Water Contamination Control
By: Bill Needelman, Filtration Science Solutions, Inc. and Greg LaVallee, Donaldson Company, Inc.
Abstract
Contamination of hydraulic and lube systems by water leads to major
decrements in availability, productivity, and operating costs. Significant
problems include corrosion, microbial growth, metal fatigue, and
accelerated oil aging. In order to diminish these problems two target
levels are recommended: a minimum level avoids free water and a more
stringent yet realistic level minimizes problems due to dissolved water.
How well fluid systems measure up to these target levels is revealed by
a recently completed survey of water contamination in industrial
systems. Based on successful cases identified in this survey, the best
water contamination control equipment and practices are described. As
an aid for selecting and specifying equipment for controlling water
contamination, each type is matched with corresponding appropriate
applications.
Introduction
It is helpful to start by classifying water contamination into two
levels: dissolved and free.
Dissolved Water Contamination: “Oil and water don’t mix,” except
they do, a little. Depending on the type of oil and additive packages, up
to 5000 ppm of water can dissolve in an oil. More typical values for
many hydraulic and lubricating mineral-based oils are 400-600 ppm. Oils
containing only dissolved water are clear, as shown by the left-hand
bottle in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Dissolved & Free Water Contamination in Oil.
Free Water Contamination: Once an oil is fully loaded with all the
water it can dissolve, any additional water is in the free state. There are
two forms of free water:
• Emulsified Water: Small droplets on the order of 1-10 microns in
size. Oils containing emulsified free water appear hazy or cloudy,
as does the bottle on the right-hand side of Figure 1.
• Bulk Water: Clumps of water that have separated out from an oil.
Since water is more dense than most oils, the water settles to
the bottom of reservoirs, low points, and to the base of the
middle sample bottle in Figure 1.
Both free and dissolved water contamination lead to serious
problems in hydraulic and lubricating systems. Water can act alone or
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together with other contaminants, especially hard particles (such as
mineral dust and wear debris) and acids (often generated during oil
degradation). These problems are described in greater detail in the
references listed at the end of this paper, and are summarized here:
• Corrosion: Caused by Free Water Contamination. Results in
corrosion pits, rough surfaces, and release of abrasive flakes into
the oil, such as rust and aluminum oxide.
• Microbial Colonization: Requires free water. Results in offensive
odors, acids, fouling slimes, and health problems such as
respiratory distress and eczema.
• Loss of Lubricity: Caused by Free Water entering loaded contact
zones and allowing opposing surfaces to crash together. Results in
high friction and wear and seizure.
• Additive Depletion: Caused by Free Water retaining polar additives.
• Faster Oil Oxidation: Caused by Dissolved Water accelerating this
principal form of oil degradation. Leads to oil acidity, oil thickening,
varnishes, sludges, and resins.
• Reduced Fatigue Life: Caused by Dissolved Water promoting the
propagation of fatigue cracks in metals.
• Demolition of Ester-Based Fluids and Additives: Caused by
Dissolved Water reacting with esters in a reaction called
hydrolysis. Results in formation of acids, gels, and the loss of
ester-based additives.
The kinds of problems caused by water depend on the form of water
contamination in the oil. If the oil is clear, then only dissolved water
problems occur. If free water is present, then both free and dissolved
water problems can occur. Free water, dissolved water, and percent
saturation are discussed further in Appendix A.
Recommended Target Levels
1. Preferred Level of Protection: Maintain water contamination less
than or equal to 50% of saturation. This prevents all free water
problems and minimizes dissolved water problems. It also
provides a cushion against the formation of free water in the
event of a spike of water ingression. Furthermore, this level is
practical and achievable in most hydraulic and lubricating
systems.
2. Minimal Level of Protection: Maintain water contamination at or
just below 100% saturation. This prevents free water problems.
Survey of Industrial Equipment
Eighty-three separate systems were sampled from a wide range of
industrial lubrication and hydraulic machinery. Samples were then sent to
an independent laboratory (Analyst Inc.). The water content was
measured by both a Percent Saturation Meter and Karl Fischer. Automatic
particle counts were also performed and reported as ISO counts.
The water contamination results for all systems surveyed are shown
in Figure 2. Water concentrations are categorized into four levels along
the x-axis, and the percent of systems in each level is shown by the
bars. These results are simultaneously gratifying and disturbing. The

Figure 2. Water Contamination Survey
- Summary of Results for All Systems
Figure 3. Comparing Particle Contamination with Water Contamination.
good news is that nearly 8 out of 10 systems (79%) are in the preferred
range, ≤ 50% saturation. The bad news is that 1 out of 9 systems (11%)
contain free water. The remaining systems were in the marginal zone
greater than 50% saturation but with no free water. The fact that no
systems are in the 75% - 100% saturation range is a bit mysterious. This
may simply be a statistical quirk, and larger numbers of samples would
have turned up some results in this range. It may also be that systems
close to saturation are being exposed to sufficient water to push them
over the top into the free water range.
Figure 3 compares particle contamination with water contamination.
In the 3-digit ISO Code, the middle digit represents numbers of particles
greater than 6 μm. We chose this 6 μm size to represent particle
contamination for each system, as shown on the Y-axis. The X-axis lists
water contamination as percent saturation. A 6 μm ISO Code of 20 and
greater is considered highly contaminated. Approximately one-third of
the systems sampled were in this particle contamination range, which
is disturbing in itself. Interesting, the majority of these dirty systems
were dry – less than 50% saturated. In contrast some of the cleaner
systems, with 6 μm ISO Codes of 18 and less, contained copious
amounts of free water. In general, it appears there is little correlation -
a disconnect - between particle contamination control and water
contamination control. The message is that to avoid contamination
problems, both good particle control and good water control are
required, and they are not the same.
Figure 4 compares water contamination results for lube and hydraulic
systems. The main difference is the greater number of lube systems
containing free water. This is probably because many lube systems are
more open to the environment, increasing the likelihood of water
/ Contamination Control
Figure 4. Comparing Lube & Hydraulic System Water Contamination.
Figure 5. Water Contamination in Gearboxes.
ingression. Figure 5 shows the results only for gearboxes. Interesting,
although 85% of the gearboxes surveyed are in the preferred range of ≤
50% saturation, 11% of the gearboxes surveyed had free water. This
may be because many gearboxes run hot and drive off water from the
lubricant; these gearboxes run dry. However, most gearboxes are also
open to the environment. Open gearboxes exposed to high levels of
water ingression are likely to become wet. Sources of water ingression
include: rain, hoses, and humid air.
Figure 6 compares results between systems with and without water
contamination control equipment. Water contamination control
equipment included: standard desiccant breathers, regenerable
desiccant breathers, water absorbing cartridges, centrifuges,
coalescers, and vacuum dehydrators. Surprising, the same percentage
(79%) of protected and unprotected systems are in the preferred range
of ≤ 50% saturation. Shockingly, more of the protected systems
contained free water than unprotected systems, 13% to 11%. At the
very least systems with water contamination control equipment should
not contain free water, yet more than 1 out of 8 did! To investigate this
contradiction we assembled the results for water protection equipment,
but excluded systems protected by the regenerable breather drier, the
T.R.A.P.™ Results are shown in Figure 7. More than one out of five
(21%) of these systems had free water! We now have our answer.
Many water contamination control products are hassles to operate and
maintain. They may be installed, but they are too much trouble to
operate properly. In contrast, results for the hassle-free regenerable
breather are shown in Figure 8. 90% of these systems are in the
preferred range. No free water is found in any of them.
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Figure 6. Comparing Systems With and
Without Water Contamination Equipment.
Figure 7. Results for Traditional Water Contamination Equipment.
Figure 8. THE TRAP™ EFFECT. Results for Systems
Protected By Regenerable Breather Driers
Water Contamination Control
First, keep the water out. Best practices are summarized in Table A.
Second, employ low hassle water contamination control equipment.
In principle, all contamination control equipment performs well when
properly maintained. However, some of this equipment is not only
expensive but also a hassle to operate and maintain. Hassles include
frequent replacements, faulty operation, and temperamental controls.
Hassle Factors, along with Cost of Ownership Ranking, for water
contamination control technologies are summarized in Table B. It should
be noted there are variations for each type of equipment listed in the
Table. Table B summarizes reports from end users as well as the
authors’ 50+ years of combined experience.
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Table A. Strategies to Prevent Water Ingression.
Table B. Summary of Water Contamination Control Technologies.
Three important cases are worth highlighting:
1. Many systems exchange air with their environment by ‘breathing.’
This can be due to changes in reservoir liquid level, such as for
hydraulic cylinders. Breathing can also be driven by temperature
cycling, such as on-off duty cycles and nighttime shutdowns,
common for many lube systems. To keep humid air out of systems
that breathe, the low hassle and relatively inexpensive solution is
the regenerable breather drier shown in Figure 9. Mode of
operation for this device is illustrated in Figures 10a and 10b.
During inhalation water vapor is absorbed out of the air onto a thin
film of material. During exhalation the same water vapor desorbs
from the thin film and is released back into the atmosphere. The
result is a regenerable breather drier with greatly extended life in
humid environments.
2. To keep humid air out of systems that do not periodically breathe,
such as lubricant reservoirs and storage tanks, a blanket of dry air
is ideal. A system using regenerable cartridges that runs off
compressed shop air is illustrated in Figure 11.
3. The vacuum dehydrator is an old standby for removing large

Figure 9. Regenerable Breather Drier.
Figure 10. Regenerable Breather Drier
Figure 11. New Technology Dry Air Blanket System.
amounts of water from oils. There are many different models. All
are relatively expensive and complex. All pull water out of oil with
vacuum. As water flashes out foaming and frothing result.
Because of excessive foaming and low reliability, older technology
vacuum dehydrators have high Hassle Factors. However, newer
versions have recently emerged that are much more user-friendly
and reliable. One model, shown in Figure 12, facilitates foam
control and nearly automatic operation.
/ Contamination Control
Figure 12. New Technology Vacuum Dehydrator. Photo courtesy of Oil
Filtration Systems, Inc. Note the large chambers facilitating monitoring
and controlling foam.
Conclusions and Recommendations
1. Along with particles, water is one of the two most damaging
contaminants for lube and hydraulic systems.
2. The recommended target for water contamination control is less
than or equal to 50% of saturation. This preferred range is realistic
and effectively reduces water contamination problems. For
minimum protection against water, the target is less than or equal
to 100% saturation. This level of protection prevents problems due
to free water.
3. In a survey of industrial equipment, approximately four out of five
systems had water levels in the preferred range of ≤ 50%
saturation. This demonstrates that this is a practical and realistic
target level for water contamination control.
4. The same survey found one out of nine systems contained free
water. More troubling, one out of five systems with high hassle
water contamination control equipment had free water. This is
attributed to difficulties operating and maintaining many of these
units. Hassle Factors and relative expenses for water
contamination control equipment are summarized in Table B.
5. Low hassle and cost effective water contamination control
equipment is available, including a regenerable breather drier and
newer technology dry air blankets and vacuum dehydrators. As
found in the survey and termed the TRAP? Effect (Figure 8),
employing low hassle units facilitates maintaining water levels in
the preferred range, and easily prevents free water contamination.
References
Afton Chemical, “Hydraulic Industry Under Pressure,” Tribology &
Lubrication Technology, Vol. 61, No. 9, Sept. 2005, pp. 24-27.
Armstrong, R., Hall, C., “The Corrosion of Metals in Contact With
Ester Oils Containing Water at 60 and 150 ?C,” Electrochimica Acta,
40, 9, 1995, pp. 1135-1147.
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 Beercheck, R.C., “How Dirt and Water Slash Bearing Life,” Machine
Design, V50, N7, 1978, pp. 68-73.
Cantley, R.E., “The Effect of Water in Lubrication Oil on Bearing
Fatigue Life,” ASLE Transactions, Vol. 20, No. 3, 1977, pp. 244-248.
Dietz, T.G., “Minimizing Water Contamination Extends Equipment,
Lubricant Life” Pulp & Paper, V71, N2, Feb, 1997, pp. 89-92.
Eachus, A.C., “The Trouble with Water,” Tribology & Lubrication
Technology, Vol. 61, No. 10, Oct 2005, pp. 32-38.
Fox, M, Picken, J., Pawlak, Z., “The Effect of Water on the Acid-Base
Properties of New and Used IC Engine Lubricating Oils,” Tribology
International, 23, 3, 1990, pp. 183-187.
Hill, E.C. and Genner, C., “Avoidance of Microbial Infection and
Corrosion in Slow-Speed Diesel Engines by Improved Design of the
Crankcase Oil System,” Tribology International, April, 1981.
Needelman, W.M., “Filtration for Wear Control,” in the “Wear Control
Handbook,” Peterson, M.B. and Winer, W.O., eds., ASME, 1980, pp.
507-582.
Needelman, W.M., et al, “Lubrication,” in STLE Life Factors for
Rolling Bearings, E.V. Zaretsky, ed, 1992, pp. 214-220.
Needelman, W.M., LaVallee, G., “Forms of Water in Oil and
Contamination Control,” Proceedings of the 8th International Filtration
Conference, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, 2007.
Needelman, W.M., LaVallee, G., “Strategies for Preventing Water
Contamination,” International Fluid Power Exposition, March, 2008.
Sachs, N. W., Practical Plant Failure Analysis, CRC Press, 2006.
Wasserbauer, R., “Biocorrosion in Transformer Oils,” Tribology
International, 22, 1, 1989, pp. 39-42.

Appendix A: Dissolved Water, Free Water,

and Percent Saturation
The first water entering into a dry oil is dissolved by that oil. As more
water is added eventually the point is reached where the oil cannot
dissolve more water. This is the saturation point for that oil. The addition
of any more water results in free water, either emulsified or bulk,
depending on the situation. An excellent analogy is humidity in air. As
water enters initially dry air the relative humidity increases. Eventually
the air becomes saturated; this is called 100% relative humidity. Any
more water results in free water, typically in the form of fog droplets.
Just as relative humidity indicates the amount of water vapor in air,
percent saturation indicates the amount of water in an oil. Oil at 100%
saturation (just like air at 100% relative humidity) cannot hold any more
dissolved water – any additional water is free water. Oil at 50%
saturation (just like air at 50% relative humidity) contains half as much
water as the same oil at 100% percent saturation.

466 2008 Conference Proceedings