The hydraulic system

Most excavator movements are powered by a hydraulic system.

Using a DYNAVIS® formulated hydraulic fluid can prevent the system from overheating.

To understand why, we have to take a closer look inside the hydraulic pump.

Mechanical energy is transformed into hydraulic energy by a variety of pumps – piston, vane, or gear. For the animated illustration you see here, we have chosen a piston pump, but the principle applies to all known pump technologies.

Observe what occurs when the system is operated with a conventional hydraulic fluid. While the machine is operating, the temperature is rising, and the oil gets thinner.

When a hydraulic fluid becomes hot, it reaches a state in which some of the fluid is able to escape the “push” of the vanes or pistons of the hydraulic pump. Rather than being pumped, this fluid recirculates. This condition is called “internal leakage” and the result is a decrease in pump performance, or power.

When internal leakage occurs (also known as “afternoon slump”), the operator tries to compensate for the lost power. Unfortunately this tends to make matters worse, as additional heat from the fluid being forced through the pump’s narrow sealing gaps causes the fluid to become even thinner.

The hydraulic system’s performance continues to deteriorate into a vicious cycle of increased recirculation and higher operating temperatures.

DYNAVIS® formulated hydraulic fluids resist the effects of heat accumulation. Why is this important?

DYNAVIS® formulated hydraulic fluids have a wider TOW as we saw. Thus, internal leakage is minimized and the system’s operation is stable. This leads to higher efficiency.