Reduce unplanned downtime and maximize the fuel efficiency of your diesel engines

Diesel engines are widely used today. You can find them inside buses and tractor trailers traveling our roads, humming along in construction equipment and drill rigs, submerged in marine environments and helping save lives in hospital generators, amongst many other applications. Diesel engines are popular for good reason. Not only do they have cleaner exhaust emissions, they are also known for more reliable starts in extreme temperatures.

Most people are familiar with diesel engines and how they work, which includes a rapid compression of air. When you inject a fuel source, it creates an explosion. Did you know that micro-dieseling is similar? A front-end loader that runs a diesel engine is a macro-level (or big picture) of what it does on the micro (or smaller) level in a hydraulic pump.

If controlling phosphate ester seems about as elusive as lassoing a bucking bronco, then you've come to the right place. Put on your cowboy hat and let's talk about real solutions to getting it under control.

If the hydraulic, lubricating, compressor or gear oil you use is not made of a water base in formulation , then water is considered a contaminant and must be recognized and managed. 

There are three types of water in a typical system: free water , emulsified water and dissolved water. The water saturation point of most oil, that point above which water is in a free form, is 200-400ppm, depending on age and condition. 

Using 100ppm for an upper water limit for most systems using mineral base oils, this means all free and emulsified water and a significant portion of dissolved water must be removed.

A vacuum dehydrator is one of the very few methods to remove dissolved water from oil. Let's take a look at these three types of water in your system. It will give you a solid foundation for how the vacuum dehydrator works in the end.

Proper filtration keeps control valves from becoming faulty and failing.

Most people have at least heard the term control valve, even if they don't know exactly what it does. For those of you caring for hydraulic systems, you likely work intimately with these parts. Did you know that if you're not using proper filtration in front of said control valves that you're likely doing your operation a disservice? (It's true.)

Water, it's a compound that is required for practically everything on the earth. But within a lubrication or hydraulic system, it's one of the most damaging contaminants possible. Unfortunately, it's also one of the most common contaminants you'll find in your system. 

When your lubrication or hydraulic system is continuously or even periodically exposed to high water levels, it can result in a mountain of damage. You can find evidence of water contaminant destruction if you look close enough. This damage appears as :