Efficiency advantages from FUCHS biodegradable lubricants

Citation

(2006), "Efficiency advantages from FUCHS biodegradable lubricants", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 58 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilt.2006.01858fad.004

Efficiency advantages from FUCHS biodegradable lubricants

Efficiency advantages from FUCHS biodegradable lubricants

Keywords: Lubricants, Hydraulic equipment, Viscosity

Industry is facing a steadily increasing demand for improved profitability and efficiency. In the field of hydraulics, this has led to the design of systems which run at a higher pressure, with smaller pumps and oil reservoirs on both mobile and stationary equipment. Under these severe conditions, the proper selection of hydraulic fluid is critical to ensure efficient equipment operation and adequate wear protection.

Viscosity is one of the most important selection criteria as it determines the efficiency of hydraulic pumps and motors, helping to prevent overheating and wear at high temperatures.

Hydraulic oils with viscosity improvers are not new to the market; however, the new PLANTOSYN HVI 46 from FUCHS UK shows unprecedented performance levels against conventional fluids.

Two years ago, the Eden Project, the UK's leading environmental centre and tourist attraction, converted a range of equipment to the FUCHS PLANTOSYN HVI 46 hydraulic fluid, which is based entirely on renewable resources. It, therefore, has an extremely high level of biodegradability when exposed to the ground, a critical concern for companies working in the field of quarrying, forestry or agriculture.

Over a two-year period, the wear of components was analysed by measuring levels of metals in the hydraulic fluid and viscosity changes, as well as monitoring contamination from dust, dirt and water. The PLANTOSYN fluid used had not been changed since the tests began, despite working in the extremely dusty and dirty China Clay environment, where the Eden Project is based.

Roger Powell, Director of Highway Plant Ltd, the main contractor to McAlpine and Eden Project commented that, “These results are amazing. China clay is known in the quarry and extractive industries as the most invasive, abrasive and destructive of all quarry dusts”.

The results highlight the fact that wear rates of components working on FUCHS biodegradable PLANTOSYN HVI 46 were 10 times lower than equipment working on conventional mineral hydraulic oil, offering tangible benefits to users in terms of efficiency and cost savings.

Cliff Lea, Biodegradable Product Manager at FUCHS UK, confirmed these figures and highlighted that this was not the first accolade for the PLANTOSYN product. “The product is approved by both Mannesmann and Sauer Sunstrand, following tests that FUCHS conducted in Germany”.

FUCHS are world leaders in biodegradable technology and have been developing the environmentally friendly PLANTO range since the late 1970s, with many of the products being awarded the coveted “Blue Angel” environmental seal. PLANTO oils are based on harvestable raw materials, such as rapeseed and sunflowers and they offer a solution for all applications, including hydraulic, gear, engine and compressor oils, greases, metalworking fluids and chainbar lubricants:

^•&nbspThe Eden Project, near St Austell in Cornwall, UK, attracts almost 2 million visitors a year and has become famous for its enormous “Biomes” which recreate the world's tropical, arid and temperate ecosystems. Known as the eighth wonder of the world, it has now become a global centre of environmental knowledge. It aims to promote understanding and awareness of the relationship that exists between the earth's plants, people and resources and has carried out research in all areas of plant propagation, development and growth and their relation to a sustainable planet.

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  Full wear analysis is shown in Table I.

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  For further information on any of these issues, please e-mail: Natalie.baker@fuchs-oil.com