Coping with Specialty Fluids for Hydraulic Testing #5: Cold Fluid Temperature Testing

Low-Temperature Testing

Testing at low temperatures can create many problems in the design and build of a test system. Some key areas for consideration are:

Thermometer 2Test Temperatures – Most of today’s cold fluid testing generally ranges from ambient to -40°F (-40°C), although in recent months the requested temperatures are trending to as low as -61.6°F (-52°C). Fluid temperatures can be varied in a simple stepped test, with several increasing/decreasing temperature points, or as is the more complicated sweeping temperature test, from high to low and back to high, with very specific linear data points to achieve.

Test Fluids – Test fluid can range from many variations of oil, transmission fluid, or any fluid associated with a part’s operation.

• Ambient to 0°F (-17.7°C) testing: Testing with fluid temperatures down to 0°F (-17.7°C) can normally be accomplished through the use of fluid chillers, insulation of the part, and control components, lower operating flows, and close proximity of the fluid source/conditioner and the test part.
• Ambient to -20°F (-28.9°C) testing: WTI normally recommends that any testing under 0°F (-17.7°C) be conducted in a thermal chamber or within an insulated enclosure. This can range from a walk-in room, stand-alone or benchtop chamber, to a removable, insulated hood or clam shell cover. Again, all of the conditions as listed above still apply and should be weighed against the actual ambient temperature being maintained.
• Ambient to -40°F (-40°C) or below testing: The requirements of testing to very low temperatures requires too many design issues to be addressed within this article. Consideration of integrating the fluid power control components into the chamber, locating the fluid within the chamber, additional fluid condition units, eliminating or reducing induced heat in the test system, and test temperature profiles all come into play within these systems. Rely only on system integrators who are experienced in very cold testing applications when developing a test system; cold temperature testing relies heavily on a “lessons learned” history and can save you a tremendous amount of development time and funding.

Potential of Injury to Personnel
Additional guarding, interlocked guard doors, and redundant safeties are a must when developing a cold test system. The protection against frostbite, inhalation hazards (if using an inert gas to speed-up temperature swings), and water (ice) build-up reduction should also be taken into consideration when developing a system.

Component Selection
Plain and simple, fluid power components do not react the same when operating at cold temperatures as they do at their -100°F (-37.7°C) rated temperatures. Component selection must include consideration of the fluid viscosity at the test temperature, the type of seals and materials, rated component flows and leakages, and component life/warranties.

Other Requirements

Other designed and operational requirements which must be taken into consideration include:

• Mass loads of fixtures and parts – Getting the fluid cold is only one portion of the test. Additional capacities must be included for cooling of fluid, components, the mass of the test part(s), and the surrounding environment. These must also be considered during the design phase of the project.
• Heat Transfer – One seldom-considered effect of low-temperature systems is the transfer of heat into the test environment. Designing a system to reject ambient temperature(s) and to compensate for the injected heat being generated within the test part itself, is a big part of designing a system.
• Maintenance of the fluid – The fluid’s condition must be constantly monitored for chemical reactions due to the low test temperatures. In addition, regular water analysis and removal should be provided to reduce possible component failures.

Wineman Technology has proven experience with all types of temperature testing to suit all of your applications. To avoid the pitfalls of cold fluid testing, rely on us for all of your temperature test system’s needs. For more information on please contact Wineman Technology today.