Page 6 - Parker - The Handbook of Hydraulic Filtration

Contamination Types and Sources

Filtration Fact Types of Contamination

New fluid is not necessarily 1. Particulate
Silt (0-5um) Silt
clean fluid. Typically, new
+
Chips (5um )
fluid right out of the drum is Flow
2. Water
not fit for use in hydraulic or (Free & Dissolved)
lubrication systems.

Filtration Fact 3. Air

Additives in hydraulic fluid

are generally well below
1 micron in size and are
unaffected by standard
Particulate
filtration methods. Contamination

Types
Particulate contamination is generally
classified as “silt” or “chips.” Silt can
be defined as the accumulation of
particles less than 5m over time. This
type of contamination also causes
system component failure over time.
Chips on the other hand, are particles
5m+ and can cause immediate
catastrophic failure. Both silt and
chips can be further classified as:

Hard Particles Soft Particles

▼ Silica ▼ Rubber
▼ Carbon ▼ Fibers

▼ Metal ▼ Micro organism

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