Health, accident and environmental measures.....................................................................................................................4
API Classes of the base oil..............................................................................................................................................................5
Viscosity index (VI)...................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Air in hydraulic fluid.................................................................................................................................................................10
Water contamination....................................................................................................................................................................13
Water solubility...............................................................................................................................................................................13
Requirements for Hydraulic Fluids
Fluid type-related standards and specifications.................................................................................................................14
Traces of wear metals and contamination............................................................................................................................16
Viscosity and temperature limits..............................................................................................................................................17
Viscosity – Temperature diagrams.......................................................................................................................................... 18
Fire Resistant Hydraulic Fluids
HFA fluids – oil in water emulsions, according to ISO 12 922. ......................................................................................25
HFB fluids – water in oil emulsions, according to ISO 12 922. ...................................................................................... 25
HFC fluids – water polymers / water glycols, according to ISO 12 922. .................................................................... 25
HFD fluids – water free, synthetic fluids according to ISO 12 922. ..............................................................................25
General operating parameters for fire resistant hydraulic fluids..................................................................................26
Specific operating parameters for products running with fire resistant fluids....................................................... 27
Biodegradable Hydraulic Fluids
Biodegradable hydraulic fluids according to ISO 15 380................................................................................................ 28
HEES – Synthetic ester based hydraulic fluids............................................................................................................... 31
HEPR – Polyalphaolefins and related hydrocarbon hydraulic fluids......................................................................32
Viscosity – Temperature Diagram............................................................................................................................................33
Example for selecting the kinematic viscosity - transit mixer drive (agitate mode)..............................................35
Viscosity – Temperature diagrams.......................................................................................................................................... 36
Dropping point (ISO 2176)....................................................................................................................................................38
Miscibility of gear bearing grease.......................................................................................................................................38
Storage of gear bearing grease........................................................................................................................................... 38
Features of preservation fluids..................................................................................................................................................39
Features and application of petroleum jelly........................................................................................................................40
Danfoss | July 2016520L0463 | BC00000093en-US0801 | 3
C
Technical Information
Hydraulic Fluids and Lubricants
General Information
Disclaimer
Any warranty applicable for failures related to components of Danfoss Power Solutions does not apply
for any fluid related damages, unless such warranty has been expressly and specifically granted.
The rated data which is published in this Technical Information and Service Manuals is based on the use
of premium lubricants containing oxidation, rust and foam inhibitors.
Caution
It is not permissible to mix lubricants, different additive packages may cause negative interactions. If
lubricant mixing cannot be avoided, fluid manufacturer’s approval is required.
Introduction
The purpose of this manual is to aid the machine operator in the selection of suitable hydraulic fluid, gear
lubricants, gear bearing grease, preservation fluid and petroleum jelly.
The specifications of the lubricant manufacturer and the recommendations of the machine manufacturer
are the basis for selection and subject to change without advance advice. The choice of suitable hydraulic
fluids or lubricants is critical for the lifetime, operational safety and efficiency of hydrostatic components
and gears.
If there are any fire hazards, see instructions in Health, accident and environmental measures on page 4.
The selection of the appropriate hydraulic fluid or gear lubricant for a specific application can be made
only when the different features of the lubricants and the task and conditions under which the machine
is to operate are taken into consideration. Content subject to change.
Health, accident and environmental measures
When operating units, which are filled with hydraulic fluids, gear lubricants, grease or preservation fluids
(hereafter referred to as lubricants) the operator must consider, among other things, the following
precautionary measures:
Prolonged skin contact with the lubricants is to be avoided. Careful skin cleansing of sticky fluid and
•
regular changing of with lubricant soiled work clothes is required.
Skin contact with fluid or with heated unit parts is to be avoided, especially at temperatures over 60
•
°C [140 °F].
Should lubricant get into your eyes, rinse them thoroughly with tap water and see a doctor if
•
necessary.
Official regulations must be observed when storing lubricants (e. g. fire extinguishers, emergency
•
exits).
If there are any fire hazards, the use of fire resistant fluids is recommended.
•
Clean up spills to avoid slipping (e. g. normal commercial cleaning agents).
•
Lubricants must not seep into the ground or get into the sewer system.
•
Concrete floors as foundations can be protected against fluids by being sealed or being painted with
•
fluid-resistant paint.
The first time start up of systems filled with hydraulic fluid, all unnecessary personnel has to stay away
•
from the system.
Old or unusable fluids are to be collected. Quantities above 200 liters [53 US gal] are presently picked
•
up free of charge in Germany by the authorized collectors, as long as prohibited foreign substances
are not added to these.
For safety reasons, the flash point of the hydraulic fluid should always be at least 20 °C [68 °F] above
•
the maximum fluid working temperature.
Current official regulations must be observed.
Fully formulated hydraulic fluids consist of a blend of a base fluid and an additive package. These base
fluids are categorized by the American Petroleum Institute (API) into five groups – API 1509, Appendix E.
The differentiation between them bases on the refining method, amount of saturates, viscosity and
percentage of sulfur. Only groups I to III are products from the refinement of a petroleum crude.
Due to different manufacturing processes, these fluids show different content of saturates and different
viscosity indices (VI). Group I to III fluids can include some VI-improvers, which result in higher VI. Group
IV and V represent synthetic fluids. Thereby group IV includes polyalphaolefines (PAO) and group V all
residual fluids, which do not fit into the group I-IV as example biodegradable HEES, HETG and HEPR.
Base oils specification
Oil typeMineral base oilsSynthetic base oils
GroupIIIIIIIV
Saturates
Viscosity Index
Sulfur
Manufacturing
Hydraulic fluids have the primary purpose of transferring potential or kinetic energy (pressure and
movements), create volume flow between pump and hydrostatic motor, and reduce the wear of parts
that rub against each other. In addition, they protect the system from corrosion and help carry away the
heat produced during energy transformation.
The following tables give an outline of the requirements for hydraulic fluids:
Necessary characteristics of hydraulic fluid
RequiredPrerequisites
Volume stabilityadequate capacity to separate air
Wear protection capacityfor a hydrodynamic or hydrostatic fluid layer between sliding surfaces
adequate viscosity at operating temperature
for all others wear reducing additives
Corrosion protection capacitynon–aggressive toward customary materials and rust protection additives
Desirable characteristics of hydraulic fluid
DesirablePrerequisites
Only slight change in usageadequate oxidation resistance
for some cases of application adequate deemulsification capacity
adequate shear stability, if polymer viscosity index improvers are used
Viscosity–temperature behaviorso that oil changes due to summer and winter operation become redundant
adequate Viscosity–Temperature behaviour
Interaction with seals / gasketsstandard sealing materials can be used
minimal characteristics changes of standard elastomers
For most of the identifying characteristics listed in the table, there already exist standards or at least
preferred testing procedures which allow a numerical classification of these identifying features.
Danfoss | July 2016520L0463 | BC00000093en-US0801 | 5
Technical Information
Hydraulic Fluids and Lubricants
General Information
Hydraulic fluid has to perform the following tasks:
•
Energy transmission
•
Lubrication
•
Heat removal
When choosing a hydraulic fluid the following features are most important for consideration:
•
Viscosity
•
Viscosity Index (VI) and/or Viscosity Grade (VG) viscosity at 40 °C [104 °F].
•
Pour point
•
Shear stability, when polymer VI-improvers are used
For any application the features of the hydraulic fluid must be appropriate to the operating environment
of the unit and its components.
The fundamental features of the hydraulic fluids are described below.
Viscosity
A hydraulic fluid has a low viscosity when it is thin and a high viscosity when it is thick. The viscosity
changes with the temperature.
If the temperature increases, viscosity is reduced.
•
If the temperature decreases, viscosity is increased.
•
Hydraulic units work under extreme temperature changes, especially in heavy duty vehicles. The viscosity
range of the hydraulic fluid is extremely important.
The hydraulic fluid must be thin enough to flow through the filter, inlet and return pipes without too
much resistance.
On the other hand, the hydraulic fluid must not be too thin, in order to avoid wear due to lack of
lubrication and to keep internal leakage within limits.
In the hydraulic business typically the kinematic viscosity 'ν' in mm2/s [SUS] is used for calculations,
mainly for calculating the pressure drop in the connecting hoses and pipes.
The other measure is the dynamic viscosity 'η' in mPa•s. Dynamic viscosity is used for calculating the
lubricating film thickness in a journal bearing and similar sliding films between adjacent parts.
Conversion of viscosities:
Dynamic viscosity (η) = kinematic viscosity (ν) x density (ρ): η = ν • ρ (mPa•s)
from Prof. Dr. L. Ubbelohde
S.Hirzel Verlag, Stuttgart N
3,0
3,5
4,0
4,5
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
14
16
18
20
25
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2,7
150
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
1000
1500
2000
3000
4000
5000
7000
10000
20000
30000
50000
70000
100000
200000
300000
500000
2000000
-50
-45
-40 -35 -30 -25 -20
-17,78 oC (0 oF)
-15 -10-50+510 15 20 25
30
40
37,78 oC [100 oF]
50
60
708090 100
98,89 oC (210 oF)
110 120 130 140 150 160
3
3,5
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
12
14
16
18
20
25
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
4,5
mm /s
2
-40-30-20-1001020
30
40
50
60
708090 100 110 120 130 140 150
1000000
Kinematic viscosity [mm
2
/s]
Temperature oC [oF]
max. 95 oC
All e Recht e vorbehalten . Copyrigh t 195 7 b y S . Hirze l Verlag , Stuttgart .
Printe d in Germany . Jed e Ar t des Nachdrucke s bzw . de r Vervielfälti gung einschl. Fotokopieren ist unzulässig und wird rechtlich verfolgt.
P002 062E
Hydraulic Fluid 2 VI 153
Hydraulic Fluid 1 VI 100
Technical Information
Hydraulic Fluids and Lubricants
General Information
Viscosity index (VI)
The viscosity index is a calculated number according to DIN ISO 2909, which describes the viscosity
change of a mineral oil based or a synthetic fluid in dependence of temperature.
a high viscosity index means a small viscosity change when the temperature changes
•
a low index means a large viscosity change when the temperature changes
•
Viscosity – temperature diagram according to Ubbelohde representing the temperature operating range
of hydraulic fluids with different viscosity index (VI).
Viscosity – Temperature diagram from Prof. Dr. Ubbelohde
Danfoss | July 2016520L0463 | BC00000093en-US0801 | 7
Standard mineral oil based (Group I and Group II) hydraulic fluids have a VI value of 90 – 110.
Technical Information
Hydraulic Fluids and Lubricants
General Information
Hydraulic fluids with a VI larger than 110, e.g. between 130 – 200, are not as sensitive to temperature
change. These hydraulic fluids distinguish themselves by starting up well and having minimal loss in
performance at low temperatures. At high temperatures a sufficient sealing effect and protection against
wear is achieved by using hydraulic fluids with high viscosity index. The high durability of a hydraulic
fluid with a high viscosity index avoids damage and machine breakdown, lowers the operating cost and
increases the life of hydrostatic transmissions and units.
Shear stability
Fluids using polymer viscosity index improver may noticeably shear down (> 20 %) in service. This will
lower the viscosity at higher temperatures below the originally specified value. The lowest expected
viscosity must be used when selecting fluids. Consult your fluid supplier for details on viscosity shear
down.
Pour point
The pour point according to ISO 3016 defines the temperature when the fluids stops to flow. Start up
temperature is recommended to be approximately 15 °C [59 °F] above hydraulic fluid pour point.
Density
The density has to be specified by the manufacturer of the hydraulic fluid. Using hydraulic fluid with a
high density requires the sufficient diameter of the suction line and/or elevated tank to provide positive
inlet pressure.
Examples for density at 15 °C [59 °F]
Hydraulic fluid typeDensity at 15 °C [59 °F]
Petroleum (mineral) based fluids
Syntetic ester
Rape seed oil
Water
Polyalkylenglykol
HFC
Polyethylenglykol
HFD (phosphate ester)
The procedure for testing the compatibility of the seal material is described in ISO 6072. In general NBR
(Nitrile) or FPM (Fluorocarbon, Viton) is used as seal material for static and dynamic seals. For most
hydraulic fluids both seal materials are suitable, but for some hydraulic fluids only one kind is preferred.
Suitable seal material allocated to the hydraulic fluid is shown in the table below. When ordering
hydrostatic products the desired hydraulic fluid should be specified.
Sealing compatibility
Hydraulic fluidSuitable test material according to ISO 6072
Mineral based hydraulic fluids
Water-in-oil emulsions HFB
Polyol esters HFDU
Biodegradable synthetic esters HEES
Triglycerides (vegetable-oil-based) HETG
Poly(α-olefin) compounds and related hydrocarbons HEPR
Water/glycol mixtures HFC
Alkyl phosphate esters HFDR
Poly(alkylene glycol) compounds HEPG
*
Depending on the base fluid other seal material may be recommended. Please contact fluid and/or seal
Danfoss | July 2016520L0463 | BC00000093en-US0801 | 9
Technical Information
Hydraulic Fluids and Lubricants
General Information
Air in hydraulic fluid
Air in a system is regarded as a contaminant. Air increases the compressibility of the fluid, resulting in a
“spongy” system that is less responsive. Air creates a loss of transmitted power, higher operating
temperatures, increased noise levels, and loss of lubricity.
Air typically enters the circuit through the suction line if the seals and fittings are not tight. This free air
then may be dissolved in the hydraulic fluid. Mineral based hydraulic fluid may contain up to 9 % volume
percent dissolved air at atmospheric pressure.
If 1 l [0.264 US gal] of hydraulic fluid is compressed to 100 bar [1450 psi], it may dissolve 9 l [2.377 US gal]
of free air if offered.
This is not a problem unless the pressure drops down quickly to a lower level. Then the air becomes free
again and bubbles show up. These bubbles collapse when subjected to pressure, which results in
cavitation which causes erosion of the adjacent material. Because of this, the greater the air content
within the oil, and the greater the vacuum in the inlet line, the more severe will be the resultant erosion.
The bubbles may also result in a spongy system, slow response time, and poor controllability. Therefore
care must be taken to avoid air to enter the system. If air has entered a system the air release time and
foam characteristic becomes important.
Air release
Air release is a measure for the time needed to release air bubbles (free air) contained in the fluid to the
surfaces. Air typically enters the circuit through the suction line if the seals are not tight as explained
above. Air release time is tested according to ISO 9120.
Foaming characteristic
Foaming characteristic defines the amount of foam collected on the surface in the reservoir and the air
bubble decomposition time. Foaming may become a problem when air has entered the circuit as
explained above, through an insufficient tight suction line. The foaming characteristic of a hydraulic fluid
is tested according to ISO 6247.
While fluids are usually considered incompressible, the pressures that can occur in hydrostatic systems
are of a magnitude that fluid compressibility can be significant. In applications that experience system
pressure fluctuations resulting in random high pressure rise rates, consideration must be given to fluid
compressibility when sizing a charge pump to ensure adequate charge pressure.
The amount that a specific fluid compresses for a given pressure increase is related to a fluid property
known as the bulk modulus. The bulk modulus is a measure of a fluids resistance to being compressed. It
depends on pressure and temperature. The air content is important as well especially below 50-100 bar
[725-1450 psi]. The higher the air content the more spongy the system (lower bulk modulus). For a given
pressure increase and fluid volume, a fluid with a large bulk modulus will experience a smaller reduction
in volume than a fluid with a low bulk modulus.
Mathematically, bulk modulus is defined as follows:
Where:
E = bulk modulus of the fluid bar [psi]
∆p = change in pressure bar [psi]
∆V = change in volume l [US gal]
Vo = volume of oil experiencing the change in pressure l [US gal]
Units for bulk modulus are the same as the units for pressure.
Bulk modulus vs. ∆ pressure for different temperatures
Bulk modulus increases with increasing pressure (stiffer) and decreases with increasing temperature
(spongy).
Danfoss | July 2016520L0463 | BC00000093en-US0801 | 11
11 00015 50016 00015 000
15 00019 00019 50016 000
(petroleum) HF
100 bar
[1450 psi]
200 bar
[2901 psi]
DV
Technical Information
Hydraulic Fluids and Lubricants
General Information
Compressibility
Compressibility is the reciprocal of the bulk modulus. It defines how much a fluid can be compressed.
Examples for compressibility at 22 °C [71.6 °F]
@PressureWaterHFCHFDMineral
140 bar [2031 psi]
300 bar [4351 psi]
Fluid compressibility becomes a concern for a hydrostatic system which has large volumes of oil under
pressure, such as long or large system lines, and experiences high system pressure spikes during
operation.
To understand the nature of the problem that can be associated with fluid compressibility, consider what
happens when a system experiences an increase in load. An increase in load requires more torque from
the motor, and consequently, an increase in system pressure. When the system pressure increases, the
fluid in the high pressure side of the hydrostatic loop is compressed.
91 x 10
67 x 10
(petroleum) HF
-6
-6
65 x 10
53 x 10
-6
-6
63 x 10
51 x 10
-6
-6
67 x 10
63 x 10
-6
-6
The illustration shows a simple model consisting of a cylinder whose piston compresses the fluid to
create a pressure of 100 bar [1450 psi]. If a load forces the piston to move a small distance to the left, the
fluid compresses even more, resulting in the pressure increasing to 200 bar [2900 psi].
The fluid at this pressure now occupies a smaller volume than the fluid did at 100 bar [1450 psi]. At the
same time, the volume on the rod side of the piston increases. If we imagine that the rod side of the
piston is also filled with fluid, then a void is created on this side of the piston when the fluid against the
piston face is compressed. To keep the rod side of the piston full of fluid, additional fluid must be added
to this side of the piston.
Calculation:
The hydraulic fluid volume under pressure in the cylinder is 10 l [2.64 US gal]. As approach the bulk
modulus for 140 bar [2031 psi] as shown above is used.
Non-dissolved water in a fluid is to be considered as contamination. It is one of the frequent reasons for
the failure of a hydraulic system. Increased content of water in a lubricant can lead to corrosion of parts,
water vapor cavitation, foam formation, filter clogging, oxidation of the fluid, depleting of additives and
consequentially enhanced wear or a failure of the system.
Furthermore the polymer seal material could be attacked by the fluid leading to leakages.
The water contamination of the fluid can have different reasons as for example condensing of water,
leakage of rain water into the system, leakage of cooling water and others.
Water solubility
Base oils of different types have limited water solubility. Blending the base oils with additives leads to a
significant increase of the water solubility. Also the amount and the kind of used additive packages are
crucial for this property. There is a general thumb rule: the higher the amount of additives, the higher the
water solubility of a fluid. Consequently different fluid types have different water absorptive capacity,
which depends on the molecular structure and the additive packages of the fluid. Some fluid types are
able to dissolve more water by integrating it in the molecular structure, others less. When the absorbance
of water reaches the saturation point, residual water separates from the fluid forming free water.
Dissolved water in fluid is less harmfull than free water, since it is bound and has no reactivity. In case of
pressure or temperature fluctuations dissolved water can get undissolved leading to an enormous
change of fluid properties. The consequences of that are listed above. Strongly increased content of free
water in a fluid can be detected optically, since it is leading to a clouding of the fluid.
The water in a fluid can be measured by different methods. Traditionally, Karl-Fischer-titration is used,
which is used to determine the total water content. ISO 760 describes this procedure in general.
Measuring the total water content means, there is no possibility to distinguish between the dissolved and
undissolved water by using this method, making ppm values describing the water content often not
sufficient enough.
Examples for critical water content of different fluids:
Fluid typeCritical water content
Mineral oil (HLP)200 ppm — 500 ppm
Mineral oil with D-additives (HVLPD)600 ppm — 1200 ppm
Biodegradable oil (HEES)700 ppm
Fire resistant fluid (HFC=Water in Glycol emulsion)> 4000 ppm
Universal Tractor Transition Oil (UTTO)1000 ppm — 2000 ppm
Caution
All numbers in this table are only rough guides, which strongly differ in dependency with the used base
oil, additive packages and the application of the hydraulic system.
Danfoss | July 2016520L0463 | BC00000093en-US0801 | 13
Technical Information
Hydraulic Fluids and Lubricants
Requirements for Hydraulic Fluids
Fluid type-related standards and specifications
Mineral oil based hydraulic fluids according to specification:
•
DIN 51524-2: Mineral oil hydraulic fluids of category HLP
•
DIN 51524-3: Mineral oil hydraulic fluids of category HVLP
•
ISO 11158: Mineral oil hydraulic fluids of category HM
•
ISO 11158: Mineral oil hydraulic fluids of category HV
Environmentally acceptable fluids according to specification ISO 15380 of category:
•
HEES (synthetic esters) meeting Annex B of ISO 15380 (shear stability test & yellow metal test)
•
HETG (tri-glycerides) meeting the same pour point specification as Category HEES and meeting
Annex B of ISO 15380 (shear stability test & yellow metal test)
•
HEPG (poly-glycols) meeting Annex B of ISO 15380 (shear stability test & yellow metal test)
•
HEPR (poly-alpha-olefins, PAO)
Automatic Transmission Fluids (ATF) according to OEM specification
In additional to the international standards there is a variety of OEM specifications for fluids.
To meet the basic requirements for fluids all of the below mentioned ATF fluids must additionally meet
the requirements of Table 3 in ISO 11158.
•
GM ATF A Suffix A VI
•
GM Dexron, which meets Allison C-4 and Caterpillar TO-4 test, downwards compatible with GM
Dextron II or III
•
Ford M2C33F and G
•
Mercon V, Mercon LV
•
ATF DW-1
•
SP-IV or SP4
•
Matic S, Matic L, Matic D
•
ATF T-IV
•
Toyota ATF-WS
•
Honda DW
Gear Oils
In additional to the international standards there is a variety of gear oil specifications for fluids, which are
described in ISO 12925-1. To meet the basic requirements for fluids both of the below mentioned gear
fluids must additionally meet the requirements of Table 3 in ISO 11158.
•
API GL-4
•
API GL-5
Engine Oils
In additional to the international standards there is a variety of engine oil specifications for fluids, which
are described in ISO 6743-15.
To meet the basic requirements for fluids all of the below mentioned engine oils must additionally meet
the requirements of Table 3 in ISO 11158.
•
Engine oils API Classification CI-4, CH-4, CG-4, CF-4 and CF (for diesel engines), where the latest
category usually – but not always – includes the performance properties of an earlier category.
•
Super Tractor Oil Universal (STOU), which meets the requirements up to API CF-4