Step 1

While the fluid is at operating temperature, completely drain the system, paying attention to the reservoir, all lines,
cylinders, accumulators, filter housings or any area of fluid accumulation. Also, replace the filters.
Step 2
With a lint-free rag, clean the reservoir of all sludge and deposits. Make sure the entire reservoir is free of any soft or
loosened paint.
Step 3
Flush the system with a lower viscosity fluid that is similar to the fluid to be used. A Reynolds number between 2,000 and
4,000 should be selected to achieve enough turbulence to remove particles from the lines. Stroke valves frequently to
ensure they are thoroughly flushed. The fluid should be filtered and the flushing should continue until reaching one level
beyond the system’s target cleanliness levels. For example, if the target is ISO 15/13/11, continue to flush the system until
ISO 14/12/10 is reached.
Step 4
Drain the flushing fluid as hot and as quickly as possible. Replace the filters and inspect/clean the reservoir again.
Step 5
Fill the system to approximately 75 percent with the fluid to be used. Bleed/vent the pump. If the pump has a pressure
relief or bypass, it should be wide open. Run the pump for 15 seconds, then stop and let it sit for 45 seconds. Repeat this
procedure a few times to prime the pump.
Step 6
Run the pump for a minute with the bypass or pressure relief open. Stop the pump and let it sit for a minute. Close the
bypass and permit the pump to operate loaded for no more than five minutes. Allow the relief valve to lift to confirm that it
is flushed as well. Do not operate the actuators at this time. Stop the pump and let the system sit for about five minutes.
Step 7
Start the pump and operate the actuators one at a time, allowing fluid to return to the reservoir before moving to the next
actuator. After operating the final actuator, shut down the system. Keep an eye on the fluid level in the reservoir. If the
level drops below 25 percent, add fluid and fill to 50 percent.
Step 8
Refill the reservoir to 75 percent and run the system in five-minute intervals. At each shutdown, bleed the air from the
system. Pay close attention to the system sounds to determine if the pump is cavitating.
Step 9
Run the system for 30 minutes to bring it to normal operating temperature. Shut down the system and replace the filters.
Inspect the reservoir for obvious signs of cross-contamination. If any indication of cross-contamination is present, drain
and flush the system again.
Step 10
After six hours of operation, shut down the system, replace the filters and sample and test the fluid.
Step 11
The sampling frequency should be increased until you are confident that the system fluid is stable.
Flushing Tactics
There are a lot of different ways to flush out a machine. You want to match the flushing method to the flushing condition.
Following are common tactics for accomplishing this:
Drawdown Filtration/Separation — Contaminants or insoluble suspensions removed by filtration or separation
technologies at normal flow rates.
High Turbulence, High Fluid Velocity, Low Oil Viscosity — Flushing is enhanced by high turbulence flushing
conditions by lower flush oil viscosity and increasing oil flow rates.
High Flush Oil Temperature — This reduces viscosity, increases turbulence and increases oil solvency. Temperatures
in the range of 175 to 195 degrees F are generally targeted.
Cycling Flush Oil Temperature — Using heat exchangers and coolers to change temperature during flushing across a
100 degree F range helps dislodge crusty surface deposits.
Pulsating Flush Oil Flow — Rapidly changing flow rates by pulsation help dislodge contaminants from nooks and
crannies.
Pneumatic Vibrators and Hammers — Used to break loose debris from pipe walls and connectors.
Sparge Flush — Air or nitrogen is bubbled into the flush fluid to improve cleaning effectiveness.
Reverse Flush Oil Flow — By changing fluid flow direction, some contaminants and surface deposits can be dislodged
and washed away.
Wand Flush Tool — Used for wet sumps, gearboxes and reservoirs with access hatches and clean-out ports. A wand on
the end of a flushing hose is used to direct high-velocity oil flow to loosen deposits or for picking up bottom sediment.
Charged Particle (Electrostatic) Separators — Some suppliers have demonstrated success at removing varnish from
machine surfaces and stripping out submicron soft contaminants that can contribute to varnish and sludge.
Solvent/Detergent Flush Fluid — Various solvents and detergents have been used with different degrees of success,
including mineral spirits, diesel fuel, motor oils and detergent/dispersant packages.
Chemical Cleaning — These are chemically active compounds, typically caustics and acids, used to aid in the removal of
organic sludge and oxide deposits.
Mechanical Cleaning — This involves the use of scrapers, brushes and abrasives, typically used with solvents and other
chemicals, to remove hard adherent surface deposits.
Some adherent machine deposits require tactics that are more aggressive than a high-velocity flush, so you must match
the flushing tactic and strategy to the problem you are trying to resolve with the flush. Once you understand the problem
within the machine that needs to be cleaned, you can then select the appropriate flushing tactic to remedy it. This issue
was described in Jim Fitch’s three-part series on flushing for Machinery Lubrication, which can be read at
www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/609/oil-flush, www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/634/oil-flushing-tactics and
www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/657/flushing-oil.

At this point, it should be obvious that a fluid changeout is not just a drain-and-fill operation. Care must be taken to confirm
that the system is as clean as possible prior to introducing the new fluid. Most changeover procedures suggest that some
of the old fluid will need to be either drained off the bottom or skimmed off the top of the reservoir after a period of time.

Just because the changeover has been completed does not mean that you are “out of the woods.” Your system will need
to be closely monitored for a while to make certain that the flushing was thorough. Taking the time to verify that the
system is fully flushed and purged of the old fluid prior to introducing the new fluid will go a long way toward ensuring a
healthier hydraulic system.

Calculate the cross-sectional area of the pipe if this is not already provided in the problem statement. Use basic geometric
area equations depending on the cross-section's shape, which may be circular, rectangular or trapezoidal. The cross-
sectional area is known as the channel shape perpendicular to the flow. Equations that may be used are:

Area of a circle = pi x radius x radius Area of a rectangle = length x width

Multiply the cross-sectional area by the flow velocity, provided in unit of length over unit time squared. If the cross-
sectional area and flow are truly perpendicular, the flow rate angle is zero degrees. The value you just calculated is the
hydraulic flow.

Multiply the value from step 2 by cosine of theta, where theta is the angle of flow between the area and flow direction. Use
theta only when you are unable to calculate the exact perpendicular cross-sectional area in step 1.

 Turbulent flow must be given during flushing in order to remove dirt, debris and any foreign contamination.
Calculation can be made to calculate the require flow to achieve turbulent depending on pipe size and oil
viscosity.
 Low viscosity flushing oil should be select which can contribute for turbulent flow.
 Special inhibitor added flushing oil should be select in order to reduce corrosion attack on recent chemical flush
pipelines.
 Temperature should be control through the process in order to achieve the quality oil flushing job.
 Only fiberglass filter media with minimum of 200 beta should be select as filter element for oil flushing. Micron
size can be select according to target cleanliness class.
 At least one filter on delivery line and second filter on return line must be installed. Monitoring of oil cleanliness
sample must be taken on-line before the second return filter.
 Pulsation flow should be given for large pipelines as well small pipelines to increase oil flushing pushing power.
 Contamination level must be monitor on-line through the oil flushing process.
 Water content should be monitor through the oil flushing process and if require water adsorbent filter or water
remover purifier can be mounted and operating off line.
 Flushing oil must be circulating in the flushing tank until target cleanliness class before flushing the pipelines.
 Oil flushing process should be continuing operating at least for 1 or 2 hours after the target cleanliness class is
achieved.
 Looping hoses or connector must be hanging and clean before looping joint.
 Looping for the pipelines must be same as pipelines internal diameter.
 Magnetic filter can be installed on return line filter to catch ferrous practical and on the same time reduce number
of filter element used.