6 Ways to Stop Your Hydraulic Machine from Overheating

Hydraulic valves, pumps, and motors are used in everything from bulldozers, excavators, tractors and concrete mixers to elevators, engines, mowers, and refrigeration units. An overheating hydraulic system is inefficient because power has been lost through heat. When oil exceeds 180˚F / 80 ˚C it starts to degrade and damages most seal compounds.

You can avoid this, and overheating altogether, by:

Decreasing the Heat Load

Too high a heat load can overwhelm a system’s ability to dissipate that heat. There’s a fine line between heat load and dissipation capacity, but you can:

1. Decrease the heat load to increase the system’s efficiency.
2. Replace pressure and return hoses with larger diameter versions to reduce pressure drop.

The second approach is inherently more expensive.

Increasing Heat Dissipation

Oil temperature is stable, so long as the system’s capacity to dissipate heat exceeds the heat load. Operating a hydraulic pump, for example, in a high temperature condition can seriously damage it. You can avoid such trouble by:

3. Installing an oil cooler into the circuit.
4. Installing larger piping with higher flow capacities.
5. Replacing worn parts, in which pressure drop and heating are more likely.

And another way to stop hydraulic system overheating is to:

6. Install a larger oil reservoir, in which oil stays inside longer for the heat to be dissipated.

All types of hydraulic pumps, valves, motors, and other components can be protected against overheating with these six methods. If you need a replacement or upgrade, or advice regarding your hydraulic system, contact White House Products, Ltd. today.