What causes foaming in gas generation hydraulic oil?
Thread Content
What causes foaming in gas generation hydraulic oil? This year we carried out a major overhaul of the gas generation system; some of the oil pipes in the hydraulic system were replaced. The system operated normally during the trial runs for several days. Later, the oil was changed (we used genuine turbine oil), and after one day of operation, the oil tank started to bubble heavily. We stopped the system to change the oil, and after restarting it, bubbling occurred again after a few days; it kept bubbling even after another ten days of operation. When making the initial assessment of the problem, we quickly ruled out issues related to oil quality, oil temperature, and water ingress. However, in addition to the factors mentioned above, physical factors can also cause foaming; specifically, non-condensable gases mixing into the oil can lead to foaming. The question is: where do these gases come from? We checked the pressure of the accumulator and it’s normal; could it be that the air remaining in the pipes after maintenance was removed? But after all, the remaining air is limited, so it can’t cause problems multiple times. Therefore, we inspected the oil pump relief valve and tightened up all the inlet connections of the oil pump, applying butter to prevent air and oil from mixing together and causing foaming. Only time will tell whether it’s correct or not. Can a loose inlet on the gear oil pump cause air and oil to be drawn in together? I’d like to hear everyone’s opinions on the foaming of the gas generation tank oil! Thank you!
It is likely that there is water vapor in the oil; it is recommended to install a vacuum pump on the fuel tank, as well as an online vacuum oil filter.
Gas generation oil pumps generally use 46# or 68# anti-wear hydraulic oil; why would turbine oil be used? Is a symbol requirement needed? After the oil starts to foam, conduct an oil analysis to identify and compare the causes. Looking forward to sharing experiences after it’s resolved.
If the oil quality issue is indeed present, as you mentioned, a poor seal at the inlet of the gear oil pump can cause oil and air to be drawn in together. This is likely the reason why a slight negative pressure is generated at the inlet of the gear oil pump during operation.
The turbine has issues; the gear pump uses hydraulic oil, and one of the specifications for such oil is its foam resistance
Brother upstairs: Bubbles in the oil are normal; the main reason is a problem with the quality of the oil. Antifoam agents need to be added during oil processing, and if these agents are not suitable, bubbles will inevitably form.
The problem was resolved; it turned out that the diameter of the O-ring in the oil pump was insufficient, resulting in poor sealing. Applying sealant at the bottom solved the issue promptly. Thank you all!
To add an antifoaming agent, if that additive is not suitable, bubbles will inevitably form.