Hydraulic fluid cooler question

Feb 24, 2013 8 Replies

I've been asked to fix a hydraulic fluid cooler. Looks like about a 5 gal tank of fluid, probably a CNC machine. The compressor is three phase 200 volts, not sure the amps. Can't find number plate. Looks like about 1/2 HP, R-12 system.



Any guess how many BTU per hour that might be?



Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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All heat that is added to the hydraulic fluid, is added by the hydraulic pump motor. Therefore, the power of the motor gives you the upper bound of the BTU that you need to remove. You need to convert the HP to BTU, which is quite simple.

i

that would be true if the only thing going on was the fluid flowing around, but it is also pouring over the cutting surface which is also getting hot, so there is a second source of heat which is probably dramatically larger - that is presuming we are talking about coolant and not a hydraulic system

Did you even understand what you were replying to?

"Hydraulic fluid pouring over cutting surfaces"

i

Looking at a couple of Tecumseh condensing unit data sheets I'd say about

4500 Btu/hr for 1/2 hp, for a condenser temp of about 40F, more if higher. Gets you in a ballpark, anyway.

I've been asked to fix a hydraulic fluid cooler. Looks like about a 5 gal tank of fluid, probably a CNC machine. The compressor is three phase 200 volts, not sure the amps. Can't find number plate. Looks like about 1/2 HP, R-12 system.

Any guess how many BTU per hour that might be?

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Coolant systems running straight oil, especially high pressure systems, are often built with standard hydraulic components, so I wouldn't be surprised to to see a hydraulic fluid cooler in such a machine. In which case, heat from the cutting operation may well be a factor.

Thanks, mate. I did take a picture of the number plate. Lists the compressor as 250 watts. That's about 1/3 HP, or close there of. Your information looks useful.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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4500 Btu/hr for 1/2 hp, for a condenser temp of about 40F, more if higher. Gets you in a ballpark, anyway.

I've been asked to fix a hydraulic fluid cooler. Looks like about a 5 gal tank of fluid, probably a CNC machine. The compressor is three phase 200 volts, not sure the amps. Can't find number plate. Looks like about 1/2 HP, R-12 system.

Any guess how many BTU per hour that might be?

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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I'm going back to the factory, Monday. Will check and see if this is cooling fluid. Might be. And also check what ever else I can learn.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Coolant systems running straight oil, especially high pressure systems, are often built with standard hydraulic components, so I wouldn't be surprised to to see a hydraulic fluid cooler in such a machine. In which case, heat from the cutting operation may well be a factor.

A tecumseh aea4440YXASC condensing unit is 1/3 hp r134a, and moves about

4000 Btu/hr at a condenser temp of 40F, but strangely enough it draws just over 7 amps at 115V which is 805 watts or over 1 hp (see boxload.tecumseh.com for data sheets). So I guess that 1/3 hp rating is the amount of heat it can move and the efficiency is about 30%. Which is a long winded way of saying that if your 250 watts is the electrical input you have a much smaller unit than this.

Thanks, mate. I did take a picture of the number plate. Lists the compressor as 250 watts. That's about 1/3 HP, or close there of. Your information looks useful.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

formatting link
.

4500 Btu/hr for 1/2 hp, for a condenser temp of about 40F, more if higher. Gets you in a ballpark, anyway.

I've been asked to fix a hydraulic fluid cooler. Looks like about a 5 gal tank of fluid, probably a CNC machine. The compressor is three phase 200 volts, not sure the amps. Can't find number plate. Looks like about 1/2 HP, R-12 system.

Any guess how many BTU per hour that might be?

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

formatting link
.

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