Degradation of Hydraulic System due to Wear Particles or Medium Test Dust

Abstract

Contamination in hydraulic systems is the cause of 70% of failures. This study highlights the performance degradation caused by solid particle contamination of hydraulic components: hydraulic gear pump, 4/3 valve, and orbital motor. Experimental durability tests of components with wear particles and test dust are used to investigate the effects of accelerated wear caused by these two types of contaminants. Results show that oil contaminated with wear particles reduces the volumetric efficiency of the gear pump by 18% and the hydraulic valve by only 0.8%, while oil contaminated with test dust reduces the efficiency of the pump by 76% and the hydraulic valve by 0.9%. This research provides insights for accelerating hydraulic component testing to improve system reliability and longevity.