting the right fluid for your system needs.
A number of important factors come into play when choosing the right hydraulic fluid.
Of course you want to make sure the fluid you choose meets OEM specifications and adheres to best practices.
You also want to ensure you have a strict maintenance and service protocol to keep your equipment running at its best.
The Importance Of A High Viscosity Index
One important characteristic to look for in a hydraulic fluid is the Viscosity Index (VI) – an important indicator of the oil’s ability to resist changes in viscosity due to temperature variations. The higher the VI, the less the oil’s viscosity will be affected by temperature changes.
For hydraulic equipment that is subject to a wide range of operating temperatures, high VI fluids are essential to reduce internal pump leakage, eliminate sluggish operation, and increase overall operating efficiency. By maintaining optimal fluid viscosity at a wide range of operating temperatures, a fluid with high VI can increase pump efficiency in outdoor applications, lowering the diesel fuel consumption for the same amount of work while boosting equipment productivity, and decreasing the CO2 emissions.
Low Temperature
At extreme cold temperatures, you want your hydraulic fluid to have excellent fluidity which relates to the right viscosity based on temperature.
This allows the oil to flow more readily. If the oil is too thick at cold temperatures, it simply won't flow properly and start-up may take longer.
For instance, in outdoor mobile equipment, it is not unusual to reduce warm-up time in the winter from 15 or 20 minutes to just three or four minutes with the right hydraulic fluid.
Research (as shown in Figure 1 below) demonstrates the strong performance of HYDREXTM XV at low temperatures.
Brookfield viscosity tests help to determine the viscosity of a fluid by use of a Brookfield Viscometer.
This test measures the torque resistance on a spindle rotating in the fluid being tested at a certain low temperature.
Less resistance (lower Brookfield result) can help reduce the risk of equipment wear and potential damage during cold temperature start-ups.
Fig. 1: Brookfield viscosity data shows that at cold temperatures (-40°C), HYDREX XV performs better than competitive products.
High Temperatures
As seen in Figure 2 below, a premium performance, all-season hydraulic fluid can provide extra protection during periods of extreme high temperatures, which can help minimize wear on equipment and bring greater peace of mind when equipment is running under heavy loads and high pressures
Fig. 2: HYDREX XV out-performs competitor multigrade products by providing greater protection at high operating temperatures.
*Operating temperature limits are determined by the equipment manufacturer. Petro-Canada has chosen to define the upper operating temperature to be the after-shear oil viscosity of 10 cSt for mobile equipment.
A typical hydraulic pump can convert up to 20% of its horsepower into heat, so most fluids may run at elevated temperatures which also present challenges to hydraulic fluids. At extreme high temperatures, you don't want your hydraulic fluid to become too thin. You need the optimal viscosity, meaning the ideal viscosity for the operating temperature, to optimize efficiency of the hydraulic pump.
Inventory Consolidation & All-season Performance
Just like a surfer relies on their wet suit to provide all-season performance, mobile and industrial equipment operators are also looking for all-season performance from their hydraulic fluids.
And consolidating to one product year-long brings additional benefits. A premium all-season hydraulic fluid will help protect against equipment failure during the wide temperature swings of spring and fall. It also helps to eliminate the chance of equipment damage due to missed seasonal oil changes.
Operations and maintenance managers must assess every facet of their operation to keep equipment – and business – running at its best. Choosing an all-season hydraulic fluid that is formulated for peak performance through a wide temperature range will go a long way to help minimize downtime, enhance your bottom line and protect your peace of mind.
HYDREX XV All Season is a long-life, anti-wear hydraulic fluid hydraulic fluid that has been specifically formulated by Petro-Canada for year-round use in equipment that must perform in low and high temperature ranges. During cold weather conditions, HYDREX XV provides optimal viscosity in the hydraulic pump at temperatures as low as –40°C (–40°F) and as high as +79°C (+174°F). HYDREX lasts up to 3 times longer and offers up to two times better wear protection than the leading hydraulic oil brand†.
HYDREX also resists oxidative breakdown preventing harmful sludge build-up.
So, when you use the right fluids in conjunction with your preventative maintenance program, getting wide temperature performance from your equipment isn’t as daunting as you may think. We bet it’s a lot easier than trying to fit into a wet suit!
†Measured against the number one selling North American hydraulic oil brand.
Jennifer Lai is Category Manager, Hydraulic Fluids at Petro-Canada Lubricants.
For more information on Petro-Canada's line of hydraulic fluids please call 1-800-268-5850, e-mail sales@petro-canada.ca or visit lubricants.petro-canada.ca