HYDRAULIC OIL & SEALS

ADVANTAGES OF HYDRAULIC SYSTEM

Some important Advantages of Hydraulics are
•Transmission of large forces using small components i.e. great power intensity.
•Precise positioning.
•Start up under heavy load.
•Even movements are independent of load, since fluids are scarcely compressible
and flow & pressure control valves can be used.
•Smooth and steady operation and reversal.
•Good control and regulation.
•Heat dissipation to certain extent by itself is favorable.
DIS-ADVANTAGES OF HYDRAULIC SYSTEM

• Pollution of environment due to waste / spillage of oil ( chances of fire and

accidents).
• Dangers resulting from excessive pressure ( severely stressed pipelines)
• Temperature dependency ( Viscosity change due to temperature rise)
• Unfavorable efficiency factor
PURPOSE OF HYDRAULIC FLUID
• The hydraulic fluid is used in Hydraulic system as medium for the purpose of
getting some work done. It has practically some functions as:
• Transmission of Power
• Dissipate heat
• Lubricate the moving parts
• Seal clearances between moving parts
• Protect parts from oxidation

• Various types of hydraulic fluids are used in the system depending on

few factors with respect to usage of the system like location, load,
pressure factor, frequency of applications, environmental condition
etc.
TYPES OF HYDRAULIC FLUIDS
• Vegetable base.
• Mineral base.
• Synthetic – Phosphate ester base & Polyol ester base.
• Water glycol base

These fluids are not compatible with each other. If a system is

inadvertently serviced with the wrong type of fluid and system is
operated, all the fluid must be drained, the system flushed with the
specified / proper solvent and all of the prominent seals in the system
are to be changed.
 VEGETABLE-BASE HYDRAULIC FLUID
• Vegetable oils normally non-toxic and colourless to yellow coloured,
such as sunflower, soya, or canola oils, have excellent natural
biodegradability, are in plentiful supply and are inexpensive.
Vegetable oils contain unsaturated hydrocarbons and are natural
esters which leads to rapid oxidation at elevated temperatures and
poor low temperature flow properties. This low-temperature fluidity
can be improved by additives.
• Natural rubber seals can be used in vegetable-base fluid and a system
using this fluid can be flushed with alcohol.
 MINERAL-BASED HYDRAULIC FLUID
• Petroleum-based or mineral-based fluids are the most widely used. The
properties of a mineral-based fluid depend on the additives used, the quality
of the original crude oil and the refining process. Additives in a mineral-
based fluid offer a range of specific performance characteristics like anti-
rust & oxidation inhibitors, anticorrosion agents, demulsifiers, antiwear and
extreme pressure agents, Viscosity Index improvers and defoamants.
Mineral-based fluids offer a low-cost, high quality, readily available
selection.
• Mineral based hydraulic fluid is dyed red for identification and the system
that use this fluid may be flushed with naphtha, varsol or stoddard solvent.
Nitrile Rubber , Neoprene seals and hoses may be used with mineral-based
hydraulic fluid.
 SYNTHETIC HYDROCARBON-BASED
HYDRAULIC FLUID
Synthetic fluids are man-made lubricants and many offer excellent lubrication
characteristics in high-pressure and high- temperature systems. Some of the
advantages of synthetic fluids may include fire-resistance (phosphate esters),
lower friction, natural detergency (organic esters and ester-enhanced
synthesized hydrocarbon fluids) and thermal stability. The disadvantage to
these types of fluids is that they are usually more expensive than conventional
fluids, they may be slightly toxic and require special disposal. These fluids are
light-purple and are only slightly heavier than water. The main advantage of
this fluid is its wide range of operating temperature. (-65°F to 225 °F).
 WATER BASED HYDRAULIC FLUID
Water-based fluids are used for fire-resistance due to their high-water content.
Water-based fluids can provide suitable lubrication characteristics but need to be
monitored closely. Elevated temperatures cause the water in the fluids to evaporate,
which causes the viscosity to rise. Occasionally, distilled water will have to be
added to the system to correct the balance of the fluid. Whenever these fluids are
used, several system components must be checked for compatibility, including
pumps, filters, plumbing, fittings and seal materials. Water-based fluids can be
more expensive than conventional petroleum-based fluids and have other
disadvantages (for example, lower wear resistance) that must be weighed against
the advantage of fire-resistance.
CHARACTERISTICS : HYDRAULIC FLUIDS
 FLUSHING OF HYDRAULIC OIL
The objective of flushing the system is to eliminate sludge, varnish, debris and contaminated or degraded
fluid from the system. Reasons for performing a system flush include:
Fluid degradation - resulting in sludge, varnish or microbial deposits.
Major failure - combined with filter overload disperses debris throughout the system.
New or overhauled equipment - to purge 'built-in' debris.
Common methods for flushing hydraulic systems include:
 Double oil and filter change.
 Mechanical cleaning.
 Power flushing.
The Flushing time normally is calculated with the formula :
CONTAMINATION OF HYDRAULIC FLUIDS
In hydraulic systems, 70 to 90% of wear & failure of components are
contamination related. Only 10% to 30% can be traced back to misuse, defects or
age.
Contamination cannot be stopped, only slowed down with due precautions
about oil !
Hydraulic system operate with very high pressure, and the fluid passes through
different components made out of different materials/metals. These components
have such close fitting parts that any contamination in the fluid will cause these
components to wear and fail.
 The typical clearances in Pressurised fluid system are like this :
TYPICAL HYDRAULIC COMPONENT CLEARANCES
Hydraulic valve spools typically operate with clearances of 6 to 10 microns. The said
clearance even less in Servo and Proportional Valves. These clearances may experience
the full system pressure across them and this will try to draw the particles of
contamination into the gaps and force them through. Add to this the difficulty in
maintaining accurate concentric spool tolerances will probably mean that the gaps
change along the spool. It only takes one particle of dirt to lodge between the spool and
its bore to cause the valve to fail.
EFFECT OF CONTAMINATION
• Contamination interferes with the four functions of hydraulic fluids:
1. To act as an energy transmission medium.
2. To lubricate internal moving parts of components.
3. To act as a heat transfer medium.
4. To seal clearances between moving parts.
• If any one of these functions is impaired, the hydraulic system will not perform as
designed. The resulting downtime can easily cost a large manufacturing plant lot
of money. Hydraulic fluid maintenance helps prevent or reduce unplanned
downtime. This is accomplished through a continuous improvement programme
that minimises and removes contaminants.
CONTAMINANT DAMAGE
• Orifice blockage
• Component wear
• Formation of rust or other oxidation
• Chemical compound formation
•Depletion of additives and oil degredation
•Hydraulic fluid is expected to create a lubricating film to keep precision parts
separated. Ideally, the film is thick enough to completely fill the clearance
between moving parts. This condition results in low wear rates. When the
wear rate is kept low enough, a component is likely to reach its intended life
expectancy, which may be millions of pressurisation cycles.
CONTAMINATION CYCLE
CONTAMINATION
• Oil is the central component of any hydraulic system. If a system fails,
contamination is one of the major reasons. More than ¾ of all problems can be
traced back to contaminated oil. Monitoring oil cleanliness is therefore the most
important factor in preventing system failures.
• Contamination – Anything added to the existing applicable standard of hydraulic
fluid can be considered as contamination.
• There are different types of contamination to the Hydraulic fluid.
− 1. Solid particles contamination (abrasion and dirt)
− 2. Liquid contamination (usually water, free and in solution)
− 3. Gaseous contamination (air)
EFFECT OF CONTAMINATION
SOURCES OF CONTAMINATION
• 1. Built-in contamination
• Foundry sand, dust
• Manufacturing residue - lacquer/paint particles - Preservation material
• Residue from cleaning agents (textile fibers)
• 2. External contamination
• Dirt from the ambient air introduced through - Plunger rods, Labyrinth seals
• Contamination caused by adding oil
• 3. Self-generated contamination
• Metallic wear caused by abrasion & erosion and Seal abrasion
• Chemical corrosion
• Oil ageing products
• Oxidation residue
• Oil-insoluble substances caused by mixing oil
SOURCE OF SOLID CONTAMINANTS
SOLID PARTICLES CONTAMINATION
CONSEQUENCES OF CONTAMINATION
• 1. Solid particles (abrasion and dirt)
 Consequences:
a. Initial damage through “scoring”
b. Impact on control and regulation properties
c. Component wear / Component failure
d. Reduction in machine availability
HYDRAULIC FILTERS
 To reduce the effect of
contamination, most used tool in
the Hydraulic system is Filter.
The industrial fluid power
operates best when the fluid is
free of all impurities and other
foreign matters.
 HYDRAULIC FILTERS
The industrial fluid power operates best when the fluid is free of all impurities &
other foreign matters. However, the fluid can tolerate some amount of foreign
matter depending up on the type of fluid power system and the components used
in it. The fluid filters are used to remove the smallest possible particle of foreign
matter from the fluid.
There are four types of filters used in the industrial hydraulic systems.:
 Mechanical.
 Absorbent.
 Adsorbent.
 Magnetic.
The filters have a Dirt Loading Characteristic which indicates the pressure / flow
drop with respect to blockade percentage.
The function of a filter is to clean oil, but the purpose is to reduce
OPERATING COSTS.
MECHANICAL FILTERS
These filters contain fine wire mesh, closed stocked
metal disks or cloth in the form of bag.

They remove the large coarse contaminants such as

dirt, dust, grit and metallic particles. But they cannot
remove the oil-soluble contaminants.
 ABSORBENT FILTERS
Absorbent filters contains porous
materials such as cotton waste,
paper, wood pulp, cloth, asbestos
etc. They will filter out by
mechanical absorption coarser
particles as well as fine insoluble
particles. But they do not remove
oil soluble oxidation products.
ADSORBENT FILTERS
Adsorbent filters contain materials
such as fuller’s earth, charcoal,
activated clay, chemically treated
paper. It removes both coarse and
fine particles, also it removes
insoluble sludge & oil-soluble
contaminants as well chemical
additives, so they should not be used
for hydraulic systems containing
additive type hydraulic oils.
 MAGNETIC FILTERS

Magnetic filters use a

stack of magnetised soft
steel grids to remove the
ferrous particles flowing
through grids by
magnetism.
 FILTER WITH BYPASS VALVE

A filter with By-pass valve is normally

installed in the system, which as a
safety measure. When the filter
element gets clogged the pressure
rise in the inlet will open the by-pass
valve to supply the unfiltered fluid to
the system. Normally this filter is
installed in the supply line to the
pump as well common return line of
the system as a safety.
SELECTION OF FILTER
• Filters for the system are selected keeping in mind certain criteria.

• Ideal fluid cleanliness standard (filtration rating in Microns).

• Varied flow parameters – quantity and velocity.
• Working pressure of the system & application frequency.
• Acceptable differential pressure across the filter.
• Location on the machine & environmental condition of the machine.
• Compatibility of filter element with used hydraulic fluid.
• Ease & schedule of replacement.
• Cost
FILTRATION GRADE
• A well-filtered hydraulic system should not have particles in the fluid larger than
10 microns.
• A filter-rating system is called the beta ratio. This indicates what size particles the
filter removes, followed by the ratio of the number of this size particle in the fluid
upstream from the filter, divided by number of particles that size in the fluid
downstream from the filter. For example: a filter rating of beta 5 = 90 indicates the
filter will remove 90 of every 100 particles of 5 micron or larger size from the fluid
passing through it. The efficiency of this filter would be 98.9%.
• Never use filters with low-micron ratings in suction lines as pumps can only
tolerate a portion of one atmosphere pressure drop without affecting inlet flow.
With this low-pressure drop, a restriction such as a low-micron filter can cause the
pump to cavitate. Cavitation will cause pump failure almost as fast as dirty oil.
BETA STABILITY OR DHC
• Beta stability is the measure of how well a
filter element is able to maintain its
measured Beta Ratio at pressure drops
beyond the limits of the normal operating
range also called as Dirt Holding Capacity
of the filter. For example, beta 200
stability = 210 psid, means that the Beta
Ratio for the rated micron size will not
drop below beta 200 until it reaches 210
psid across the element. The quantity of
contaminant a filter element can trap and
hold before the maximum allowable back
pressure or delta P level is reached.
FILTRATION FACTS
• The function of a filter is to clean oil, but the purpose is to reduce operating costs.
• Additives in hydraulic fluid are generally less than 1 micron and are unaffected by
standard filtration methods.
• Most system ingression enters a system through the old-style reservoir breather
caps and the cylinder rod glands.
• Knowing the cleanliness level of a fluid is the basis for contamination control
measures.
• System Contamination Warning Signals
 Solenoid burn-out.
 Valve spool de-centering, leakage, “chattering”.
 Pump failure, loss of flow, frequent replacement.
 Cylinder leakage, scoring.
 Increased servo hysteresis.
FILTRATION FACTS
• A simple ‘crackle test’ will tell you if there is free water in your fluid. Apply a flame
under the container. If bubbles rise and ‘crackle’ from the point of applied heat,
free water is present in the fluid.
• Hydraulic fluids have the ability to ‘hold’ more water as temperature increases. A
cloudy fluid may become clearer as a system heats up.
• Absorption filter elements have optimum performance in low flow and low
viscosity applications.
• New fluid is not necessarily clean fluid. Typically, new fluid right out of the drum is
not fit for use in hydraulic or lubrication systems.
• Most machine and hydraulic component manufacturers specify a target ISO
cleanliness level to equipment in order to achieve optimal performance standards.
FILTRATION FACTS
• As an element loads with contamination, the differential pressure will increase
over time; slowly at first, then very quickly as the element nears it’s maximum life.
• Viscosity increases in the fluid may cause a considerable increase in pressure
differential through the filter assembly.
• An element loading with contaminant will continue to increase in pressure
differential until either:
• The element is replaced.
• The bypass valve opens.
• The element fails.
• Filter media ratings expressed as a Beta Ratio indicate a media’s particle removal
efficiency.
FILTRATION FACTS
• Pressure differential in a filter assembly depends on:
1. Housing and element size
2. Media grade
3. Fluid viscosity
4. Flow rate
5. Fluid Density
• Colour is not a good indicator of a fluid’s cleanliness level.
• The cleanliness level of a system is directly proportional to the flow rate over the
system filters.
• The only way to know the condition of a fluid is through fluid analysis. Visual
examination is not an accurate method.
• Properly sized, installed, and maintained hydraulic filtration plays a key role in
machine preventative maintenance planning.
PREVENTION
• Use replaceable element or desiccant style filters for reservoir air breathers.
• Flush all systems before initial start-up.
• Specify rod wipers and replace worn actuator seals.
• Cap off hoses and manifolds during handling and maintenance.
• Filter all new fluid before it enters the reservoir.
CONSEQUENCES OF CONTAMINATION
2. Liquid contamination (usually water, free and in solution)
 Sources :
a. Worn actuator seals
b. Reservoir opening leakage
c. Condensation
d. Heat exchanger leakage
 Consequences:
a. Corrosion, wear
b. Impairment of viscosity
c. Chemical reaction with the fluid
d. Impact on lubricating properties
e. Ageing (oxidation) of oil
f. Poor filterability / Reduction in filter service intervals
g. Reduction in machine availability
VISUAL EFFECTS OF WATER IN OIL
DISSOLVED, EMULSIFIED AND FREE WATER
WHC & TEMPERATURE
EFFECT OF WATER CONTAMINATION
• Anti-wear additives break down in the
presence of water and form acids. The
combination of water, heat and dissimilar
metals encourages galvanic action, Pitted
and corroded metal surfaces and finishes
result.
• Further complications occur as temperature
drops and the fluid has less ability to hold
water. Operating functions may also become
slowed or erratic.
• Electrical conductivity becomes a problem
when water contamination weakens the
insulating properties of a fluid, this
decreases its dielectric kV strength.
• Water is the leading cause of hydraulic pump cavitation (vaporous cavitation).
Water passing between loading frictional surfaces can explode, causing metal
fracture. Depending on the oil type and temperature, a bearing can lose 75
percent of its life due to water contamination before the oil becomes cloudy.
CONSEQUENCES OF CONTAMINATION
• 3. Gaseous contamination (air)
 Sources :
a. System Leaks
b. Pump aeration
c. Reservoir fluid turbulence
Consequences:
a. Foam formation in the oil
b. Inaccurate valve response
c. Loss of energy f Pump damage
d. Chem. reaction with the fl uid
e. Oxidation
f. Reduction in machine
GASEOUS CONTAMINATION (AIR)
• The work performed in a hydraulic system relies on the fluid being relatively
incompressible. Air is up to 20,000 times more compressible than a liquid in which
it is dissolved. When air is present, a pump ends up doing more work to
compress the air, and less useful work on the system. In this situation, the system
is said to be ‘spongy’.
• Air can be in the form of either a dissolved or entrained (undissolved, or free)
state. Air in any form is a potential source of oxidation in liquids. This accelerates
corrosion of metal parts, particularly when water is also present. Oxidation of
additives also may occur. Both processes produce oxides which promote the
formation of particulates, or form a sludge in the liquid. Wear and interference
increases if oxidation debris is not prevented or removed.
Studies have shown that 80% to 90% of hydraulic failures are caused
by the factors listed below. Although many are related to each other,
each has its own specific damage profile.
Oxidation is primary oil degradation
mechanism and is the chemical
reaction that naturally occurs between
the oil and oxygen from the air.
Oxidation is an auto-catalytic series
of chemical reactions that
continuously produces acids, depletes
additives, and ultimately will
form harmful varnish and sludge in
fluids. Oxidation rates and acid
production continuously accelerates as
operating temperatures increase
(doubles for every 18°F increase), as
acid levels (TAN) increase, as additive
levels (antioxidants) decrease, and as
fine metal catalysts accumulate in the
fluid. Oxidation also promotes
corrosive wear, pitting and rust to
unprotected metal surfaces.
Additive Depletion is another harmful
process that reduces the performance,
protection, and service life of fluids.
Lubricant formulators rely heavily on
performance enhancing additives to
control fluid service life, inhibit
oxidation, and protect from corrosion.
While in service, additive levels
continuously deplete which reduces the
oil’s ability to resist oxidation and limits
oil service life. Like oxidation, additive
depletion is accelerated by catalysts like
acids, water and fine metals. Monitoring
fluid additive levels and replenishing the
fluid’s additive package when necessary,
helps maintain fluid chemistry and
performance, and can dramatically
extend fluid service life.
Fluid Contamination
As the system is closed it is a self contaminating. Fluid contamination is often
the primary cause of hydraulic failures, as it speeds up the rate of wear and tear
on the pump / components. Contamination occurs when foreign material gets
mixed into the hydraulic fluid. Foreign materials inside a closed hydraulic system
are harmful, and impede operational efficiency. Contaminants can be in solid,
liquid or gaseous form.

Over-Pressurization
Hydraulic pumps are designed to operate at specific pressure levels. When you
subject a pump to pressures, higher than its design specifications, the pressure
pushes against the many internal components of the pump. This over-
pressurization can result in greater and faster wearing, and lead to permanent
failure.
Aeration : Aeration pertains to the presence of air bubbles in the hydraulic fluid.
When compressed air bubbles are exposed to pressure in the pump, it leads to an
implosion effect that can remove metal debris from the pressure plates and raise
the local temperature to extreme levels.

Pump Aeration : Pump aeration happens when air is trapped in the hydraulic
fluid, sucked into the pump via leaky inlet joints or faulty shaft seals. It’s marked
by a loud, high-pitched sound with the pitch getting higher as the pressure rises.
Excessive pump aeration causes the hydraulic fluid to appear milky, and the
various components in the hydraulic system to become unstable.

Implosion : Air bubbles trapped in the hydraulic fluid are subjected to normal
hydraulic system pressures. When this occurs, the bubbles can collapse inwardly
almost instantly in a violent manner generating intense shock waves. These shock
waves can result in serious pump damage.
Cavitation : This occurs when the hydraulic fluid doesn’t completely fill the
existing space in the pump, usually caused by the pump overspeeding, the intake
line being too long or too restricted, or abnormally high fluid viscosity. Cavitation
produces a high-pitched noise very similar to that of aeration.

Poor Hydraulic Fluid Viscosity : Fluid viscosity in a hydraulic pump needs to be

maintained at a specific level. When the level of viscosity becomes higher than
required, it often leads to cavitation. On the other hand, when the level of
viscosity is lower than it should be, it can result in too much heat and pump
leaking.

Excessive Heat : Excessive heat is most often a byproduct of other factors

causing hydraulic failures, but can also be a trigger. Excessive heat is always a
warning sign which should be addressed immediately to prevent further damage.
Heat is one of the four pro-oxidants. The others
are air, water and metal catalysts. These pro-
oxidants lead to the formation of acids, varnish,
sludge and high viscosity, which normally
result from oxidation. As oxidation progresses,
long-chain molecules are produced, which
promotes the formation of sludge, tar, varnish
and acids.

Heat exchangers can play an important role in

reducing heat within a system. For every 10° C
(50° F) over the operating temperature, oil life
is cut in half (Arrhenius rate rule).

A cooled oil will increase the health of the oil

along with the reliability of the equipment.
Sludge presence can have far-reaching consequences
Increased wear rates
Varnish captures hard contaminants, creating an abrasive surface that accelerates wear.

Heat exchangers become less efficient

Sludge deposit adhere to the inside of pipework, thus forming an insulating layer decreasing the cooling
effect of heat exchangers. This reduces the efficiency of the heat exchange and results in higher
operating temperatures leading it to increased power consumption and to faster oxidation of the oil.

The main line filters get blocked:

Sludge is sticky, resinous substance, and it therefore stays behind in the pores of filters, quickly blocking
them. This may lead to decrease in the flow rate and as a result the drive will operate more slowly. It
becomes increasingly difficult for the pump to circulate the oil, leading to cavitation, higher power
consumption and increased wear and tear, resulting in early replacement of main line filters .
Valves clog or operate badly:
The presence of resins increases friction to 5-6 times higher than nominal value. This will result in
higher energy requirements and can cause stuck or seized valves.
Reduced clearance zones affecting lubrication
Often, this means a transition from full film to boundary lubrication, resulting in increased wear in pumps,
bearings, gears and valves.

System corrosion and accelerated degradation due to acidic constituents.

GENERATED CONTAMINATION
• Abrasive Wear – Hard particles bridging two moving surfaces, scraping one or both.
• Adhesive Wear – Loss of oil film allows metal to metal contact between moving surfaces.
• Fatigue Wear – Particles bridging a clearance cause a surface stress riser or microcrack that
expands into a spall due to repeated stressing of damaged area.
• Erosive Wear – Fine particles in high stream of fluid eat away a metering edge or critical surface.
• Cavitation Wear – Restricted inlet flow to pump causes fluid voids that implode causing shocks
that break away critical surface material.
• Aeration Wear – Air bubbles in the fluid implode breaking away surface material.
• Corrosive Wear – Water or chemical contamination in the fluid causes rust or chemical reaction
that degrades a surface.
 SELECTION OF SEAL
A proper seal is to be selected considering the following :
• 1 - Seal function
• 2 - Sealing method
• 3 - Operational parameters
• 4 - Material compatibility
• 5 - Sizing the seal
 SELECTION OF SEAL
• Many different material properties should be considered to support and maintain the
sealing function over the expected seal service life, like:
good elasticity over a wide temperature range, especially low temperatures
excellent compression set and stress relaxation behaviour.
adequate hardness and flexibility to avoid leakage and allow easy installation
superior gap extrusion resistance to cover the increased pressures of fluid power
equipment
adequate working temperature range
good chemical compatibility to cover a wide assortment of hydraulic fluids such as
mineral and synthetic oils, biodegradable and water-based fluids or fire-resistant fluids
excellent tribological properties, i.e. low friction values and high wear resistance to
achieve a high efficiency and avoid early failures especially when sealing against rough
counter-surfaces
Hydraulic seals are vital for various industrial as well as domestic applications to
facilitate the separation of liquids. Hydraulic systems work on the principle of
reciprocating motion and they are essential to install the hydraulic seals properly
for efficient operation. There are different types of rings that can be used to prevent
leakage in hydraulic systems.
There are two main types of hydraulic seals in the system:
Dynamic seals : They seal between components in relative motion. In a hydraulic
cylinder the rod sealing system seals dynamic reciprocating motion between the
piston rod and head, while the piston sealing system seals dynamic reciprocating
motion between the piston and cylinder bore.
Static seals : They seal between components fixed together without relative
motion. Hydraulic cylinders use static seals in various locations depending on the
design and construction. The most common are static seals between the piston
and piston rod and between the head and cylinder bore tube.
Each dynamic seal in a hydraulic cylinder has a special function to contribute to the
performance of the system:

Piston seal : act as pressure barrier & prevent fluid passing the piston – important
for controlling the cylinder motion or maintaining the position when at rest.

Rod seal : act as pressure barrier and keep the operating fluid inside the cylinder
regulate the fluid film which extends with the surface of the piston rod – important to
inhibit rod corrosion and to lubricate the wiper seal and the rod seal itself accept the
lubrication film back into the cylinder when the rod retracts.

Wiper seal : exclude external contaminants from entering the cylinder assembly and
the hydraulic system accept the lubrication film back into the cylinder when the rod
retracts
Buffer seal : protect the rod seal from fluid pressure peaks in excess of system
pressure attenuate the fluctuations in system pressure, thereby improving rod seal
performance by allowing the rod seal to deal with more constant or gradually
changing pressure act as an internal excluder to keep system contaminants, such
as metal particles, from damaging the rod seal.

Guide rings (rod and piston) : prevent metal-to-metal contact between

components react the radial load caused by side loads on the cylinder assembly
keep the piston rod and piston accurately centred in the cylinder assembly –
important for performance of the rod sealing system and piston sealing system
WHY DO SEALS FAIL?
• The combined effect of different environmental factors usually result in
O ring/Seal failure. Some of the most common causes are:
− Incompatibility of Seal /O ring material & the fluid it is exposed.
− Wrong size.
− Seal /O ring installed incorrectly.
− Improper gland design. This allows too much compression or too
little compression, not enough room for displacement under
compression or tolerance stack up.
− In-sufficient seal lubrication.
SEAL FAILURES
Seal Size - Gland Design defective - Incorrect groove or gland design. Improper o-
ring/seal sizing. Hardware damage or misalignment.

Compression Set - The seal exhibits a flat-sided cross-section due to Excessive

compression, Excessive temperature, Incompletely cured elastomer, Elastomer with
high compression set or Excessive volume swell in chemical.

Over Compression - The seal exhibits parallel flat surfaces and may develop
circumferential splits within the flattened surfaces due to Improper design—failure
to account for thermal or chemical volume changes, or excessive compression.
SEAL FAILURES

Installation Damage - The seal or parts of the seal may exhibit small cuts, nicks or
gashes due to Sharp edges on glands or components.

Abrasion – Friction - The seal or parts of the seal exhibit a flat surface parallel to
direction or motion. Loose particles & scrapes may be found on the seal surface.
Causes can be Rough sealing surfaces, Excessive temperature, fluid containing
abrasive particles.

Extrusion - The seal develops ragged edges (generally on the low-pressure side)
which appear tattered due to Excessive clearances / pressure. Excessive gland fill,
Irregular clearance gaps, Sharp gland edges or Improper sizing.
SEAL FAILURES
Spiral Twisting Failure - The seal exhibits cuts or marks which spiral
around its circumference. Causes can be Difficult or tight installation (static).
Slow reciprocating speed. Irregular O-ring surface finish, Excessive gland
width, Irregular or rough gland surface finish. Inadequate lubrication.

Thermal Degradation - The seal exhibits radial cracks located on the

highest temperature surfaces. In addition, certain seals may exhibit signs of
softening - a shiny surface as a result of excessive temperatures due to
seal’s thermal properties. Excessive temperature excursions or cycling.
SEAL FAILURES
Chemical Degradation - The seal exhibits many signs of degradation including
blisters, cracks, voids or discoloration mainly due to Incompatibility with the chemical
and/or thermal environment.

Plasma Degradation - The seal often exhibits discoloration, as well as powdered

residue on the surface and possible erosion of elastomer in the exposed areas due to
Chemical reactivity of the plasma. Ion bombardment (sputtering). Electron
bombardment (heating). Improper gland design. Incompatible seal material.
THE IMPACTS OF POOR SEALING
Seal breakdown, caused by hydraulic systems running at ever increasing
temperatures and pressures, can result in:
• Loss of pressure and poor system efficiency
• Oil leakage that leads to higher maintenance, higher oil consumption and
safety/slip hazards
• Air, water and dirt contamination entering the system
• Oil leakage into the environment
• Unscheduled shutdowns from malfunctioning equipment.
Seal failure can be catastrophic, and in some industries cost millions of dollars in
unexpected downtime. There are many conditions that lead to seal failure, and an
accurate analysis is critical to eliminating future problems.

1. Abrasion : Abrasion is accelerated seal wear by

outside influences. Some factors include surface
finish that’s too rough, a damaged sliding surface,
insufficient lubrication or contamination.

2. Extrusion : It is seal damage caused by the gap

between the sliding surface and the housing. Excessive
gaps allow the seal to deform under pressure, causing
material to creep out or break. Changing the seal
material or operating pressures can help prevent
extrusion, as well back-up rings and reinforced
materials.
3. Contamination : Sealing components can be
damaged by solid particles contaminating internal
operations. This includes a dirty assembly area from
clogged filters, dirty oil, metal particles or poor wiper
performance. Keeping the internal components free
from contaminants is essential to top performance.

4. Heat Damage : Excessive temperatures can

harden elastomers and cause permanent
deformation, discoloration, cracking and material
break off. Additional heat can come from high-
speed operation, hot oil and environmental
conditions. Be sure to use the correct materials
and seal design in high-temperature conditions.
5. Fluid Incompatibility : Certain fluids can be
absorbed into some seal materials and cause the seal
to deform and swell. Water exposure and water-
based fluids at elevated temperatures can also
breakdown certain materials. Be sure that your seals
are fully compatible with all fluids that your seals
may encounter.
HYDRAULIC SYSTEM CARE
• Hydraulic system maintenance is just as important, and directly related to, hydraulic oil maintenance.
All the filtering and analysis done on a hydraulic oil would be meaningless and futile if the system
itself is in a shambles.
• A 10 Point Check — An operator or Technician, responsible for hydraulic system maintenance
should, at minimum, perform the following 10 point checklist as part of a routine weekly “quick
scan” of a hydraulic system :
1. Check fluid levels. Top up if needed - Use the same oil brand and viscosity grade that is being used
in the system.
2. Inspect breather caps, breather filters and fill screens.
3. Check filter indicators and/or pressure differential gages.
4. Visually inspect all system hoses, pipes, pipe connections for leaks and frays. Leakage is an
environmental & safety hazard, increases waste streams and oil consumption. This can also reduce
the system capacity enough to overheat the system.
HYDRAULIC SYSTEM CARE
5. Check system temperature. If temperatures are higher than acceptable specified value, check
cooler operation and relief valve settings.
6. Visually inspect the inside of the reservoir for signs of aeration (via the fill hole using a
flashlight).
7. Listen to the pump for the signs of cavitation. A cavitating pump will emit a high-pitched
whine or scream.
8. Inspect a small sample of fluid for color, signs of contamination and odor. Keep in mind that
visual inspection is limited in that it will only detect signs of excess contamination.
9. Scan electrically controlled servo valves with an infrared thermometer. High valve and
solenoid temperatures usually indicate the valve is sticking.
10. Scan the electric drive motor with for housing hot spots and rotor bearing temperatures using
an infrared thermometer.
HYDRAULIC OIL ANALYSIS
• Contaminated Hydraulic Oil is the root cause for more than 70% of the failures
of the Hydraulic systems. To attain optimum performance and in order to extend
the life and productivity of hydraulic systems, regular oil sampling and analysis
is recommended to check the health of the hydraulic oil & equipment.
• Oil Analysis programs assists in:
a) Extending Oil change period
b) Improve Equipment Life
c) Reduce Downtime & Maintenance Costs
d) Contamination Control
e) Identity potential Problems
f) Reduce Warranty Risk
g) Prevent unnecessary oil change
SAMPLE COLLECTION
• Sample from the system should never be collected when system is Idle. The
system should have been at operating temperature for at least 30 minutes before
the sample is taken. The goal is a representative fluid sample, one which, as
closely as possible, reflects the condition of the system fluid.
• Sample should be taken from the point before the return filter. Also, sample can
be taken from the Reservoir. It should be mid level and away from all walls as well
base of reservoir.
• After collecting sample the bottle should be immediately capped and label should
be put with information like date, machine number, fluid supplier, fluid number
code, fluid type, and time elapsed since last sample (if any).
PARAMETERS
• During the Test the following Parameters are taken of the Sample oil :
a.Viscosity at 40°C and 100°C
b.Viscosity Index
c.Neutralisation number denoting TAN and TBN of the oil.
d.Water content
e.Metallic / Non metallic Particle counts
f. P/Q Analysis
g.Spectrometric analysis (wear metals and additive analysis reported in ppm)
h.Lubricating Quality
• Recommendations are given by the Analysing Agency for the betterment of the
system.
INTERPRETATION OF TEST REPORT
• Once an analysis is completed, it is important to review the report and interpret
the accompanying data. Based on the report, you can determine whether action
is needed. The report does not always pinpoint specific problems, but it does
provide a starting point for analysis.
• The report should clearly state machine and lubricant condition. The laboratory
may have a rating system that notifies you of normal, marginal and critical levels.
In addition, the report should include comments from the analyst who reviewed
your results. These comments will help you gauge the criticality of the problem
and provide a suggested course of action.
VISCOSITY
• Industrial oils are identified by their ISO viscosity grade (VG). The ISO
VG refers to the oil’s kinematic viscosity at 40 degrees C. To be
categorized at a certain ISO grade, the oil’s viscosity must fall within
plus or minus 10 percent of the grade. So for an oil to be classified as
ISO 100, the viscosity must fall within 90 to 110 centistokes (cSt). If
the oil’s viscosity is within plus or minus 10 percent of its ISO grade, it
is considered normal.
• If the oil’s viscosity is greater than plus or minus 10 percent and less
than plus or minus 20 percent, it is considered marginal. Viscosity
greater than plus or minus 20 percent from grade is critical.
CLEANLINESS LEVEL CORRELATION TABLE

The new ISO 11171 (International Standards Organization) Cleanliness Level

Standard replaced ISO 4406 upon acceptance of ISO MTD (Medium Test Dust)
ISO CLASSIFICATION & DEFINITION
• In particle count ISO and NAS number is stated.
• E.g. ISO 4406 NAS Class 8 – 19/17/14. In this 19/17/8 is the range code. First
number indicates particles more than 4µm, Second number indicates particles
more than 6µm and Third number indicates particles more than 14µm. Here in
this class 2500 particles more than 4µm, 320 particles more than 6µm and 80
particles more than 14µm is the acceptable limit. Normally, the number of 4+ and
6+ µm particles is used as a reference point for “silt” particles. The 14+ size range
indicates the quantity of larger particles present which contribute greatly to
possible catastrophic component failure.
P/Q ANALYSIS
• This is a easy screening test to identify small as well larger ferrous particles. This
picks up some wear modes that are almost invisible to Spectrographic Analysis.
• Through consistent and regular sampling, this analysis highlights the early trend
indicators for early detection of abnormal wear conditions and impending machine
failure. The disadvantageous part is this analysis is very time consuming.

When only Spectrographic analysis is done, only the PPM

value of 286 – in this case – is available, which very high
for Iron and indicates abnormal wear. But in P/Q analysis
the reading is 60. When factored with 286 ppm Iron
reading, this indicates the Iron is not due to abnormal wear
but it’s a result of corrosive wear. The most likely cause
behind this can be a result of leaving the oil in the system
for an extended period.
P/Q ANALYSIS
In this example, Spectrographic analysis PPM value
and P/Q analysis index both are very close. As a
result we can understand that Iron particles present
in the oil sample are most likely small wear particles.
So the report is Normal.

In this example, Spectrographic analysis PPM value is very

low where as P/Q analysis index is very high. The fact that
PPM value is so low is an obvious indication that the Iron in
the oil sample is large wear particles. The Filter debris
patch confirms that the oil does contain a large amount of
considerably large wear particles. The equipment is
approaching a catastrophic failure.
 UNIT CONVERSION TABLE
To convert multiply by into
In to divide by To convert

Litre 0.2642 Gallon (US)

Litre 0.22 Gallon (UK)
Litre/min 0.06 M3/hour
Kg 2.206 Pounds
Bar 14.5 PSI
KPa 0.145 PSI
Bar 100 KPa
°C (°C x 1.8) + 32 °F
HYDRAULIC FORMULEA