THE IMPORTANCE OF AN EFFICIENT FILTRATION
The main cause of anomalies in hydraulic systems has to
be attributed to the presence of contaminants in the fluid.
The nature of the contaminant may be: gaseous, namely
air mixed with the fluid; fluid, it depends on water
penetrating the fluid; solid, therefore particles of various
origins and dimensions.
Customers who operate equipments are always focused
on obtaining the best possible performance, lower
energy consumptions and greater respect for the
environment.
These characteristics can be attained by using top
quality components in the hydraulic system for
generating and regulating the fluid power, which are also
more sensitive to the presence of contaminants in the
fluid.
Starting from these requirements, we understand how
important and fundamental it is to prevent the presence
of air and water from mixing in the fluid tank by using
dedicated solutions.
It is also crucial to limit the presence of solid particles in
the hydraulic circuit through a suitable filtering system,
which is indispensable to maintain the project
requirements of the system over time and to keep
running costs low.
The correct choice of a filter and its optimum position in
the hydraulic system requires the same care and
experience needed to choose all the other components.
The use of filters with larger filtering surfaces reduces, at
equal flow rates, the superficial contaminant load and
therefore the filter's life is extended proportionally.
To maintain the maximum efficiency of the system, the
filters must have a clogging indicator showing the
differential pressure on the filtering cartridge and to
immediately point out when the cartridge needs
replacing in order to prevent the by-pass valve from
opening.
The following factors should be analysed when choosing the ideal filter:
Ø
The filtration degree required to protect the most sensitive component from contamination
Ø
The points of the circuit in which the filters have to be installed
Ø
The working pressure of the system
Ø
The maximum flow rate and the type of fluid to be filtered
Ø
The duty cycle
Ø
The retention efficiency of the filtering cartridge
Ø
The contaminant accumulation capacity of the filtering cartridge
Ø
The working ambient temperature
Each filter used generates a pressure drop that increases continuously as time goes by. This pressure drop represents
an efficiency index of the filter itself.
When the hydraulic system is about to be assembled, all the components must be perfectly clean and the fluid has to be
added through a device complete with a filter.
During the test phase, it is advisable to run some work cycles at low pressure in order to create the best possible
conditions for all the components.