Oil systems
Oil circulation units for mills, kilns and big gearboxes
Reservoir, pump, filter, heater and cooler in one package. What size and settings are typical and how oil conditioning extends oil life.
What a circulation unit does
It supplies clean oil at the right temperature and flow to the bearings and gears of a large machine, continuously, and takes it back to the tank. It is built for round-the-clock operation.
Typical figures
| Item | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Reservoir | About 15 to 200 litres in compact units |
| Total flow | About 0.1 to 19 litres per minute |
| Pressure | Set by pressure control valves |
| Filtration | Single or double filters, a default of about 10 µm |
| Temperature control | Heaters for start-up viscosity, optional water or air coolers |
| Flow to each point | Flow meters or flow limiters |
Why each part is there
- The heater makes sure the oil is thin enough to pump at start-up in cold plants.
- The cooler holds oil viscosity at the design value in hot service.
- The filter keeps particles below the clean-oil target, which is what protects the bearings.
- Flow meters or limiters stop one hungry point from starving the others.
Oil conditioning
Off-line conditioning removes fine particles, free and emulsified water, sludge, varnish and oxidation products from the oil, and is run on the tank rather than in the bearing circuit. The practical gain is that filters are changed instead of the oil, so oil life extends, downtime falls and there is less used oil to dispose of.
Takeaway. Size the circulation unit for flow, clean it to a target, and keep the oil in its viscosity window at both ends of the temperature range.
Put it to work in the tool