How to Minimize Heat Generation in Hydraulic Power Packs

Efficient temperature management is essential to ensure the longevity and reliability of hydraulic power packs, preventing costly breakdowns and operational inefficiencies. Without proper heat dissipation measures, excess thermal energy accumulates, leading to a rapid rise in oil temperature and potential system failure. The problem of oil overheating can occur in any type of Hydraulic Power Pack– stationary or mobile. In this case, a critical increase in the temperature of the working fluid leads to equipment failure, and as a consequence – production downtime and losses.

What Causes Oil Overheating in Hydraulic Power Packs? 

Heating of the working fluid in the Hydraulic Power Unit is caused by energy losses, which results in the release of a large amount of heat. Each hydraulic power pack has a thermal power. This is the ability to dissipate the heat generated during operation. If the total energy losses from all components of the system: pump, actuators, pipes and valves exceed the thermal power value, or the amount of heat dissipated, the oil overheats. 
What is the danger of overheating?

If the hydraulic oil reaches a temperature exceeding 80 0 C, most of the structure of the sealing elements is damaged, and the characteristics of the materials from which the seals are made are reduced at a faster rate. In this case, even if the recommendations for preventing the system from operating at temperatures above 80 degrees are followed, the viscosity of the oil may be lower than necessary.

Dynamic Hydrofab manufactures hydraulic components with high-quality materials that withstand extreme temperatures and reduce the risks associated with overheating.

How to Maintain Optimal Temperature and Minimize Heat Generation

In order for the working fluid temperature to remain stable, the hydraulic power pack must have the ability to dissipate heat. Moreover, this ability must exceed the energy losses occurring within the hydraulic power pack.
For example, for a system with a continuous power consumption of 100 kW and an efficiency value of 80%, the heat dissipation capacity must be no less than 20 kW. It should be noted that when the thermal power increases or when the ability of the hydraulic power pack to dissipate heat decreases, the balance between dissipation and thermal power changes. Dynamic Hydrofab provides innovative cooling solutions that enhance the heat dissipation capacity of hydraulic power packs, ensuring stable Hydraulic Power Pack Performance.

Let's look at a specific example. A mobile hydraulic power pack (pump station) has a constant power of 37 kW. To maintain a stable temperature, the system is equipped with an air-type heat exchanger capable of dissipating a maximum of 10 kW of heat, which is 27% of the input power.

This is calculated as follows: Heat dissipation power / constant power * 100%, respectively 10/37 * 100 = 27%. 

From the point of view of the design of a mobile hydraulic power pack, this is quite sufficient to protect against overheating. However, a loss of pressure inside the system can lead to an increase in power, which causes excessive heating of the oil.

In this particular case, the system was equipped with hoses of insufficient diameter. Therefore, the pressure losses occurring in the hoses increased the heat generation in the system. This means the following: the heat power of the losses becomes greater than the heat exchanger's ability to dissipate heat. This is how the hydraulic power pack overheats.

Ways to Reduce Heat Generation in Hydraulic Power Packs

There are two ways to solve the problem of overheating in hydraulic power packs. The first way is to reduce the thermal power. The second is to increase the system's ability to dissipate heat. In this case, the first option is always considered preferable - reducing the thermal power. This is due to the fact that the efficiency of the Hydraulic Power Unit increases. For example, if the thermal power in the hoses is too high, it must be reduced. To do this, it is necessary to replace the hoses in the drain and pressure lines with hoses of a larger diameter.

Conclusion

The operation of a Hydraulic Power Unit with overheated working fluid is similar to the operation of a car with overheated antifreeze. In both cases, a breakdown cannot be avoided. Therefore, as soon as the hydraulic drive begins to overheat, it must be stopped, and the cause of the overheating must be identified and eliminated. Dynamic Hydrofab emphasizes proactive maintenance and the use of high-quality hydraulic components to prevent system failures and optimize performance.