Posted by McKenzie Thorpe on | Comments Off on Is Water Contamination Drowning your Hydraulic Oil Supply?
Water contamination can sink your productivity and drown your budget.
Solid contamination is the most common type of contaminant, but water contamination can be just as damaging.
The risk is constant in applications that utilize large quantities of water or are exposed to weather and ambient humidity.
Uncontrolled water contamination damages equipment and productivity for any hydraulic system operating in such environments:
Water contamination lowers oil lubricity, which accelerates component wear.
Rusting, corrosion, and oxidation can occur as water interacts with internal system components.
Physical damage such as macro-pitting (spalling) and micro-pitting can occur in cylinders, gears, and other parts.
Ultimately, total machine failures may occur, forcing operations to halt.
Paying to replace oil or hiring a third party oil reclamation service can seriously undermine your profits—not to mention the cost of equipment repairs and lost productivity
Water contamination comes in three forms, with different levels of severity for your equipment:
Free Water: The worst kind of water contamination. Free water is a separate, visible layer of water that forms when hydraulic oil exceeds 100% saturation.
Emulsified Water: As saturation approaches 100%, small water droplets are visibly suspended in the fluid, giving it a cloudy appearance. While not as inherently damaging as free water, emulsified water is a clear warning sign of contamination approaching a critical level.
Dissolved Water: Considered the least harmful state of water contamination. However, extreme temperature changes can cause dissolved water to separate and become free water.
Changes in temperature can cause water to change form in your system, moving between these three states.
Regardless of how the water in your oil is behaving at one moment, it can go from relatively harmless to increasingly damaging when temperatures start to shift! This means that controlling all water contamination at all times is vital.
Is my operation vulnerable to water contamination?
Virtually any industry can experience some level of water contamination. However, some industries stand out as particularly vulnerable:
Marine: The risk of water contamination when operating on rivers, lakes, and oceans goes without saying! Additionally, swings in temperature in these outdoor environments can cause free water to form, flooding the system with the most damaging state of water.
Pulp & Paper: High volumes of water are required in pulp processing and paper production. In these applications, water contamination is a common pain point.
Steel: High heat applications mixed with high-pressure cleaning spray-downs creates intense humidity. Temperature changes in steel plants can easily trigger condensation of water into the hydraulic reservoirs.
Water contamination can infiltrate reservoirs and equipment in multiple ways.
Damaged seals, a rainy and humid climate, high-pressure water streams used in the cleaning process, and poor bulk oil storage are some common vectors for water contamination. Because water contamination can come from so many places, creating a plan to combat it can be challenging.
How can I prevent water contamination in my hydraulic oil?
Step 1: Test your oil to determine saturation levels.
If you suspect water contamination, it’s important to test your oil. When you know the saturation levels you’re dealing with, it’s easier to develop a strategy for water removal.
Saturation sensors are a great way to detect water contamination in real time. Lab testing is even better, since more sophisticated testing methods can expose other contamination-related problems in your fluid.
Step 2: Examine your equipment and operating environment for vulnerabilities.
Knowledge is power! Finding out where the water contamination is originating from can help prevent it.
Water may be entering via worn seals, loose reservoir caps, poor bulk storage practices, and other variables you can control.
However, many operations may face ambient humidity, big temperature swings, and the unavoidable need for water in their manufacturing process. When a potential source of water contamination can’t be controlled, the best defense is to continuously extract the contamination from your hydraulic oil.
Step 3: Implement water removal filtration tools.
Once you’ve determined how much water you’re dealing with, and where it might be coming from, the next step is filtration. Depending on the amount and frequency of water contamination, there are various tools at your disposal.
Specialized water-removal filter media can absorb smaller quantities of water. Multi-stage filtration housings can allow you to implement different media types to target both water and solid particulate contamination at once.
Large reservoirs and high contamination levels require more specialized equipment. Dehydrating filtration systems are designed to extract free water, as well as a large portion of dissolved water from the fluid.
Step 4: Continuously monitor your fluid condition.
Even with filtration in place, it’s important to implement a strategy for monitoring saturation levels in your oil at all times. Saturation sensors are useful for determining if your dehydrating filtration solution is performing adequately. These sensors can also warn of sudden influxes of water contamination, allowing remedial measures before contamination-driven damage can run rampant.
Many modern saturation sensors include digital connectivity for remote monitoring and reporting, which keeps you informed of your fluid condition in real time, wherever you are.
Schroeder Industries offers a variety of tools and solutions for water removal.
Our Triton Dehydration Stations offer proven performance for oil reclamation in larger reservoirs and high contamination scenarios.
These units are engineered to eliminate 100% of free water and up to 90% of dissolved water by leveraging a patented mass-transfer dehydration technology.
Here’s how Triton Dehydration Stations helped these customers save substantial quantities of oil:
TDS-A Saves Tens of Thousands in Oil-Related Expenses for Injection Molding Equipment
A plastic packaging operations was experiencing high levels of water contamination in their injection molding equipment’s hydraulic reservoir.
The customer was spending tens of thousands of dollars per month on oil recycling costs and new oil purchases.
Schroeder Industries deployed a TDS-A unit to dehydrate their oil, as well as extract any particulate contamination, to ensure operational reliability slash the customer’s oil-related expenses.
Here’s how the TDS-A helped:
16/14/12 ISO Code Reached; Cleaner Than Customer’s ‘New’ Oil
$25-30k USD Saved Per Month on Oil-Related Expenses
220gal of Hydraulic Oil Reclaimed in Just Two Days
TDS-E Saves Pulp & Paper Manufacturer $10K Per Month in Oil-Related Expenses
A manufacturer in the pulp & paper market required additional water removal capacity in their power generation turbine reservoir.
While the operator tried to implement a non-Schroeder dehydration unit, it was unable to keep up with the high volume of water infiltrating the reservoir.
To allow the customer to test the performance of the TDS-E, Schroeder Industries enrolled them in the rental equipment program to prove the unit’s effectiveness.
Here’s how the TDS-E helped:
Rental Program Provides Affordable Access
TDS-E Provides Exceptional Oil Reclamation with Minimal Maintenance
Posted by McKenzie Thorpe on | Comments Off on Roll-Off Cleanliness: The Proven Way to Prevent Equipment Failure
When equipment fails prematurely, contamination is often to blame.
For OEMs, premature failures may mean paying out for a costly warranty claim—and, in some cases, exposure to legal liability. Not only do these failures cost the OEM, but they massively inconvenience the end user, and can undermine the manufacturer’s brand reputation.
To reduce the chances of premature failures, every OEM should uphold a high standard of roll-off cleanliness. Fluid filtration is a key aspect of roll-off cleanliness.
How Fluid Contamination Becomes Built-In Contamination
‘Built-in’ contamination refers to contamination that infiltrates a new machine during the assembly and testing process, prior to final delivery to the end user.
Built-in contamination is commonly caused by contaminated components. Metallic fragments lingering after the machining process, or even ambient dust from poor storage and handling practices, can prematurely sideline a machine.
Dirty hydraulic fluid and diesel fuel used to test and fill a new machine can also deliver damaging contamination into the system!
Modern hydraulic and diesel fuel systems have increasingly stringent cleanliness requirements for fluid.
For a modern hydraulic system, the typical standard of cleanliness is an ISO reading of 16/14/11.
Modern Tier IV diesel systems experience higher pressure and contain components with greater sensitivity, so fuel entering the injectors should be less than ISO 12/9/6. That’s 16x more restrictive than the modern hydraulic standard!
You should never assume that your stored fuel or hydraulic fluid is clean, even if it is ‘new!’
‘New’ hydraulic fluid has been found to contain contamination levels as high as 32 times the recommended ISO cleanliness levels for modern systems.
Diesel fuel that has been ‘safely’ stored could be accumulating high levels of water contamination in the background, triggering microbial growth and generating solid contamination within the tank.
If a manufacturer fills the hydraulic and fuel tanks of a machine with contaminated fluid, they are setting the equipment, the end user, and themselves up for failure.
The moment the machine leaves the assembly line with dirty fluid, contaminants begin dealing damage throughout the system.
End users may experience:
Premature Equipment Failure
Impacts to Productivity
Worker Safety Hazards
OEM consequences may include:
Costly Warranty Claims
Legal Liability
Damaged Brand Reputation
To prevent this fluid-borne contamination, any and all operating fluids should be examined and filtered prior to ever touching a machine. As an extra precaution, the equipment’s systems should be flushed and filtered before final delivery as well.
Filtration Solutions for Roll-Off Cleanliness
Schroeder Industries understands the importance of setting end users up for success through roll-off cleanliness. We offer a variety of filtration solutions and diagnostic tools that ensure your equipment is putting its best foot forward from a cleanliness standpoint when it leaves the assembly line.
Diagnostic tools like the TFC are used for establishing ISO counts for fluids in real-time. With particulate shape and size recognition software, the TFC can even provide clues as to where contaminants may be originating from.
Lightweight, hand-held units like the HFS-15 provide the same powerful filtration as a filter cart system with unprecedented mobility. Units with onboard particle counters are available.
Offline filtrations systems such as Schroeder’s array of filter carts (including the MFS, FS, and AMFS) allow for flexibility and mobility. They can act as kidney loop systems for flushing systems, or provide filtration as fluid is transfered into the system.
Ranging from streamlined-but-reliable basic cart systems to advanced systems with onboard particle counting and recording capabilities, these filter carts ensure the cleanliness of fluid within the equipment and can be customized for your specific needs.
Schroeder’s Fuel Filtration division specializes in coalescing and particulate filtration for diesel fuel.
Products like the BDF, GHCF, and more provide superior filtration at every stage of the fuel supply chain, including during transfer, point of fueling, and kidney loop circulating filtration for bulk storage tanks.
Fuel filtration carts like the BDFC combine our world-class fuel filters with integrated pumps, hoses, and a mobile cart chassis.
These turn-key, complete systems offer increased flexibility and enable easy transitions from application to application around a manufacturing plant or storage facility.
The nature of marine environments mean that water contamination is the primary risk to diesel fuel and hydraulic fluid on boats and ships. However, water itself is also a critical operating fluid for many vessels, especially large ships.
In this post, we’re focusing on the role of ballast water in ship operation, and the associated contamination risks.
Ballast Water Contamination
Ballast systems are crucial for the operation of large vessels.
To maintain stability and adjust draft (the height of a vessel in the water), large quantities of water are drawn in from around the ship into tanks within the hull to serve as ballast, and expelled as needed.
Ballast water levels are often increased and reduced multiple times during a voyage to accommodate for cargo movement and obstacles such as bridges. During severe weather, ballast is typically increased to lower a vessel’s center of gravity and reduce the surface area exposed to high winds and waves.
If ballast systems operate inefficiently or fail, consequences including capsizing or collision with structures may occur.
When contamination infiltrates a ballast system, the consequences are far-reaching:
Component Wear & Damage
Sand, silt, shells, and other solid particulates drawn in to the ballast tanks will damage pumps and other critical system components, forcing repairs or causing failures. Malfunction of the ballast system, which is key to vessel stability, is extremely hazardous.
Invasive Species Proliferation
When ballast water is drawn from the surrounding environment, living organisms can be pulled into the ballast tanks and later expelled in an entirely new location where they are not native. This has proven, devastating consequences for marine ecosystems.
Ballast contamination goes beyond just vessel safety and efficiency.
Failure to meet these standards can result in civil fines, criminal penalties, and even denial of entry to port.
Ballast water contamination is responsible for environmental disasters such as the quagga and zebra mussel infestations in the Great Lakes and other North American waterways. These invasive mussels have serious, negative impacts on freshwater ecosystems and industrial operations that rely on natural water sources.
Powerful Process Filtration Eliminates Ballast Contamination
Automatic backwashing filtration excels at contamination removal.
To handle the huge quantities of water that pass through ballast systems, high-volume filtration is crucial.
The AutoFilt® series offers proven performance in the removal of solid contaminants while being maintenance-friendly and efficient.
The self-cleaning, automatic backflushing system in each AutoFilt® system clears the elements with virtually no interruption to filtration functionality. This automated cleaning function ensures reliability and reduces maintenance, allowing vessel operators to focus their energy on other critical tasks.
Additionally, when paired with disinfectants that target organisms in the ballast water stream, these filters allow operators to meet the IMO and USCG regulations that focus on invasive species containment. Peace of mind and protection from fines and operational delays contribute to smooth sailing!
Our experts in filtration systems can help you select and integrate the right solution for your application.
Meet two of their favorite picks for ballast water contamination control:
AutoFilt® RF3
395-1120 gpm (420-1800 L/min)
Automatic backflushing filter ideal for hard particulates like rust and sand. Use in conjunction with disinfection to meet IMO/USCG regulations for ballast water
AutoFilt® RF10
2,210-12,940 gpm (580-3420 L/min)
Continuous filtration even during backflushing. Use in conjunction with disinfection to meet IMO/USCG regulations for ballast water.
Comprehensive Filtration Solutions for Marine Applications
Schroeder’s solutions go far beyond just ballast water filtration!
Here are just two of our other proven solutions for contamination control in marine applications:
Hydraulic Fluid Dehydrators
TDSE, TDSA
Critical vessel systems like bow thrusters, hatch covers, and stabilizers rely on clean hydraulic fluids. In such a water-filled environment, powerful dehydrating filtration is essential for hydraulic system function and longevity!
Learn More
Bulk Diesel Filters
BDFP & More
Engine failure due to fuel contamination is one of the greatest risks in a marine environment! Solutions like Schroeder’s BDFP tackles the threat on two fronts, extracting solid particulates and eliminating water contamination.
Learn More
More Marine Filtration Solutions
Ask the Experts!
Our team is happy to assist with your filtration needs for ballast water and more. Tell us about your application, and we’ll tell you how we can help!
Posted by McKenzie Thorpe on | Comments Off on Data Center Filtration: The Proven Way to Protect Uptime
Data centers impact our lives more than we realize.
Currently, the buzz regarding data centers focuses on the artificial intelligence boom, but these operations are already quite integrated in our day-to-day.
Data centers range from simple server rooms managed by individual enterprises to massive, standalone operations. At their core, the function of every data center is similar: Storing data and applications, and enabling people to access data and web-based services.
Data center outages can result in significant financial losses, service disruptions, and reputational damage, making uptime and infrastructure reliability critical considerations for facility operators.
Apps, websites, and other internet-based resources we rely on may become inaccessible. Because much of the economic and social fabric of society now relies on internet connectivity, these outages range from inconvenient to downright costly!
Even a relatively small data center can be vulnerable to overheating, power outages, and other issues that trigger downtime.
As data centers grow larger and more numerous, and the stakes for failure get higher, preventing outages becomes even more crucial.
How Contamination Causes Critical Failures
Contamination is a hidden threat that compromises equipment across virtually every industry, from hydraulic construction equipment, to diesel-powered ships, to hydropower systems, and much more. When it infiltrates operating fluids (lubricating oils, liquid fuels, process fluids, etc), trouble is on the horizon for affected equipment.
Contamination can be solid particles, such as tiny metal fragments caused by wear, or dust particles ingested into reservoirs, process water streams, and storage tanks. These particles of solid contamination are often smaller than the eye can see, but even microscopic particles cause wear and tear that eventually lowers the efficiency of the equipment or causes it to fail.
Contamination also commonly presents as water, such as rainwater or humidity that condenses inside of storage tanks. This can reduce lubricity and encourage microbial growth in diesel fuel, and ultimately contributes to equipment failures in a myriad of ways.
Contamination affects virtually every industrial operation—data centers are no exception.
In data centers, there are two key areas that require vigilant defense from contaminants:
1. Contamination and Liquid Cooling Systems
Thermal management is one of the biggest challenges facing data centers.
The processing power packed into data centers generates an enormous amount of heat. Liquid cooling systems are the preferred choice for thermal management, especially in larger data centers.
However, like any fluid-powered system, cooling loops are vulnerable to contamination.
‘Built-In Contamination’: A freshly constructed cooling system might not sound like a place where contamination would be abundant. However, solid particles left over machining processes, dust and grit that entered during construction, weld spatter, and more can be waiting in the cooling system before the first server even powers on.
Water Source Contamination: Cooling loops can draw from a variety of water sources, including ‘gray’ (non-potable) water and even natural surface water sources such as rivers and lakes. These sources may contain contamination ranging from large visible solids to microscopic particles, all of which can damage the cooling system. Even municipal tap water can contain minerals and sediment that contribute to component wear.
Inevitable Wear & Tear: As components within the cooling system are degraded over time, they can release solid particulate into the system which accelerates the wear process.
What happens if cooling systems fail due to contamination?
To ensure proper performance, it’s important for servers and computing systems to stay as cool as possible.
Overheating can damage servers and computing components, resulting in data losses, major service interruptions, and astronomical repair costs.
2. Contamination and Backup Power Generators
Mission-critical backup power is essential for continuous, 24/7 data center uptime.
In the event of an emergency that affects a data center’s primary power source, backup generators are a critical safety net to ensure that the servers stay running. Diesel-powered generators are the most common choice for reliable backup power.
However, diesel generators can be especially vulnerable to contamination. Because these generators sit idle for long periods, it’s easy for contamination-related problems to be overlooked until the generators fail when they’re needed most!
Stored Fuel Contamination: Fuel storage tanks can be exposed to environmental contamination in the form of rain, ambient humidity, dust, pollen, and more. If the stored fuel is not regularly tested and filtered, contaminants can build up to critical levels.
Diesel Bug: When water contamination is present in stored diesel, microbial growth known as ‘diesel bug’ will grow along the border of the diesel and free water, essentially feeding on the energy in the fuel. If left unchecked, thick microbial mats can proliferate throughout the fuel, and can quickly foul filters and damage engine components when the fuel is drawn from storage.
Engine Failure: Large quantities of contamination in stored fuel can overwhelm the engine, causing startup delays or even complete engine failure. This not only leads to costly downtime in a data center setting, but may require expensive repairs.
What happens if backup power generators fail?
Even a temporary loss of power can cause chaos and delays for any operation relying on a data center to store data, access critical applications, and more.
If the primary power source fails and backup generators aren’t able to close the gap, power outages will disrupt services, result in SLA violations, and drive significant financial and reputational losses.
Your Partner for System Reliability
Don’t wait for contamination to impact your data centers: Implement solutions early!
Schroeder Industries is the expert in all things filtration, including for process fluid and diesel fuel.
Our product experts have designed solutions that effectively tackle contamination, protect equipment, and maintain productive uptime in virtually every industry that relies on fluid power.
Whether you’re planning your data center or retrofitting an existing operation with filtration, our experts are here to help.
Posted by McKenzie Thorpe on | Comments Off on Invasive Mussel Control for Process Water Systems
When invasive species appear, ecosystems aren’t the only thing that suffers.
An invasive species is a non-native organism (plant, animal, etc) that is introduced to an environment where it does not naturally occur, and negatively impacts that environment through proliferating and out-competing native lifeforms.
One infamous plant, kudzu, is a prime example of an invasive species. Originally brough from Asia in the 1800’s for erosion control and other uses, kudzu is commonly referred to as the vine that ‘ate’ the southern United States by escaping cultivation and overwhelming native plant species. Today, large swaths of southern forests are carpeted with kudzu, reduced to a shadow of the diverse ecosystems that existed before the vines were introduced.
Another equally impactful invasive organism is lurking in North American rivers and lakes, with huge ramifications for industries that rely on those waterways.
Invasive Mussel Impacts
While mussels may seem small and inconsequential individually, they spread quickly and colonize waterways in large numbers.
Not only are there huge ecological consequences when invasive mussels appear, but there are significant impacts to industrial operations that rely on mussel-infested water sources.
Ecological Impacts Include:
Invasive mussels outcompete native species and consume large amounts of phytoplankton, which larval fish rely on.
Native fish and shellfish populations can collapse, upending the local ecosystem.
Applications that draw from natural water sources can become contaminated by invasive mussels.
As mussel colonies grow, they can restrict or even block flow entirely.
Chemical treatments, downtime for manual cleaning, unexpected outages, and other operation impacts can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.
All across North America, freshwater ecosystems and industrial processes that rely on natural or surface water sources are under attack.
A Trans-Continental Problem
Two specific invasive mussel species—zebra mussels and quagga mussels—have become widely distributed in the Great Lakes and other critical waterways across North America. Once the mussels have infested an area, eradication is virtually impossible.
For operations that rely on infested waterways for process fluids, they are at direct risk of exposure to invasive mussels.
Golden mussels have the potential to be even more damaging than the quagga and zebra mussels.
Because golden mussels can tolerate a wider range of salinity and water temperatures, it opens up new angles of attack on North American water systems.
Additionally, golden mussels seem to breed and spread more aggressively than the other invasive mussel species.
What can be done to prevent golden mussels and other invasive species from infiltrating and damaging critical water infrastructure?
The Cons of Conventional Mussel Control
As long as invasive mussels have been a problem, operations relying on water from lakes, rivers, and other natural sources have tried to combat them. However, the existing strategies for mussel control come with significant downsides:
Conventional screen filtration is effective at catching mussel shells and mature mussels, but mussel larvae can easily squeeze through and begin growing deeper in the water system.
Chemical treatments kill adult mussels and mussel larvae, but leave behind shells and biological debris which must be cleaned out of the system.
Manual removal is purely reactive, and may require extended downtime (and significant disruptions to productivity) to complete.
This dual-stage configuration combines two powerful AutoFilt® units that tackle invading mussels in every life stage:
Mussel-Catch Stage 1: AutoFilt® RF3
Highly Efficient Coarse Filtration
The RF3 effectively stops larger solids and shells in their tracks, keeping mature mussels from entering the system and colonizing the water infrastructure.
The automatic backflushing technology of the AutoFilt® series enables filtration with minimal interruption, clearing the filter elements of solids and maintaining filter efficiency while reducing downtime.
Ask The Experts!
Our Process Filtration division can help you implement solutions that protect your systems from invasive mussels and other common process fluid contaminants. Tell us about your application:
Posted by McKenzie Thorpe on | Comments Off on The 4 Definitive Qualities of a Good Filter Element
What Makes a Good Filter Element?
Selecting the right hydraulic filter element is one of the most important decisions for maintaining fluid cleanliness, protecting equipment, and maximizing system performance.
Filter elements are at the heart of every hydraulic system. While elements are often treated as a disposable afterthought, their contamination-busting role makes elements absolutely critical for system longevity and performance.
So, if you’re thinking of trying to cut costs with cheap, generic filter elements—think again.
Quality truly matters when it comes to filtration. Whatever you might be saving in element costs, you’ll likely end up losing more in maintenance and repair costs, productivity impacts, and more frequent element replacements.
If using quality filter elements is so important, what should you look for in an element?
There are essentially 4 key metrics by which you can judge the effectiveness of a filter element:
High Beta Efficiency
Minimal Pressure Drop
High Dirt Holding Capacity
Good Beta Stability
Let’s get in to what each of these metrics mean for element performance, and for the integrity of your equipment and fluid assets.
High Beta Efficiency
Filter elements come in a range of different micron ratings—that is, the size of particle the filter is rated to capture.
But, just because a filter has a certain micron rating, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it efficiently captures particles of that size!
Let’s look at an example of two elements tackling solid particles 5 microns and higher:
The percentage of particles of a given size that a filter captures is known as its beta efficiency.
Filter Element A only captures 500/1,000 particles >5µm, which makes its beta efficiency 50% for 5µm. This indicates relatively low efficiency.
Filter Element B, on the other hand, captures 999/1,000 particles >5µm, giving it a beta efficiency of 99% at 5µm. This is considered high efficiency.
Certain elements may be nominally rated for a certain micron rating, but actually have a relatively low beta efficiency. For example, a cellulose media element rated for 5 microns could have a beta efficiency as low as 50%!
When you choose an element, be sure to choose elements with a high beta efficiency to ensure the elements are actually capturing the contamination you are targeting.
Minimal Pressure Drop
In a hydraulic system, maintaining consistency in system pressure is key to efficient system performance.
However, filter elements by their nature are somewhat disruptive to pressure in the system. In order to filter out contaminants, elements inherently have to interrupt the flow of fluid to some degree!
Representation of typical system pressure drop downstream of a filter element.
Particle capture/filtration and maintaining system pressure must be carefully balanced.
While removing as much contamination as possible in hydraulic fluid is ideal, the tighter the filtration tolerance of an element (i.e. the smaller its filtration rating), the greater the impact on pressure downstream of the filter.
A high-quality filter element is engineered to balance effective particle capture and system pressure, protecting the machine with minimal impact on its efficiency.
Sometimes, operators may sacrifice filtration performance to ensure that they minimize the pressure drop in their system. In reality, a high-quality element can provide effective filtration without excessively affecting system pressure.
Schroeder Case Study: Minimal Pressure Drop Elements In Action
End users operating frac trailers were deliberately avoiding higher-performance, lower micron-rated elements due to concerns about pressure drop.
But, with the right element, exceptional particle capture with minimal hydraulic system pressure drop is possible!
Schroeder Industries replaced the customer’s existing 40 micron elements with a new 25 micron solution. The 25 micron elements offered similar pressure drop characteristics as the original 40 micron elements, but provided significant improvements in filtration performance.
Here’s how Schroeder’s superior elements helped this customer:
40% Increase in Particulate Removal Efficiency ≥25µm
36% Increase in Element Dirt Holding Capacity
Element Change-Outs & Maintenance Downtime Reduced
Given the role of the filter element in trapping contamination, the amount of solid particulates the element can hold—commonly called ‘dirt holding capacity,’ or ‘DHC’—is another major factor in element quality.
But, the more particles an element captures, the greater the effect on system pressure.
When the element has accumulated enough particles that it causes too much pressure drop downstream of the element, it has reached its DHC and must be changed out for a fresh filter element.
Note how the downstream pressure drop changes from when the element is new to when DHC is reached:
The more contamination a filter element can capture without causing too much pressure drop, the longer the filter can go without maintenance. That’s the key to good DHC!
This not only reduces the costs associated with purchasing new replacement elements, but reduces maintenance-related downtime.
Beta Stability
This aspect of the filter element is closely related to its DHC and efficiency.
Basically, beta stability is the determination of how efficiently the element captures particulates as it approaches its DHC.
For example, if an element rated for 5 microns begins struggling to capture 5 micron particles as it approaches its DHC, that element has poor beta stability.
If an element is rated for 5 microns, it should be capturing 5 micron particles whether the element is at 1% DHC or 99% DHC!
Final Thoughts: Choosing the Best Element
When it comes to selecting the best filter element, the key is a balance between all four of the key traits described above.
An element may have high beta efficiency, meaning it excels at capturing particles of a certain size…but if it loses that ability as it approaches DHC, then it has poor beta stability. If it has a low DHC, then you will need to interrupt operations and purchase replacement elements more often. And so on!
The right filter element finds a balance between all of the above principles, giving you excellent filtration without compromising system efficiency and with minimal maintenance needs.
Want to upgrade your filter elements? Try the BestFit Cross Reference Search Tool!
Premium filter element equivalents for over 42,000 OEM-brand part numbers and counting!
Affordable, high-performance filter elements to fit a wide range of applications
Engineered with Schroeder Industries’ signature quality
Variety of media grades (cellulose, synthetic, water removal, anti-stat, stainless steel, metal mesh)
Posted by McKenzie Thorpe on | Comments Off on What the Worldwide Fuel Charter Means for Your Bulk Fuel
Considering the cost of replacing diesel injectors, it pays to ensure your fuel is clean.
Just one diesel injector can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars to replace. Multiply that by the number of injectors in a 6 or 8-cylinder engine, and the repair costs can take a considerable bite out of a company’s profits!
A well-designed fuel pipeline includes filtration at the transfer, dispensing/filling, and onboard stages. But a successful contamination control plan must begin at the bulk storage stage.
That’s where recommendations from the Worldwide Fuel Charter come into play.
To explain this, we must first review the most critical part of a diesel-driven machine: The injector system.
Diesel injectors are highly sensitive to solid contamination due to their precise engineering and the extreme pressure they experience while operating.
To ensure these expensive, sensitive components are able to reach their standard operating lifespan, they are assigned a very stringent ISO Target of <12/9/6. This target represents 16x greater sensitivity than a typical modern hydraulic system!
While a system of dispensing and onboard filters help diesel fuel reach that stringent target, if the stored fuel is especially contaminated, those filters can become overburdened.
This is why the WWFC suggests a minimum cleanliness target of ISO 18/16/13. By starting with cleaner fuel, the dispensing and onboard filters are not overwhelmed with contamination, allowing them to operate more efficiently and effectively.
Below are microscopic comparisons of a common condition of bulk diesel tanks versus the WWFC target of ISO 18/16/13.
If you need to reach <12/9/6 to protect your injectors, which bulk fuel condition would you rather start with?
The Costs of Contaminated Fuel
Without taking additional steps to ensure the quality of your bulk diesel, your expenses can skyrocket:
Downtime for increased maintenance and filter replacements/machine repairs will disrupt productivity
Overburdened onboard and dispensing filters will require the purchase of more replacement elements
If the dispensing and onboard filters can’t keep up with the contamination, extremely expensive engine and component damage can occur.
The bottom line: Starting with cleaner bulk fuel can cut costs!
Contamination Vectors to Watch Out For
Understanding how bulk stored fuel becomes contaminated can help you implement the right solutions! Here are some of the primary ways that contamination occurs in storage tanks:
New fuel does not always meet the WWFC standard! There are many opportunities in the supply chain for contamination to occur, so be sure to filter any newly purchased fuel before adding to storage.
Storage tanks may already be contaminated. Ensure that empty storage tanks are properly cleaned before adding new fuel.
Storage tanks are vulnerable to environmental contaminants. Storage tanks, especially when kept outside, are vulnerable to rain and humidity, pollen and dust, and other environmental factors.
Microbial growth can worsen contamination. ‘Diesel bug’ is a phenomenon where, through a combination of water contamination and bacteria in the tank, thick microbial sludge grows and thrives in the tank.
Bulk Diesel Solutions from Schroeder Industries
Schroeder Industries engineers, manufactures, and delivers a full suite of fuel filtration and polishing solutions!
Here are just two of our favorites:
BDFP – Bulk Diesel Filtration Panel
14 or 25 gpm (53 or 95 L/min)
Combines particulate GHPF filter and coalescing GHCF filter with integrated pump. Powerful performance & straightforward installation in new or existing filtration systems!
Posted by McKenzie Thorpe on | Comments Off on Is Your Fluid Condition Actually On Target?
When it comes to contamination, what you don’t know could be costing you.
In hydraulic systems, up to 70%-90% of wear and failure is contamination related!
To keep your equipment functioning properly, slash repair costs, and operate as efficiently as possible, contamination control is essential. The effects of contamination costs tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars for industrial operations across the world every day!
Every person dealing with hydraulic equipment, diesel-powered equipment, and even compressed gases should know some contamination basics.
Let’s review solid contamination, ISO Codes, and ISO Targets, some of the most fundamental principles of contamination control.
Recap: Solid Contamination
Solid contamination is the most common, and often the most destructive form of contamination in fluid-powered systems. There are countless opportunities for solid contamination to infiltrate hydraulic fluid, diesel fuel, and other operating fluids:
Dust, grit, sand, and other solid particles in the operating environment.
Organic solids such as pollen and debris from trees and other vegetation.
Introduction of ‘new’ fluid that is not adequately filtered. (Never assume that ‘new’ oil or fuel is ‘clean’!)
Machining debris left over from equipment manufacturing and assembly. (This is often called ‘built-in contamination’.)
Solid contaminants are often smaller than the eye can see, but these tiny particles can add up to huge losses in efficiency, productivity, and profit!
In the world of fluid power, solid contaminants are measured in microns, often represented by the symbol ‘µm’. Microns are used to measure particles on the microscopic level.
While a sample of hydraulic oil or diesel fuel might look perfectly clean at a glance, under a microscope, the hidden danger becomes obvious. These solid contamination particles may be incredibly small, but their impact on your machines can be massive!
As microscopic particles of solid contamination grind through your system, they gradually wear down critical components like servo valves, pumps, cylinders, injectors, seals, and more.
When these components eventually fail, the repercussions can range from inconvenient, to costly, to catastrophic for productivity and even worker safety!
Knowing how how to measure solid contamination—and how much contamination your system can handle before risking premature failure—is incredibly important.
ISO Codes: Decoding Solid Contamination
The amount of solid contamination in a fluid system or a fluid sample is represented by an ISO Code.
ISO Codes (pronounced ‘eye-so codes’) are numerical codes used to quantify the amount of solid contamination in hydraulic fluid, diesel fuel, process fluid—essentially, any operational fluid!
ISO Codes consist of three numbers, separated by forward slashes. These three numbers represent the amount of solid particles across three different size ranges in the fluid.
Higher numbers in an ISO Code mean more contamination in the fluid!
Additionally, with each increase in ISO Class, the amount of contamination is actually doubled. So, if your hydraulic system starts at ISO 16 / 14 / 11, and goes up to ISO 17 / 15 / 12, there istwice as much solid contamination grinding through your system every time you turn it on!
This means that what may seem like a small change in your ISO Code can have huge impacts. Just a few rungs up or down the ISO Class ladder can mean the difference between tens or even hundreds of pounds of solid contamination circulating in your system every year!
If your machine is operating with dirty fluid, this could take years off its life in terms of peak performance. This is why knowing and meeting your machine’s cleanliness targets, also called ISO Targets, is so important!
Tolerances and ISO Targets
ISO Codes are also used to represent part tolerances.
‘Tolerance’ refers to how much contamination a machine component can tolerate and still maintain a ‘normal’ lifespan according to manufacturer guidelines.
Components that are more complex, more sensitive, or located in higher-pressure regions of the fluid circuit, etc. will generally be less tolerant to contamination.
Because tolerance is represented by an ISO Code, an individual component or system’s tolerance is commonly called an ISO Target.
An ISO Target is basically the ISO Code you should aim for in your operating fluid to help your equipment live up to its potential!
Different components within a system may have different tolerances, and thus, different ISO Targets!
The ISO Target for an entire machine or system is based on the component with the lowest tolerance. That way, protection is ensured across the whole system for even the most sensitive component!
How Can I Find My Machine’s ISO Target?
Manufacturer guidelines generally include a minimum ISO Target.
However, a custom assessment could find a target that helps your equipment outlive its expected operational life!
A manufacturer may set a machine’s ISO Target based on a ‘normal’ lifespan for different components.
But, if you can push your fluid cleanliness beyond the manufacturer’s minimum recommendation, it may add years of efficient performance to your machine’s life!
Want to find out if your equipment could go above and beyond its normal operating life?
Talk to the experts at Schroeder Industries! We can provide a comprehensive analysis of your current ISO Targets and contamination control program, and make customized recommendations that help your equipment live up to its full potential.
Tell us about your applications, your equipment, and your operational goals. We’re here to help!
Posted by McKenzie Thorpe on | Comments Off on Top 5 Filtration Innovations of 2025 | Schroeder Industries
Another year of filtration innovation is on the books!
Filtration innovations continue to improve equipment reliability, reduce contamination, and help industries operate more efficiently. At Schroeder Industries, our engineering and product development teams are dedicated to creating advanced filtration solutions that deliver long-term value and keep critical equipment performing at its best.
From smarter contamination monitoring to sustainable filtration technologies, 2025 brought several exciting advancements.
If you missed them, here are the Top 5 Filtration Innovations from Schroeder Industries in 2025:
Sustainable Cartridge Bowl (SCB)
A sustainable alternative to conventional spin-on filters, the Sustainable Cartridge Bowl (SCB) helps reduce waste, lower operating costs, and deliver reliable filtration performance without compromising durability.
Waste-Eliminating: Reduces scrap metal waste by more than 90% and oil waste by more than 80% compared to conventional spin-on filters.
Carbon-Cutting: Lowers carbon footprint by more than 80% versus traditional spin-on filters.
Built for Tough Applications: The glass-infused nylon bowl is extensively tested for impact resistance and cyclic pressure performance under extreme temperatures.
Performs Under Pressure: Designed with a burst rating exceeding 600 psi, providing a 4:1 safety factor—twice the safety factor of typical spin-on filters.
Lower Operating Costs: The reusable bowl design reduces replacement costs with every element change-out.
Superior Filtration Performance: High-pleat filter elements deliver lower pressure drop and more effective filtration to help protect critical equipment.
The TNK1C is the most compact reservoir in Schroeder Industries’ TNK Series, delivering durable construction, optimized hydraulic performance, and integrated filtration in a lightweight, all-in-one design.
Durable Construction: The rotomolded reservoir is highly durable, impact-resistant, and designed to maintain its integrity in extreme temperatures.
Optimized Performance: Engineered to improve flow, minimize oil volume, enhance cooling, and support effective hydraulic filtration.
Powered by AFT Technology: Integrated Air Fusion Technology (AFT) provides industry-leading deaeration and effective in-tank filtration for improved fluid cleanliness.
Sustainable Design: The recyclable reservoir requires significantly less energy to manufacture than comparable steel tanks.
Complete Solution: Comes equipped with essential accessories, including gauges, in-tank filters, and air breathers, for simplified installation and operation.
Schroeder Industries’ advanced coalescing fuel filtration system delivers enhanced filtration performance, continuous operation, and durable construction for demanding fuel filtration applications.
Enhanced Filtration Performance: Dual GHCF housings provide up to 2x greater coalescing filtration performance than a single housing configuration.
Versatile Applications: Ideal for both bulk fuel filtration and high-horsepower onboard equipment where reliable fuel cleanliness is critical.
Continuous Operation: Dual filter housings allow one filter to be serviced while the other remains in operation, minimizing downtime during routine maintenance.
Built to Last: Manufactured from high-quality anodized aluminum for long-lasting performance in demanding operating environments.
Compact, Space-Saving Design: Engineered to fit tight installation spaces while supporting applications where reduced weight and space efficiency are important.
The Gearbox Cooling Skid helps protect gearbox systems by combining effective lubricant filtration with reliable cooling to reduce wear, prevent overheating, and improve equipment reliability.
Comprehensive Protection: Removes solid particulates while cooling lubricating fluid to help protect critical gearbox components.
Prevents Overheating: Cools gearbox lubricants to reduce heat-related component degradation and extend equipment life.
Minimizes Downtime: Designed to address common gearbox vulnerabilities, helping reduce unplanned downtime and costly repairs.
Flexible Cooling Options: Available in both air-cooled and water-cooled configurations to meet a variety of application requirements.
Mechanical strainers play an important role in process filtration by removing larger particles and protecting downstream equipment from contamination and damage. They are commonly used alongside other process filters or as an economical stand-alone solution for applications requiring coarse particle removal.
Mechanical strainers are commonly used in tandem with other process filters, or as an economical stand-alone filtration option for capturing larger particles.
Schroeder Industries recently added a series of mechanical basket strainers and Y-strainers to our process filtration lineup.
With a variety of materials and connection options, there is something for virtually every process application in need of a mechanical strainer!
Which type of mechanical strainer are you looking for?
