How to Control the Temperature of Your Hydraulic System for Maximum Efficiency

You have a hydraulic system that has been running inefficiently. The hydraulic pump keeps overheating due to excessive thermal load and poor heat dissipation. This results in frequent downtime and decreased system reliability. Finding solutions to Hydraulic temperature control effectively is crucial to maintaining peak performance and avoiding potential damage. 

Let’s explore in this post the most effective strategies to keep your Hydraulic System at an optimal temperature and ensure its long-term efficiency!

Ways to Control the Temperature of Your Hydraulic System

There are two ways to solve the problem of overheating of hydraulic units:

* Reduce the heat load.

* Increase heat generation efficiency.

Inefficiency reduced Hydraulic Cylinder performance, or low efficiency (due to the pump, valves, pressure drops, and crossflows in the drives) – all this contributes to the heat load on the system.

A high degree of inefficiency caused by extended pipelines, incorrectly selected working fluids, and the time of the system operation (resource or load) increases the amount of heat transferred to the fluid reservoir. Dynamic Hydrofab offers specialized solutions that help reduce inefficiency and improve hydraulic system performance, making it easier to manage heat loads effectively.

In the case when the existing heat exchanger is not enough to remove the heat, the system's overall temperature rises.

In hydraulic machines, the upper range of operating temperature should not exceed the recommended limit.

At elevated temperatures, hydraulic oil begins to decompose quickly.

One of the main problems when approaching the upper-temperature ranges is the viscosity of the fluid, which goes beyond the limits defined in the specification.

After reaching the upper-temperature limit, the viscosity may not be sufficient to protect the machine components. There are specialized fluids on the market designed for equipment that operates stably in elevated temperature conditions.

In addition, it is necessary to consider the ability of the seals in the hydraulic system to withstand elevated temperatures.

Having calculated the thermal load of the system and knowing the cooling capacity, the type of system is determined—stable or unstable.

An unstable system is a system that generates more heat than the cooling system can dissipate. If the system is unstable, it is necessary to determine measures to eliminate the overheating problem.

As already mentioned, reducing the thermal load is one of the options for Hydraulic heat management, but it is often not enough on its own.

Another option is to increase cooling. This can be done in several ways, for example, by installing larger heat exchangers (with greater thermal power) or checking the existing heat exchanger for proper operation. In addition, it is necessary to check the temperature of the coolant (water) in the heat exchanger at the outlet of it. This can reveal problems with heat dissipation by the heat exchanger or coolant. Regular Hydraulic system heat control ensures that cooling mechanisms function correctly to prevent system failure.

Finally, you need to check the fluid level in the tank. The hydraulic fluid accumulates heat as it passes through the system and returns this heat to the tank for removal into the environment. If the fluid level is too low, it will not have time to properly remove the heat and will continue to accumulate thermal energy in itself. Dynamic Hydrofab ensures that your fluid levels and system components are carefully monitored and maintained, preventing excess heat build-up and extending the life of your hydraulic system.

Winding it up

Temperature control in hydraulics is key to maintaining an efficient hydraulic system. By addressing heat load issues, using specialized fluids, and optimizing heat dissipation, you can prevent breakdowns and extend equipment lifespan. Regular maintenance and monitoring will further improve performance. Apply these strategies to keep your hydraulic system running at peak efficiency and avoid costly downtime. With the help of Dynamic Hydrofab, your hydraulic systems can maintain optimal temperature conditions for improved reliability and performance.