Mechanical filters have been around for centuries, and modern ones can keep hydraulic and lubricating fluids clean of particles larger than 5 microns. But particles smaller than that slip by and create sludge and varnish, damage equipment, and drastically reduce the life of the fluid. Balanced Charge Agglomeration, a new fluid-purifying approach from ISOPur Fluid Technologies, North Stonington, Conn. (www.isopur.com), helps filtration systems capture all impurities by forcing smaller particles to clump together, thus making them “more easily removed by mechanical filters.” This extends the life of the fluid and equipment, and reduces maintenance, downtime, and defects due to faulty machinery. It also means companies don’t have to dispose of as much dirty oil as they once did.
The new method splits fluid flow into two streams. One stream receives a strong positive voltage, giving particles in that stream a positive charge. The other stream gets a negative charge. When the streams rejoin, the positive and negative particles are attracted to each other and clump together, forming ever-larger particles that can be picked out by a mechanical filter. This works on sludge and ferrous and nonferrous metal particles, as well as insoluble oxides and biological contaminants. And in the case of oil, once it is clean, it acts as a strong solvent to break down varnish and sludge, preventing valves from sticking and letting machinery run properly.
The company makes several models with flow rates ranging from 30 to 1,200 gph. They attach to lubricating or hydraulic lines via a kidney-loop hook-up to process fluid. It works on lubricating, hydraulic, and machine oil, EDM and dielectric fluids, vegetable oil, and phosphate ester, along with many other nonconductive fluids.
Edited by Stephen J. Mraz