By Bill Dimitrakis and Rob Profilet

The Lubrizol Corp., Wickliffe, Ohio

DESIGN BASICS
But there are a few steps you can follow to help
make your choice. First, determine the type of
equipment where you will use the fluid. Second,
consider the severity of the duty cycle. And third,
determine what temperatures the equipment will
experience during use.
Viscosity, antiwear levels are key in
industrial use
Industrial hydraulic systems in normal ser-
vice indoors generally use a conventional an-
tiwear-type hydraulic fluid with appropriate
viscosity. Choosing the right viscosity fluid is
important because it
ensures the systems
best over al l per f or-
mance and t hat t he
components are pro-
tected. The antiwear
agent s cont ai ned i n
the oil protect the hy-
draulic pump compo-
nents from premature
wear.
Fi gur e 1 s umma-
rizes ISO 32, 46, and
68, t he mos t c om-
monly used viscosity
grades because t hey
have the appropriate
viscosity at the tem-
peratures usually seen
in industrial hydraulic
systems. The tempera-
ture operating range
is based on the lowest
W
ouldnt it be great if there were a single list
you could consult to help you pick the right
hydraulic fluid for your equipment? The closest
thing is the National Fluid Power Associations
recommended practice T2.13.13-2002, Fluid
Viscosity Selection Criteria for Hydraulic Motors
and Pumps*. It offers guidance but not definitive
answers.
Unfortunately, fluid selection is not as simple as
wed like. Every application is different, and you
need to pay attention to equipment manufacturers
requirements, specifications, and recommenda-
tions as well.
Go with the flow
Operating temperature ranges for
conventional hydraulic fuids
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
-20
-40
220
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e

F
10 15 22 32
ISO viscosity grade
46 68 100
90
-27
111
-9
131
5
147
18
163
28
183
39
201
50

Consider the equipment it will be used in and viscosity
when choosing your hydraulic fluid.
Figure 1. ISO 32, 46, and 68 offer the most appropriate viscosity levels for industrial
hydraulic systems.
in selecting the right fluid
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Different fluids
for changing needs
The challenge is different with
mobile equipment used for off-
road construction, timber harvest-
ing, municipal waste and utilities,
for example. Mobile equipment can
see high pressures,
severe duty cycles,
a n d wi d e t e m-
perature extremes
during year-round
use in areas with
seasonal climates.
Their fluid needs
to work well at low
t emperat ures for
winter time start
up, whi l e mai n-
t a i ni ng e nough
viscosity at high
t emper at ur es t o
protect during se-
vere service or hot
weather.
The i deal hy-
draul i c fl ui d for
and highest temperatures at which
the viscosity remains between 860
cSt and 13 cSt, the range recom-
mended by many equipment man-
ufacturers for full load operation.
Figure 2 provides more detail on
ISO VG 46 fluids.
Operating temperature ranges of
ISO VG 46 hydraulic fuids
220
180
140
100
60
20
-20
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e

F
100 150 175 200 245
Viscosity index
Comparison of multigrade
to conventional fuids
Hydraulic uid B
Hydraulic uid A
Multigrade
hydraulic uid
-20 30 100 150
Temperature F
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v
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y
Figure 3. Viscosity index for multigrade fluids shows how
they offer both low-temperature fluidity and high-temperature
viscosity.
Figure 2. ISO VG 46 operates in a wide range of extreme temperatures.
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mobile applications is one that flows
like a lighter oil at low temperatures
but protects like a heavier oil at high
temperatures: a multigrade hydrau-
lic oil. This is similar to using SAE
5W-30 or 10W-30 multigrade en-
gine oil in our cars, which can be
used year-round without problems.
In Figure 3, note that the multigrade
fluid has the low-temperature flu-
idity of the lighter Fluid A, while
maintaining the high-temperature
viscosity of the heavier Fluid B.
Multigrade and conventional
fluids
What differentiates multigrade
hydraulic fluids from conventional
fluids is that they contain polymer
additives, called viscosity modifi-
ers (VM) also known as viscosity
index improvers in addition to
the hydraulic performance package.
These VMs keep the fluid viscosity
more consistent over the tempera-
ture range encountered during use.
Multigrade fluids are also known
as high viscosity index (VI) fluids.
VI is a measure of how much a flu-
ids viscosity changes with tempera-
ture. A higher VI number means the
viscosity changes less as the fluid
heats and cools, which is desirable.
Conventional fluids typically have
VI around 100. By comparison, a
multigrade fluid should have VI of
at least 140. There are fluids with VI
higher than 200 for use in such tem-
perature extremes as the Arctic or
where viscosity must remain steady
across a wide temperature range.
See Figure 3.
Perks of multigrade fluids
Five of the benefits of using a good-
quality, high VI-multigrade fluid are
that it:
1. Maintains a more consistent viscos-
ity as temperature changes, so the system
continues to perform properly.
DESIGN BASICS
2. Flows better at low temperatures
for improved cold-weather opera-
tion. The equipment will experience
fewer problems with cavitation, slug-
Operating temperature range
Recommended
operating
range
Volumetric efciency
Mechanical efciency
Overall efciency
Viscosity
E
f

c
i
e
n
c
y
Figure 4. Operating within the recommended viscosity range helps
ensure that equipment is protected and that it operates most
efficiently.
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gishness, drift, or
shudder.
3. Mai nt ai ns
viscosity at high
t emperat ures t o
pr ot ect s ys t em
components and
maintain overall
efficiency.
4 . P r o v i d e s
greater mechani-
cal and volumet-
ric effectiveness,
which improves
energy efficiency
and reduces fuel
consumption.
5. Can be used
year-round and over wide temperature
ranges.
Operating within the recommended
viscosity range helps ensure that
equipment is protected and that it op-
erates most efficiently, as shown in the
graph in Figure 4.
When choosing a hydraulic fluid,
remember to ask your supplier if it
i s approved by your equi pment
manufacturer and for performance
information. Make sure that the fluid
that will be delivered to you is clean
and water free so it will perform at its
best. Finally, be sure to conduct used
oil analysis as recommended by your
supplier to understand when your oil
may need attention.
For more i nf ormat i on, cont act
VMinfo@lubrizol.com.
*National Fluid Power Association
recommended practice T2.13.13-2002
Fluid Viscosity Selection Criteria for
Hydraulic Motors and Pumps may be
purchased at www.nfpa.com.
Copyright 2008 by Penton Media, Inc.