You need to know why hydraulic oil is hot in order to take the necessary precautions and maintenance. Oil itself is a very important part of engine performance, so it is important to pay attention to it. Maximum engine performance can last for a long time when using oil which functions as a lubricant for various components in the engine. For complete information about hydraulic oil and the causes of hot hydraulic oil, let's see the article below!
Definition of Hydraulic Oil
First of all, it is important that you know what hydraulic oil is. Hydraulic oil is a type of oil that has a thickness and classification like engine oil. The difference is, the viscosity level of hydraulic oil is not called SAR or via the API Service code. In order to become more familiar with hydraulic oil, it is a good idea to know information about the properties of this type of oil, including:
1. Hydraulic oil is fluid (liquid) or easy to flow.
2. It is incompressible, or it means that it cannot be compressed.
3. Stable physical and chemical properties.
4. Equipped with properties to lubricate the machine.
5. Prevents rust because it protects engine parts.
6. Able to separate dirt.
Damage to hydraulic oil can be caused by two main factors, namely deterioration and contamination. Deterioration is oil damage that the cause comes from inside the oil. Meanwhile, contamination is damage caused by factors other than oil.
You should not ignore or underestimate problems with oil because when there is a problem, the engine can experience problems because the oil has a big influence on various components in the engine. The various properties of hydraulic oil mentioned above can only be maximally utilized if the oil does not experience problems, including the problem of hot hydraulic oil.
Also read: Advantages and Weaknesses of Hydraulic Systems
Causes of Hot Hydraulic Oil
There are several things that cause hot hydraulic oil, including:
1. Cooling Circulation System
One of the causes of hot hydraulic oil is the cooling circulation system that is not working properly. The occurrence of cold clogging and dirty ducts results in decreased cooling efficiency and higher oil temperature.
2. Hydraulic system working pressure
Hydraulic oil becomes hot when the working pressure of the adjusted hydraulic system is much higher than the actual requirement.
3. There are components that are worn
Such as gear pumps, piston pumps, motor cylinders, valve plates, boreholes, and plungers. This can cause an increase in internal leaks and thus cause the hydraulic oil to overheat.
4. High load usage
The use of high loads for a long time and the room temperature that is too high can also be the cause of hot hydraulic oil.
5. Air circulation
A hydraulic system may not have sufficient flow to dissipate the heat generated when the hydraulic fuel tank is too small, causing the oil temperature to rise.
6. Hydraulic oil grade
The difference in quality and viscosity as well as different levels of hydraulic oil can make the hydraulic oil viscosity index too low or too high.
7. Other factors
Various factors such as serious pollution, poor construction environment, and the entry of contaminated hydraulic oil into pump, motor and valve gaps can increase friction, wear and leakage leading to high oil temperatures.
8. filter plug
Hot hydraulic oil can also be caused by a filter plug which results in oil resistance and increased energy consumption.
Also read: How to Read Oil Analysis Results
How to Maintain Hydraulic Oil
So that hydraulic oil does not heat up easily and can be used for a long time, there are several proper maintenance methods you can do, including:
1. Try to keep the hydraulic oil drum under the roof.
2. Always clean the top of the drum before opening the drum so that dirt does not get into the oil when the drum is opened.
3. Make sure you use a jerry can or a clean container and hose.
4. Before you put the oil into the reservoir, filter the oil first.
5. Keep the oil from contamination that can be caused by condensation.
6. Make sure the parts of the circuit remain firmly attached and the filter system is good to prevent oil contamination.
7. Before it is completely damaged, you must schedule an oil change.
Well, that's information about the causes of hot hydraulic oil and various other additional information that is important for you to know. Make maintenance efforts as mentioned above so that hydraulic oil can be maintained and does not overheat easily, so that performance can be maximized. You can also use Hyprowira's athalon filters which have high resistance to system pressures such as cyclic flow and dirt loading. Hopefully the information about the causes of hot hydraulic oil above is quite useful!
Also read: How Hydraulic Pumps Work
