Seal compatibility in hydraulic systems

Introduction
Oil leakage is common in industry particularly in pressurized
systems. A few oil drops per minute in multiple places may not Figure 1 Seal shrinkage
seem a problem but the associated costs can quickly mount up Surfaces being sealed
Seal Molecule from the
and it can represent lost profitability. Seal material
Lubricant

Time
The impacts of poor sealing
Seal breakdown, caused by hydraulic systems running at ever
increasing temperatures and pressures, can result in: Seal material migrates
Seal loses volume and
into the oil
shrinks causing leakage
• Loss of pressure and poor system efficiency
Figure 2 Seal Swell
• Oil leakage that leads to higher maintenance, higher oil
consumption and safety/slip hazards Surfaces being sealed
Seal Molecules from the
seal material
• Air, water and dirt contamination entering the system Lubricant
• Oil leakage into the environment Time
• Unscheduled shutdowns from malfunctioning equipment.

How does the lubricant influence 2. Chemical interaction

Lubricate migrate into the seal Seal gains volume and swells -
increasing seal pressure prevent leakages
seal performance? The lubricant and seal may react chemically to alter elasticity,
There are two main interactions between seal and lubricant. strength and durability. Figure 3 - seal attack
Lubricant
1. Physical interaction Seal
Seal material and properties
change due to chemical
interaction
Seal shrinkage - seal components migrate out of the seal
Heat / Time
matrix into the lubricant.
Figure 1 Seal shrinkage Surfaces being

Surfaces being sealed Molecule from the

Seal
Seal material
Figure 1 Seal shrinkage
Lubricant
Poorly formulated lubricant additives Seal can harden, loose flexibility
Surfaces being sealed can attack seal material and crack thus increasing leakages
Seal Time Molecule from the
Seal material
Lubricant

Seal material migrates
into the oil
Figure 2 Seal Swell
Seal swell – lubricant components
Time
Many other environmental aspects can impact the seal’s
performance,
ISO VG 46such as higher
Hydraulic Oiltemperatures
in seal swellthat
testcan accelerate
Seal loses volume and
shrinks causing leakage chemical reaction, and dust/dirt and other contaminants that can
NBR-1, 100°C, 168 hrs (run under DIN conditions)
cause seal wear. It is very important therefore that the lubricant
migrate into the seal
% Volume change (seal swell)

Seal material migrates 8

Seal loses volume and
matrix. Moderate
Surfaces being sealedseal swell is welcomed whilst
into the oil
over swelling
shrinks causing leakage
and seal are as compatible as possible to optimize the system’s
Increased seal swell

Seal Molecules from the

can cause deformation and Figureleakage.
2 Seal Swell seal material efficiency. 7.5
Lubricant 7
Surfaces being sealed Time Molecules from the
How is6.5seal compatibility tested?
Seal
seal material
Lubricant 6

Time Static seal compatibility tests use standardised specimens of

5.5
Lubricate migrate into the seal Seal gains volume and swells - seal material whichMobil
are DTE
immersed
20
in the lubricant under defined
Competitors Average Results
increasing seal pressure prevent leakages
conditions (temperature, time) and then assessed for changes
in volume, hardness, tensile strength and rupture elongation.
Lubricate migrate into the seal Seal gains volume and swells -
Figure 3 - seal attack seal pressure prevent leakages
increasing Seal
Results areCompatibility 168 hrs,
quoted in hydraulic 100°C, NBR specifications
oil International -1,
Shore A Hardness Run under DIN conditions
Lubricant
Seal material and properties
such as DIN 51524, ISO 11158 and ASTM D6158.
Seal change due to chemical 0.00
Figure 3 - seal attack
A hardness)

interaction
seal in test

-1.00
Lubricant Heat / Time Seal material and properties
Surfaces being Seal change due to chemical -2.00
interaction
 Seal material
Lubricate migrates
migrate into the seal SealSeal
gains volume andand
swells -
loses volume
into the oil increasing seal pressure
shrinks causing prevent
leakage leakages

Mobil DTE 20 series Figure

meets 2 Seal Swell
the seal challenge The Mobil DTE 20 series - Lubricating
MobilSurfaces
Industrial
beingLubricants
sealed Figure 3hydraulic
designs
Seal
- seal attack
oils Molecules
for excellent
from the
Productivity
seal material
compatibility with a wide range of seal materials.
Lubricant This is
Seal material and properties
The Mobil DTE 20 series has carefully balanced seal
Lubricant
achieved through the «balanced formulation» approach where
Seal change due to chemical compatibility properties that help provide long-term equipment
interaction
Time
the optimum base oils and additives are selected. There is little protection for both older and modern high pressure hydraulic
value investing in using premium hydraulic
Heat / Time
oils such as the systems. This can help to reduce leakage and ingress of
Surfaces being
Mobil DTE 20 series if the oil is lost through leakage. contaminants, prolong component life, reduce slip hazards and
Lubricate migrate into the seal Seal gains volume and swells -
reduce oil losses to the environment.
The results of eight competitive hydraulic oils in a standard
increasing seal
seal pressure prevent leakages
Poorly formulated lubricant additives Seal can harden, loose flexibility
test using Nitrile
canNBR-1,
attack sealthe most commonand
material elastomer
crack thus used in leakages Mobil DTE 20 is designed to lubricate productivity and help
increasing
hydraulic systems, are shown below. The standard DIN limits for reduce maintenance costs.
Figure 3 - seal attack
an ISO VG 46 oil are between 0 to 12%.
Lubricant
Seal material and properties
Seal change due to chemical
ISO VG 46 Hydraulic Oil in seal swell test
interaction
NBR-1, 100°C, 168 hrs (run under DIN conditions)
Heat / Time
% Volume change (seal swell)

Surfaces being
8
Increased seal swell

7.5

Poorly 7
formulated lubricant additives Seal can harden, loose flexibility
can attack seal material and crack thus increasing leakages
6.5

5.5
ISO VG 46 Hydraulic
Mobil DTE Oil
20 in seal swellAverage
Competitors test Results
NBR-1, 100°C, 168 hrs (run under DIN conditions)

Mobil DTE 20 is designed to provide extra seal swell properties

change (seal swell)

8
Seal Compatibility
as demonstrated by the results168 hrs,
of this 100°C,
test. NBR swell
This higher -1,
in test seal swell

Shore 7.5A Hardness Run under DIN conditions

tendency, which is within manufacturers guidelines, can help
reduce oil leakage
7
0.00
resulting from oil/seal interactions.
A hardness)
Increased

6.5
-1.00
A hydraulic oil should not react and harden the seal. In a second
% Volume

6
seal test, see below, Mobil DTE 24 shows no seal hardening
-2.00
Decreasing hardness of seal

5.5
but a slight but
-3.00acceptable level of softening (industry limits are
Change in hardness (Shore

Mobil DTE 20
generally set at 0 to -7%). Competitors Average Results
-4.00

-5.00
Seal-6.00
Compatibility 168 hrs, 100°C, NBR -1,
Shore A Hardness Run under DIN conditions
-7.00
0.00
-8.00
Change in hardness (Shore A hardness)
Decreasing hardness of seal in test

-1.00 Mobil DTE 24 Conventional Hydraulic Oil

-2.00

-3.00

-4.00

-5.00

-6.00

-7.00

-8.00
Mobil DTE 24 Conventional Hydraulic Oil

For more information on these and other Mobil industrial lubricants and services, please contact your local Mobil lubricants
representative or visit our web site at www.mobilindustrial.com.

© 2007 Exxon Mobil Corporation

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