To keep different types of mechanical equipment operating on top form, a wide range of greases, oils and fluids are deployed. While some of these lubricants are designed for general purposes, others are specifically designed to serve certain types of equipment. For instance, hydraulic oil is a product engineered to answer the requirements of hydraulic systems.
Buyers in need of hydraulic oil are often confused by the terminology surrounding this lubricant. Sometimes the oil is referred to as a hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic lubricant or a hydraulic liquid, however, these are more general terms that can include more products than just hydraulic oil.
In this blog, we’re demystifying hydraulic oils for potential buyers with an in-depth and easy-to-understand guide. Read on to find all the answers to your questions about hydraulic oil.
What is the difference between hydraulic oil and hydraulic fluid?
Hydraulic fluid is an umbrella term that covers a wide range of solutions for hydraulic systems. Water, for instance is well known as one of the oldest and most affordable hydraulic fluids available and was employed in Ancient Egypt, helping them deliver materials and construct locks, ports and irrigation systems. Hydraulic oil is also a hydraulic fluid but is derived from petroleum was introduced in the 1920s offering superior performance.
What is hydraulic oil?
Hydraulic oils are defined as non-compressible fluids employed to transfer power in hydraulic systems included in equipment and machinery. Hydraulic oil is produced with a mineral oil base or with a semi or full synthetic oil base.
However, while hydraulic oil is mostly used for transferring power, it performs many other roles while carrying out its main objective. Hydraulic oil lubricates the moving components of hydraulic systems reducing friction and wear that can cause damage. It also acts as a coolant keeping working machinery within suitable operating temperature parameters to avoid harm on parts from excessive heat. Finally, this reliable oil also seals system components from unwanted contaminants and corrosive processes reducing mechanical downtime and extending the active service life of hydraulic systems.
How do mineral-based and synthetic hydraulic oils differ?
Most hydraulic oils produced today fall into one of two categories, mineral-based or synthetic-based hydraulic oils. Hydraulic oils with a mineral-based hydraulic are produced from crude oil fractions while synthetic oils are engineered in labs using a chemically produced base fluid.
Synthetic hydraulic oil is usually formulated to supply superior physical characteristics in comparison to a mineral hydraulic oil. For instance, synthetic oil may perform better at higher temperatures, be more biodegradable or improved oxidation stability. While synthetics offer enhanced performance, they are more expensive. Semi-synthetic hydraulic oils offer a compromise providing improved performance compared to mineral-based oils for a lower price than full-synthetic oils.
What is hydraulic oil used for?
The main job of hydraulic oil within the hydraulic system it serves is to transfer power from one part of the system to another end via various interconnected hydraulic components.
An external force of a piston inside a cylinder is applied to the hydraulic oil, pushing it through the system to generate a force on to other parts of the system resulting in a specific action or movement.
Typically, when force is applied to any material it results in compression. As a result, a key quality of hydraulic fluid is that its liquid state makes it non-compressible. In contrast, gases are compressible which means they cannot be used in hydraulic systems.
What is the composition of hydraulic oil?
The common composition of hydraulic oil start with a base fluid (mineral or synthetic) with a variety of ingredients added. The type of ingredients included will depend on the type of oil hydraulic oil and the equipment and application it is engineered to serve.
In general terms, common hydraulic oils contain mineral oil, glycol, silicone and esters among other ingredients. However different additives are also included to suppress or enhance the characteristics of the oils’ base fluid to enhance performance or impart an entirely new property to meet a specific operating requirement.
Additives are often included in hydraulic oils to help them perform optimally under different onsite operating conditions. Anti-wear additives work to extend the active service life of mechanical equipment and is often expressed as an AW hydraulic oil.
There are cold flow additives that allow the oil to remain effective when used in extremely low operating conditions but also antioxidant additives that allow oils to reduce deposits of unwanted sludge and extend the length of time in between oil changes lowering operating costs and maintenance time.
Anti-foaming additives for hydraulic oils reduce foaming that is sometimes caused by detergents in the system. As foaming can decrease the lubricating ability of the oil reducing its effectiveness to prevent damage to components, this agent can be exceptionally valuable.
Hydraulic equipment with parts made from iron alloys that are subject to oxygen and moisture contact are always at risk of rust. As a result, hydraulic oils are designed with anti-rust additives to counter this destructive process.
What are the properties of hydraulic oil?
The characteristics of hydraulic oil are crucial to the effectiveness of the hydraulic system allowing it to perform properly within its specific operating conditions and requirements. Below we list the sought-after properties of a hydraulic oil.
Hydraulic oils must always be non-compressible and have the capacity to remain thermally stable while operating at a range of temperatures. Additionally, they must also be able to maintain their specific viscosity regardless of the operating temperature.
For safety reasons, oils must also be fire resistant. To avoid causing harm to system parts, they must be fully compatible and non-corrosive to all components included.
Hydraulic oils should provide anti-wearing protection to the system and have a low tendency to foam. They should have high levels of water tolerance making them resistant to water contamination.
Oils that can supply an extended lifespan are also in high demand and value for money they offer. Cost-effective oils that can still deliver high performance levels are also sought-after products that help companies reduce their operating expense.
It understood that few hydraulic oils can fulfil all these criteria perfectly. However, a full spectrum of hydraulic oils is available to but so that users can select a product that specifically meets their needs.
What are the applications of hydraulic oils?
Today, hydraulic oils are employed in vast array of applications in every sector. Here we look at some popular examples that display just how diverse the industries are that use hydraulic oil on daily basis.
Hydraulic oil serves systems in forklifts, stackers and cherry pickers used on construction sites and warehouses powering the robust forks required to lift heavy duty loads. Wood splitters in the lumber industry also use hydraulic oil to transfer immense power to split logs.
The automotive industry also relies on hydraulic oil to power automotive lifts and car jacks. With a high viscosity index, these oils are specially designed to answer high pressure demands and safety operating standards.
In areas experiencing extreme cold weather conditions, snow ploughs are essential equipment to keep roads clear, safe and serviceable. Hydraulic oil is an equally vital to keep snow plough operating. The oil enables operation of the powerful hydraulic tilt, angle and lift movement performed by the vehicles blade to clear soft and compacted snow alike. To enhance their ability to function effectively under cold weather conditions, the hydraulic oils designed for use in snow plough systems typically include an antifreeze additive.
The aviation industry also relies heavily on hydraulic oil. Dependable aircraft hydraulic oil is required for a diverse range of equipment on plains like aircraft controls and control systems. However, it is also employed to power a wide range of systems on the ground like aircraft hangar doors and the aircraft jack and lifting equipment used by maintenance crews.
Hydraulic oil is also important to the agricultural sector. Tractor hydraulic oil is critical for the effective operation of both hydraulic systems and hydraulic brakes fitted on a wide range of agricultural vehicles used in farm applications. Universal Tractor Transmission Oil (UTTO) is sometimes used in Hydraulic systems where a 10W/30 is advised.
Marine applications are another common customer of hydraulic oil suppliers. For instance, luxury cruise liners use hydraulic oil to operate their stabilisers and provide a more comfortable voyage for their first-class passengers. Reducing how much roll occurs, the stabilisers help negate seasickness. However, stationery equipment at ports and harbours also needs a steady supply of hydraulic oil to provide power to systems in heavy-duty lifting equipment used to transfer weighty cargo.
Finally, air compressors and pressurised air tools also need hydraulic oil to function. These high-pressure hydraulic oils often contain anti-wear (AW) additives for extended protection.
Do you need first class hydraulic oils for your operation?
At Oil Store, we supply a wide range of hydraulic oil from leading brands like Millers, Petronas, Mobil, Shell and Morris engineered for an extensive array of applications. Browse our available products today or get in touch with our knowledgeable team for further details.
