Protecting today's
engines
As
modern, high-performance engines have continued to evolve over the past 50
years, so has the requirement for more sophisticated oil filters. While filters
play a passive role in engine protection, they nevertheless must work together
with the lubricating oil to keep engines protected and clean.
Modern oils play vital functions in protecting engines, especially in heavy-duty
situations such as trucking, construction, mining and agriculture. Lubricating
oil acts to reduce friction and wear, cool engine parts, seal combustion chambers,
clean engine components and inhibit corrosion. These functions are carried
out by special additives in the oil, which complement the action of the oil
itself. The protective action of the lubricating oil and its additives are
supported and balanced by the work of the lube filter.
Lube filters, particularly
those designed for heavy-duty applications, have the sole purpose of keeping
damaging contaminants away from sensitive engine parts. Filters trap oil contaminants
in two ways: Some particles adhere to filter media as the oil flows through
the filter. Such particles attach themselves to the media surface without
plugging up the media pores.
Other particles
are trapped in the filter media by the pressure of the oil as it flows through
the filter. As the oil changes direction in its path through the filter, particles
are driven or impinged into the media. Ideally, most of these particles are
trapped in the outer portion of the media, leaving inner media surfaces open
to continue catching particles that slip through. Eventually, however, media
pores will fill up and the filter begins to lose its effectiveness.
A close-up look at filter media
As engine power
has increased, so have bearing loads, engine rpms and operating temperatures.
With the introduction of combination full-flow/ by-pass filters, equipment
operators have gained added efficiency in their vehicles performance. However,
as newer engines have been designed with improved oil control, oil drain intervals
have been increased to account for lower oil usage levels.
This means that
lube filters must be more effective in trapping oil contaminants, and oil
drain intervals must be monitored more closely to prevent excessive engine
wear. For example, as oil sump capacity decreases, the concentration of fine
contaminants in the sump increases. This requires both the oil and the filter
to work more effectively to keep particles out of the engine. Filter media
today ranges from the long popular and proven cellulose to synthetic media
made of fiberglass, polyester, "microglass and various blends of these
materials. Each type of media has specific applications for which it is best
suited. Cellulose filters are high in efficiency and capacity, yet low in
cost. Typically, cellulose filters are rated 98% efficiency at 40 microns.
Cellulose media is used in varied oil, air, fuel and some hydraulic applications.
Microglass filters
generally have high efficiency, and media pore size can be controlled to catch
small particles. This is especially beneficial for hydraulic oil filtration
where 3 to 5 micron filtration is desirable, and hydraulic oil is not warmed
by engine heat. The drawback to glass media filters is that the media cannot
be "bent too sharply in forming the filter pleats or the glass fibers
will be broken. This limits the surface area that can be built into a glass
media filter. Also, glass media typically requires a wire screen lining to
keep the glass fibers together. Newer filters for heavy-duty use are now being
made with a combination of cellulose and synthetic media. This blend of fibers
provides improved efficiency, along with increased dirt-holding capacity.
Although cost for these filters is greater than regular cellulose filters,
the cost can be lower than for microglass. These filters are ideally suited
for severe service and extended service intervals.
Filter Construction
is critical to performance
No
matter how efficient the media, lube filters must stand up to tough operating
conditions for hundreds of hours or thousands of miles. Over the years, Baldwin
has designed and built special machines to perfect filter construction. Innovations
include: State-of-the-art high-speed equipment to give filter pleats exceptional
uniformity for maximum efficiency in oil flow and contaminant collection.
Centertube forming
equipment to form a spiral seam that is actually stronger than the material
itself. This lets the centertube better withstand sudden changes between internal
and external pressure.
Special can/baseplate
seaming techniques with double-rolled lock seams to withstand pressure and
vibration. Heavy-duty baseplates which are cold-formed to create a solid platform
that doesn´t bend or twist under high pressure surges.
Does extended oil
change interval pay?
Baldwin engineers
have been researching extended oil drain intervals in the field for more than
30 years, as have most engine and equipment manufacturers. These engineers
agree that extended drain intervals should be approached with extreme caution.
While extended intervals may save a few dollars in the short run, improperly
managed intervals can lead to accelerated engine wear and costly engine rebuilds.
When considering extended drain intervals, it´s important to develop
a consistent oil analysis program.
Another factor
to consider is that oil consumption tends to increase toward the end of extended
change intervals, because engines burn more used oil than new oil. Increased
oil usage reduces the savings from extending the drain interval.
When evaluating
the value of extended change intervals, a key factor for selecting lube filters
is capacity—the amount of contaminants the filter can hold before it
begins to plug. As oil begins to deteriorate, soot and sludge accumulate in
the filter and can rapidly plug the filter media. Lube filters with higher
capacity protect the engine better when oil change intervals are extended.
Whether your equipment can tolerate extended oil drain intervals depends on
such variables as operating environment, engine types, oil used, etc. Consider
miles traveled vs. hours of operation. Linehaul trucks averaging 80,000 miles
per year may handle extended drain intervals better than local service trucks
that travel less than 40,000 miles per year, for example. Remember, too, that
the accumulation of oil contaminants builds up over time, regardless of miles
traveled or hours operated. Extended oil change intervals don´t lessen
the need for effective preventive maintenance, including regular oil analysis.
In fact, it amplifies it!
Baldwin Severe
Service Filters Outperform Synthetic Media Filters
Responding to today´s
demands for effective lube filtration for high performance engines, with the
capacity for extending oil change intervals, Baldwin Filters has introduced
a new line of "Severe Service filters.
Severe Service
filters incorporate the proven effectiveness of cellulose media, blended with
synthetic media technology. Under appropriate conditions, these new filters
have extra efficiency and capacity to handle extended drain intervals. On
the other hand, for equipment operating under extreme conditions, Severe Service
lube filters provide added protection against harmful oil contaminants.
