How To Solve Hydraulic Pump Overheating Problem

Hydraulic pump overheating can cause a variety of serious problems. On the one hand, it  can accelerate the wear of hydraulic components, and shorten the service life of the hydraulic system. On the other hand, hydraulic pump overheating may  cause increased hydraulic oil vaporing, leading to serious safety hazards, such as, oil leakage, system failure or hydraulic oil fires. Therefore, it is crucial to solve the hydraulic pump overheating problem to ensure normal operation and keep the hydraulic system safe.

How to know your hydraulic pump is overheating?

If the viscosity of the hydraulic oil changes , appears discolored, or foams, it may be a sign that the hydraulic pump is overheating.

A hydraulic system make noises, such as hissing, roaring, or squealing, when it overheats. Auditory inspection of the sounds of the hydraulic system can also be used as a reference to determine whether the hydraulic pump is overheating.

If the operating pressure and flow rate of the hydraulic system exceed the design range, the hydraulic pump may be overloaded and overheated. Therefore, monitoring the working parameters of the hydraulic system is also one of the important basis for judging whether the hydraulic pump is overheated.

Infrared thermal imaging cameras can be used to detect the temperature distribution of hydraulic pumps and identify whether there are overheated areas. The temperature of the hydraulic pump can be observed more intuitively through an infrared thermal imaging camera.

Causes Of Hydraulic Pump Overheating And Corresponding Solutions

Contaminated Hydraulic Fluid

It refers to the situation where the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic system is contaminated

Some of the main Causes include:

Particulate matter: Particulate matter such as dust, metal shavings, rubber particles, etc. may enter the hydraulic oil through the wear parts of the system or the external environment, causing hydraulic oil contamination.

Water: The presence of water may cause the hydraulic oil to emulsify, causing bubbles to mix into the hydraulic system, thereby reducing the performance of the hydraulic oil.

Chemical substances: Hydraulic oil may be contaminated by chemical substances, such as paint, detergent residues, etc., which may chemically react with the hydraulic oil, resulting in reduced oil quality or precipitation.

Microbial contamination: During long-term storage or use, hydraulic oil may be contaminated by microorganisms, such as bacteria, mold, etc., which may cause the oil to deteriorate.

Oil aging: Over time, hydraulic oil may age due to long-term use or storage, losing its original performance, resulting in hydraulic oil contamination.

Solutions：

Replacing hydraulic oil: First, contaminated hydraulic oil should be drained from the system and replaced with clean hydraulic oil.

Clean the system: Wash and clean various components of the hydraulic system, including pumps, valves, pipes and reservoirs, to ensure that all dirt and impurities are removed.

Replace the filter element: Replace the filter element in the hydraulic system to ensure that the filter element can effectively filter impurities and particles and prevent further contamination.

System inspection and maintenance: Regular inspection and maintenance of the hydraulic system, including checking seals, valves and pipelines, to ensure that the system is in good operating condition.

Strengthen oil management: Strengthen the management of hydraulic oil, including regularly monitoring oil quality, controlling oil temperature and moisture content, and ensuring the use of hydraulic oil that meets specifications

Cavitation

Cavitation of a hydraulic pump refers to the phenomenon in the hydraulic system caused by the formation of bubbles in the hydraulic oil at the inlet of the hydraulic pump and their instantaneous collapse in the high-pressure area.

The main causes of cavitation may include:

There is gas in the hydraulic oil, such as air or other gases.

Improper design of the hydraulic system resulted in low inlet pressure.

Damaged or worn hydraulic pump blades prevent the hydraulic oil from adequately sealing.

Solutions for dealing with cavitation include:

Check the inlet conditions of the hydraulic system and pump to ensure that the inlet pressure is high enough to avoid gas entering the hydraulic system.

Check and replace the hydraulic oil regularly to ensure that the hydraulic oil does not contain excessive gas, moisture and contaminants.

Check the hydraulic pump’s blades and seals to make sure they are intact and free from leaks.

Regularly check the filter element of the hydraulic system to keep the filter element clean and prevent contaminants from entering the hydraulic system.

Aeration

Aeration of a hydraulic pump refers to the phenomenon caused by the mixing of air into the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic system. Unlike cavitation, aeration is usually caused by bubbles being agitated or stirred, rather than bubbles forming and instantly collapsing in a high-pressure area.Air mixing may cause noise, vibration, performance degradation, foaming of hydraulic oil and other problems in the hydraulic system, thereby affecting the normal operation of the hydraulic system.

The main causes of aeration may include:

Hydraulic oil introduces air as it enters the system.

There are air leaks in the hydraulic system, causing air to be sucked into the system.

The hydraulic oil caisson was improperly designed and failed to effectively remove gas from the hydraulic oil.

During the operation of the hydraulic system, the hydraulic oil is stirred or stirred, causing air to mix into the hydraulic oil.

How to deal with aeration  include:

Check the sealing of the hydraulic system and minimize the existence of air leakage points.

Check the design of the hydraulic oil caisson to ensure that it can effectively remove gas from the hydraulic oil.

Regularly check the filter element and seals of the hydraulic system to ensure that the filter element is clean and the seals are intact to prevent air from mixing into the system.

Consider installing an air bleed valve or other venting device to help remove gases from the hydraulic system.

Regularly maintain the hydraulic system, including eliminating air accumulation and foam in the hydraulic system to ensure smooth system operation.

Hydraulic Fluid Temperature

Under normal working conditions, hydraulic fluid’s ideal temperature range from 40 °C  to 60 °C , should never exceed 82 °C .

Actual hydraulic pump operating temperatures may vary depending on system design, environmental conditions, workload, and other factors. Once the hydraulic oil temperature exceeds the normal range, the following effects may occur:

Decreased oil performance: High temperatures will cause the viscosity of hydraulic oil to decrease and the lubrication performance to decrease, thereby increasing friction and wear and reducing the efficiency and life of the system.

Seal aging: High temperatures will accelerate the aging and hardening of seals in hydraulic systems, leading to a decrease in sealing performance and increasing the risk of leakage.

Oil oxidation: High temperatures will cause the hydraulic oil to undergo an oxidation reaction, causing the oil to deteriorate and produce sediment and acidic substances, further aggravating the pollution and damage of the hydraulic system.

Pump and valve failure: High temperature will accelerate the wear and damage of hydraulic pumps and valves, which may cause pump failure, valve sticking and other problems.

To deal with excessively high hydraulic oil temperatures, the following measures can be taken:

Increase oil cooling: Install a more powerful oil cooler, increase the air volume of the cooling fan, increase the flow rate of the cooling medium, etc., to increase the cooling effect of the hydraulic oil.

Optimize system design: adjust the design of the hydraulic system, optimize the pipeline layout, increase the number and capacity of radiators, improve the cooling efficiency of the system, etc., to reduce the temperature of the hydraulic oil.

Reduce the workload: Reduce the workload of the system, reduce the working pressure and flow of the system, etc., to reduce the heat generation of the system and reduce the temperature of the hydraulic oil.

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