TYPES O F HYDRAULIC MEDIA

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2.1 Historical
In the beginning there was water. . . . Thus it was also at the start of the hydraulic age (Fig. 2.1), and it seemed natural for Joseph Bramah to use water as the hydraulic medium for his historic press in 1795. Water was also utilized as the hydraulic medium in the famous subterranean power transmission network which served a number of Londons factories towards the end of the 19th century, and it was not until 1910 that the superior lubrication properties of mineral oils were required for the new pump designs of Armstrong, Williams & James. Nevertheless, it was the development of an oil-resistant, synthetic elastomer (nitrile rubber) during the 1930s that finally permitted construction of reliable hydraulic systems fully competitive with electrical and mechanical transmissions. Continuing efforts to achieve improved efficiency resulted in designs incorporating higher operating pressures, but also higher system temperatures. Consequently, a requirement developed for fluids of higher quality, i.e. mineral oils displaying longer life in these new systems and providing better protection for hydraulic components under arduous operating conditions. Thus in 1940 the first inhibited oils were introduced, containing additives to counteract oxidative degradation and rusting. The inherent advantages of hydraulic equipment were quickly appreciated by the mining and metallurgical industries, and introduction of hydraulic units proceeded with increasing momentum. These particular environments, however, posed extremely severe constraints

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12 Types of hydraulic medium

Fig. 2 . 1 Development of hydraulic media.

with respect to fire resistance, and attention was immediately directed towards the obvious hazards connected with mineral oils at high operating pressures. This resulted in widespread research, culminating in the development of less flammable hydraulic media based on a variety of alternative materials. New hydraulic components subsequently demanded fluids possessing considerably better anti-wear properties and the first products of this type (IS0 type HM) emerged around 1960, followed by similar products with more favourable flow properties ( I S 0 type HV). During recent years increasingly greater attention has been directed towards health and safety considerations and the need to conserve our environment. Although water seems to represent the only truly environmentally friendly medium, the 1990s have seen an increasing availability of various biologically degradable fluids, white oils, etc., proposed as more environmentally acceptable alternatives to the conventional media. Among the most used hydraulic media today are oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions, water-glycol solutions, mineral oils, esters and certain other synthetic fluids. Table 2.1 shows the classification of hydraulic media in accdrdance with IS0 6734 and DIN 51 502.

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Historical 13 Table 2 . 1 Classification of hydraulic fluids in accordance with IS0 6734 and DIN 51 502
Description Straight mineral oil (i.e. no additives) Type HH + oxidation/corrosion inhibitor Type HL + anti-wear Type H-LP + detergent Type HM + viscosity index improver Type HM + anti-stick/slip Synthetic fluids, non-fire resistant Oil-in-wateremulsions (95% water) Aqueous solutions of chemicals Water-in-oilemulsions (40% water) Aqueous polymer solutions (40% water) Synthetic fluids, phosphate esters Synthetic fluids, chlorinated hydrocarbons Synthetic fluids, blends of HFDR/HFDS Other synthetic fluids, (non-aqueous) ISO-L HH HL HM DIN H H-L H-LP HLP-D HVLP
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HV, HR HG HS HFAE HFAS HFB HFC HFDR HFDS HFDT HFDU

HS-A

HS-B HS-C HS-D HS-D HS-D HS-D

A wide number of institutions issue recommendations, standards and specifications defining quality requirements for various types of hydraulic media and their applications:
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component manufacturers, e.g. Vickers, Rexroth, Denison, suppliers of systems for machine tools, off-highway vehicles etc. users of hydraulic fluids, government bodies, where military specifications and environmental legislation is concerned, national standardization committees, e.g. the German DIN norms.

A number of specific quality requirements for the fluid in use are associated with the various types of hydraulic component:

Pumps/motors
Anti-wear Multi-metal compatibility Air releaselanti-foam Demulsibility Low temperature flow properties

Valves
Corrosion inhibition Thermal and oxidation stability

Filters Filterability Sealslhoses Elastomer compatibility

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14 Types of hydraulic medium

The progressive development of new, more efficient systems creates requirements for hydraulic media of increasingly higher quality and technical performance (Table 2.2).

2.2 The ideal hydraulic medium

satisfactory flow properties, a high viscosity index, low compressibility, good lubricating properties, low vapour pressure, compatibility with system materials, chemical stability, protection against corrosion, rapid air-release and demulsibility, good thermal conductivity, fire resistance, electrically insulating, environmentally acceptable.

Satisfactory flow properties a r e naturally of prime importance in a liquid transmitting forces from one location t o another. This must apply throughout the entire range of temperatures under which the hydraulic fluid operates, not least during the initial start phase of the system under cold winter conditions. A high viscosity index ensures comparatively moderate viscosity

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The

ideal hydraulic medium 15

changes in relation to temperature fluctuations. By this means an appropriately wide temperature range for satisfactory operation of the system is achieved. Low compressibility is advantageous as it ensures accurate transmission of pressure with minimum response time. Thus oscillatory motion and efficiency losses are minimized. Good lubricating properties are a prerequisite for achieving acceptable service lives of components in modern high pressure hydraulic systems. There are also often special requirements with respect to specific frictional properties in order to ensure smooth, exact movements, e.g. in modern numerical control (NC) machine tools and robotics. Low vapour pressure is desirable to obviate bubble formation or cavitation problems at the prevailing temperatures and low (possibly negative) pressures, at certain points in the system. Compatibility with system materials is essential for a hydraulic medium. As operational parameters for hydraulic systems increase in severity, close cooperation between the manufacturers of new fluid types, seal materials, etc., is of vital importance. Chemical stability is necessary to avoid disproportionately short replacement intervals for an expensive hydraulic fluid, and operational problems caused by degradation of products or deteriorating performance. Corrosion protection is particularly important in hydraulic systems on account of the high pressures, fine tolerances and sensitive valves in modern systems. Contamination by condensation moisture is difficult to avoid in most systems. In general, hydraulic fluids should therefore contain effective corrosion inhibitors. Rapid de-aeration and separation from water is necessary to maintain the specified performance level and counteract operational problems such as corrosion, cavitation, inaccurate pressure response, etc. These problems are reviewed in more detail in later chapters. Good thermal conductivity is required to facilitate rapid dissipation of frictional heat generated in valves, pumps, motors and other components. Thus deterioration of the hydraulic medium or components is counteracted and a satisfactory efficiency rating maintained. Fire resistance is an obvious advantage and is also subject to restrictive legislation for certain critical applications, e.g. in coal mines. The many types of fire-resistant medium are often inferior to conventional mineral oil-based hydraulic fluids in certain respects (see Chapter 20), and are usually more expensive. Electrically insulating properties can be significant in a number of modern designs, e.g. oil well pumps, where electrical components are totally immersed in the hydraulic medium. Such instances demand

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16 T p s of hydraulic medium
close cooperation between component manufacturers and fluid suppliers to select suitable materials and the composition of the hydraulic medium. Environmental acceptability covers many areas and often appears to be a misused characteristic. Concerning hydraulic media, the following factors are of principal interest:
0
0 0

the working environment during handling and use, potentially injurious effects on surroundings should leakage occur, potential hazards during destruction or re-cycling,

On account of a superior combination of advantageous properties with respect to compressibility, vapour pressure, lubricatingproperties, corrosion protection, chemical stability and price, mineral oil-based media are predominantly the most common hydraulic fluids in use today.

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