Solving Water Contamination Problems in Lubrication Oil Water as a contaminant in hydrocarbon fluid can cause many problems, especially in hydraulic and lubricating oils. Yu Li and Jon Schnable, Kaydon Corp, USA, compare a range of technologies available for removing water from these oils, in particular focusing on the benefits of vacuum dehydration. Water contamination in hydrocarbon fluids can cause many problems, especially in hydraulic and lubricating oils. This condition frequently results in undesirable mechanical effects such as change in viscosity and loss of lubrication, cavitation in pumps, and chemical reactions with anti-wear additives and oxidation inhibitors to generate solid precipitates. Ideally, water should be removed completely before recirculation of the oil.
Free water is defined as large bodies of water in oil.
In static reservoirs this water is free to settle to the bottom of the tank, and separate from the oil to produce free water. Emulsified water represents tiny water droplets in oil, typically dispersed by high shear mixing. Technically emulsified water belongs to free water. However, emulsified water can be very stable and may not settle out from the oil, especially in the presence of surfactants. Dissolved water is chemically absorbed in solution with the oil.