A guide to industrial hydraulic oil
Industrial hydraulic oil is used for hydraulic machinery or equipment across various business sectors. Such equipment generates considerable heat and overheating leads to damaging its motors and pumps as well. This may result in inefficient functioning. Thus, hydraulic oil helps by transferring power suitably while also playing the role of coolant, sealant, and also lubricant for such machinery.
They have several uses in power steering systems, hydraulic braking equipment, industrial equipment, and excavators, to name only a few. All these fluids comprise chemical additive packages and base oils, where the former enhances the oil base performance and overall functioning of the components of the hydraulic system. They may also have anti-corrosion and oil foaming resistance attributes, and also enable greater water resistance simultaneously.
What are the biggest advantages of industrial hydraulic oil?
There are several benefits of using industrial-grade hydraulic oil. Some of them include the following:
- Keeping machinery and systems clean and efficient as compared to other types of fluids.
- They also enable lower power consumption and better protection for pumps and other critical machinery.
- They come with anti-wear and rust properties in some cases, along with combating corrosion as well.
- They also help in the smooth operations and maintenance of braking systems. With their high boiling points, it makes them suitable for heat-generating functions like braking vehicles.
- They also work in high-pressure and heavy load conditions in the heavy equipment and machinery categories. Hence, enabling higher viscosity grades and anti-wear.
- As aviation fluids, they come with oxidation resistance additives and suitable temperature attributes for higher altitudes in tandem with a higher viscosity index. They take care of aspects like brakes, landing gear, flight control, and aircraft hydraulic pumps and motors, in addition to wing movements.
- These oils are used for maneuvering ships and marine boats. They are used in other applications like cover bow and stern thrusters, steering systems, shell doors, and anchor windlasses.
- Hydraulic oils also take care of applications where there are probabilities of fire, including die-casting machines. They are also used in industry applications throughout the military sector, metal applications, and furnace systems.
- Several hydraulic fluids also enable better performance at a higher pressure and higher/lower temperatures. They also function as sealants and oxidation inhibitors at times.
How to select the best industrial hydraulic oil
Your choice will naturally depend on your specific needs and the requirements of the industry/machinery at hand. Common fluids are based on water or mineral oil. They are used in several applications like hydraulic brakes, backhoes, excavators, power steering and transmission systems, flight control systems, garbage trucks, industrial machinery, lifts, and more. You should also remember that the density of the hydraulic oil is the ratio of the mass to the space volume occupied by it. It is mentioned as g/ml or grams per millimeter. Density is another attribute that affects the overall hydraulic equipment performance, since fluids with higher density may enable the removal and suspension of contaminants.
This density will vary as per the hydraulic oil type. You should also check viscosity, which is about resistance attributes toward changes in temperatures. This is also connected to the temperature range, necessitating the evaluation of the viscosity index. There could also be multi-grade or mono-grade oils available, which are classified by either their hot ambient temperatures or their polymeric additives that enhance the viscosity index. You should also go for fluids that have wear, rust, and corrosion prevention properties if possible.
Where to find the best industrial hydraulic oil
If you wish to find quality industrial hydraulic oil and a whole host of other industrial equipment and solutions across diverse industries and business sectors, then you can check out L&T-SuFin. This is a one-stop platform for buying products in several segments. You can also get support with finance and logistics while shopping on the platform. Read more on industrial-grade hydraulic oils and their various features online before taking a final decision.