How to Choose the Right Hydraulic Reservoir

When selecting the right hydraulic reservoir for your system, several important factors must be considered. From understanding the specific requirements of your application to choosing the appropriate size and design, making the correct decision is crucial for ensuring optimal performance and longevity of your hydraulic system. We will discuss key considerations you should keep in mind when selecting a hydraulic reservoir tank to help you make an informed choice.

What Is a Hydraulic Reservoir?

A hydraulic fluid reservoir is a container or tank that stores hydraulic fluid within a hydraulic system. This fluid is essential for transferring energy and power throughout the system to drive actuators, motors, or other components. The reservoir helps regulate the fluid’s temperature, filters out contaminants, and ensures a consistent supply of pressurised fluid to support the system’s smooth operation.

What Does the Hydraulic Reservoir Tank Do?

• Stores hydraulic fluid: The reservoir holds a supply of hydraulic fluid.
• Regulates temperature: The reservoir helps dissipate heat generated during operation.
• Filters contaminants: Reservoirs are equipped with filters that help remove dirt, debris, and other contaminants from the hydraulic fluid to prevent damage to system components.
• Releases air bubbles: Hydraulic reservoirs often have features to allow trapped air bubbles in the system to escape, preventing issues such as cavitation and loss of efficiency.
• Provides an expansion chamber: The reservoir accommodates changes in the volume of the hydraulic fluid due to temperature fluctuations or actuator movement.

Key Factors in Hydraulic Reservoir Design

Key factors in hydraulic fluid tank reservoir design include:

• Heat transfer: Proper design consideration must be given to effectively dissipate heat generated during hydraulic system operation to prevent fluid overheating.
• Fluid temperature: The reservoir design should account for maintaining hydraulic fluid within the appropriate temperature range for optimal system performance.
• Size: Selecting the right reservoir size is crucial to ensure an adequate volume of hydraulic fluid is available for consistent operation and pressure control.
• Shape (JIC, L-shaped, overhead stack): Different shapes of reservoirs offer unique advantages in terms of space utilisation and ease of installation or maintenance.
• Control of contamination and aeration: Effective filtration systems and air removal mechanisms are essential in preventing contamination or cavitation issues within the hydraulic system.
• Maintenance required: Consideration should be given to the accessibility and ease of maintenance tasks such as fluid level checks, filter replacements, fluid replacement, and general inspections.

FAQs

How Full Should a Hydraulic Reservoir Be?

A hydraulic reservoir should typically be filled to the recommended level indicated by the manufacturer or system specifications. When the system is at rest and cool, it is advised to fill the reservoir between one-half and two-thirds full.

However, always refer to your equipment’s specific guidelines for accurate information on how full your hydraulic reservoir should be maintained for optimal performance. Regularly checking and maintaining the correct fluid level will significantly extend the lifespan of your hydraulic system components.

What Happens When You Overfill a Hydraulic Reservoir?

Maintaining the fluid level within a certain range is essential to ensure proper operation and performance of the hydraulic system. When you overfill a hydraulic reservoir, several issues can arise that may negatively impact the performance and reliability of the system. Some potential consequences of overfilling a hydraulic reservoir include:

• Increased pressure: Overfilling can lead to excessive pressure build-up within the system, potentially causing leaks, seal damage, or component failure.
• Foaming: An overfilled reservoir may result in increased agitation and turbulence in the hydraulic fluid, leading to foaming. Foam reduces the fluid’s lubricating properties and can cause pump cavitation or erratic operation.
• Inadequate air space: Allowing insufficient airspace within the reservoir for the fluid’s thermal expansion can result in decreased heat transference, increased pressure, and potential damage to system components.
• Loss of efficiency: Excessive fluid levels can create resistance in moving parts within the system.
• Oil leaks and spills: If an overly filled reservoir is not monitored closely, it may overflow during operation or when components heat up, resulting in messy oil leaks and spills that require cleanup and could pose safety hazards.

What Happens if You Don’t Have Enough Hydraulic Fluid?

Insufficient hydraulic fluid in a system can lead to various problems that affect the performance and longevity of the equipment. Some potential consequences of not having enough hydraulic fluid include:

• Pump cavitation: Low fluid levels can cause air to be drawn into the system, leading to pump cavitation. This results in reduced efficiency, increased noise, vibration, and ultimately damage to the pump.
• Incomplete lubrication: Hydraulic fluid is a lubricant within the system, reducing friction between moving parts. Insufficient fluid levels can result in inadequate lubrication, causing increased wear and premature failure of components.
• Overheating: The hydraulic fluid helps dissipate heat generated during operation. Without enough fluid, there may not be sufficient cooling capacity, leading to overheating and potential damage to system components.
• Pressure fluctuations: Low fluid levels can result in inconsistent pressure within the system, affecting performance and causing erratic behaviour or lack of power transmission.
• Increased risk of contamination: Low hydraulic fluid increases the likelihood of contaminants entering the system.

How Big Should a Hydraulic Reservoir Be?

The size of a hydraulic fluid tank depends on various factors, including the specific requirements of the hydraulic system and its application. Generally, the hydraulic tank reservoir size should be based on the pumping gallons or litres per minute. This equates to a tank size that should be able to accommodate a fluid pumping rate of three gallons per minute or five litres per minute.

Some other considerations to determine the appropriate size of a hydraulic fluid reservoir include:

• The reservoir should have enough capacity to hold an adequate fluid volume to ensure proper operation and performance.
• The reservoir size should be sufficient to accommodate fluctuations in flow rate without causing issues such as cavitation or overheating.
• A larger reservoir can help dissipate heat more effectively, preventing thermal issues from arising from prolonged operation or high ambient temperatures.
• Consider the available space for installation when determining the size and shape of the reservoir.
• A larger reservoir may allow longer service intervals between maintenance tasks such as fluid changes or filter replacements.

Selecting the right-sized hydraulic oil reservoir involves balancing these factors to ensure optimal functioning, efficiency, and longevity of your hydraulic system.

Get Assistance in Selecting the Right Hydraulic Fluid Tank Today

Whether you are designing a new hydraulic system or need help finding a replacement hydraulic reservoir tank for your existing system, it is easy to get the assistance you need from White House Products, Ltd. We can also take care of all your hydraulic parts and component needs. Contact us now to get everything you need for your hydraulic system.