Three Options For Removing Water From Your Oil And Industrial Lubricants
Turbines, engines, compressors, rotating components, and hydraulic systems, as well as pipes and tubing, can all have their oil and lubricants contaminated by water and sediment. When water enters the system, it reduces the quality of the oil. This can which can happen simply from moisture in the air or whenever a piece of equipment is serviced. In addition to water, welding slag, scale from hard water that forms in pipes, metal shavings from rust and corrosion, and dirt can all contaminate your oil.
Continuing to use this dirty, watery oil will can potentially reduce the lifespan of your machinery and increase the likelihood of a breakdown. This can lead to costly breakdowns that require servicing and potentially expensive work stoppages. The solution to this problem is removing the water from your oil and other lubricants. Here are three options to consider.
Vacuum Dehydrators
A vacuum dehydrator works by lowering the pressure and then passing the oil through a series of vacuum chambers. This process causes the water in the lubricant or oil to enter back into the air and out into the atmosphere again.
Vacuum dehydration is by far the most effective method for removing water from and oil or lubricant as the process will remove water even when it has become dissolved in the oil or has emulsified the oil, becoming milky and opaque.
A vacuum dehydrator is an expensive piece of equipment. For this reason, most companies opt for vacuum dehydrator rentals when they need to clean their oil rather than purchasing one outright.
Gravity Separation
Water is heavier than some types of oil and lubricants. When this is the case, the water will often stay separated and move to the bottom of the reservoir. In simple machines, opening a release valve will reduce the water that has collected at the bottom of the tank. In some pieces of machinery, there is a separate tank for water to collect. Unfortunately, if the water has become emulsified with the oil or lubricant being used, this method will not work.
Centrifuge
A centrifuge works by rapidly spinning the oil or lubricant, which then forces the water molecules out. A centrifuge will work on removing both free water and water that has become emulsified in the oil. A disadvantage to using a centrifuge is it only works for some oils and lubricants. Oils that are lighter and more viscous, such as those typically used in turbines, are the best candidates for centrifuge water removal.