Steel Mill Hydraulic System Restored After Severe Water Contamination

Removing over 180 litres of water and restoring oil cleanliness in an 18,000-litre hydraulic system.

Case study written by: Sam England

Application Snapshot

Industry:

Industry - Steel

Country:

United Kingdom

Oil type:

FUCHS RENOLIN B 10 VG

Executive Summary

When a sudden water ingress incident contaminated 18,000 litres of hydraulic oil in a wire rod mill compactor system, the consequences were severe. Oil analysis revealed a water content of 10,110 ppm (safe levels is 200 ppm), creating serious concerns around corrosion, lubricant degradation, component wear, and overall equipment reliability.

Instead of draining and replacing the oil, the customer implemented a two-stage C.C.JENSEN solution: a D88 Desorber to remove the water contamination and an HDU fine filtration unit to restore particulate cleanliness.

The result was a reduction in water content to 59 ppm, the removal of more than 180 litres of water, and a cleanliness improvement from ISO 22/19/11 to ISO 16/14/10, extending oil life and eliminating the need for a costly oil replacement.

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Oil condition restored

Water content reduced from 10,110 ppm to 59 ppm

Improved system cleanliness

ISO cleanliness improved from 22/19/11 to 16/14/10 (ISO 4406)

Avoided oil replacement costs

Avoided replacing 18,000 litres of hydraulic oil, with a cost of appr. 100,000 Euro.

Extended oil and component life

Clean, dry oil helps protect critical hydraulic components

Client brief

A sudden water ingress incident contaminated 18,000 litres of hydraulic oil in a wire rod mill compactor. Water content reached 10,110 ppm, creating a significant risk of corrosion, reduced lubricant performance, component wear, and reduced equipment reliability.

Challenge

At over 10,000 ppm water contamination, the hydraulic oil was no longer operating within acceptable limits (max. 200 ppm). The customer needed to restore oil condition and cleanliness while avoiding the cost and operational disruption associated with a complete oil change.

Solution

A C.C.JENSEN D88 Desorber removed more than 180 litres of water, reducing water content to 59 ppm. Afterwards, an HDU 427/108 fine filtration unit improved oil cleanliness from ISO 22/19/11 to ISO 16/14/10 (ISO 4406), allowing the oil to remain in service.

Measurable Results & Customer Benefits

The C.C.JENSEN solution restored the hydraulic oil condition without requiring replacement of the approximately 18,000 litres of oil contained in the system. The D88 Desorber removed more than 180 litres of water, reducing water content from 10,110 ppm to 59 ppm and bringing the oil back to a suitable condition for continued operation.

Following water removal, the HDU 427/108 fine filtration unit improved oil cleanliness from ISO 22/19/11 to ISO 16/14/10, significantly reducing harmful particulate contamination and improving protection of critical hydraulic components. By restoring both moisture and particle contamination levels, the customer avoided a complete oil change, achieved substantial cost savings, extended the service life of the existing lubricant, and improved overall hydraulic system reliability.

Key Results:

More than 180 litres of water removed

18,000 litres of hydraulic oil retained in service

Water content reduced from 10,110 ppm to 59 ppm

Oil cleanliness improved from ISO 22/19/11 to ISO 16/14/10

Extended oil and component life

Improved equipment reliability

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