HYDRO-COAT

Novel high-pressure water hydraulic equipment for application in the construction and mining sector

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Hydraulic power transmission with oil as power transmission fluid is widely applied in industrial applications. The main consumer of hydraulic fluids are heavy duty hydraulic machines such surface and underground mining equipment, drilling rigs and earth-moving machines. Petroleum-based hydraulic fluids and lubricants are persistent and toxic. They need to be disposed at the end of life in order to minimize the dispersion in the environment, and the are carcinogen and have resulted in almost 10,000 workers developing malignant tumours, resulting in more than 5,600 reported deaths/year in the EU. Additionally the use of oil-based hydraulic machines poses severe fire and safety concern in harsh industrial environment (i.e. high temperature). The inevitable trends in the construction industry and legislation show very clearly that the oil in the hydraulics should be replaced with less pollutant media. Biodegradable synthetic oils show lower performance, poor lubrication, higher costs, greater wear, seal compatibility problems, and long-term stability concerns. Substitution of oil by water is the best solution for an environmental, safety, health and cost perspective. However in the high-pressure fluid applications, the requirements for the substrate/coating systems are extremely severe, because wear resistance, friction and corrosion aspects must be addressed. Nowadays no application of water hydraulics in the machines for construction and mining, which represents the biggest market for hydraulic components and the largest consumers of oil, exist. HYDRO-COAT project is aimed at developing the knowledge and the technology to produce a new range of “environmental friendly” machines for construction using water as hydraulic fluid, addressing the technical barriers imposed by the use of water instead of oil. This objective will be reach by integration innovative coating solutions with optimal design of hydraulic components for use with high-pressure water.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Heavy-duty machinery relies on hazardous petrol-based fluids under pressure to do mechanical work. Innovative water-based hydraulics with lubricant coatings could soon be a promising alternative.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

In the case of large loads, petroleum-based hydraulic fluids dominate industrial applications to address extreme conditions that accelerate wear, friction and corrosion. However, such fluids are known carcinogens. As restrictions on their use tighten and the costs of disposal increase, alternatives to oil-based hydraulic fluids are an industry priority.

Scientists initiated the EU-funded project 'Novel high-pressure water hydraulic equipment for application in the construction and mining sector' (HYDRO-COAT) to develop a new range of eco-friendly machines using water as the hydraulic fluid. No such equipment existed previously for high-pressure fluid applications in construction and mining, which represents the largest market for hydraulic components.

The key to success was in overcoming the barrier related to lubrication and mechanical degradation under high pressures. Researchers focused on developing novel environmentally friendly and cost-effective coatings and coating processes. They developed a two-layer coating combining diamond-like carbon and an innovative self-lubricant columnar nano-structured coating.

Scientists optimised the two different deposition processes and created a decision support system to aid coating designers and to facilitate transfer of project results to the partner small and medium-sized enterprises. The team then developed the appropriate industrial coating process to be compatible with industrial-scale production of hydraulic components. The necessary water hydraulics circuit designed by project scientists was implemented in the fully functional demonstrator, a mini-excavator using water as the working fluid.

HYDRO-COAT technology will enable the use of water instead of petroleum-based fluids for hydraulic power transmission in heavy machinery. Benefits abound for industry, workers and the environment. Water is much less expensive and has no operating or transportation costs. It is non-toxic and non-flammable, reducing insurance costs and increasing safety. Petroleum-based hydraulic fluids are now subject to expensive and strictly regulated disposal procedures, also eliminated with a switch to water. HYDRO-COAT has made a significant contribution to the sustainability and competitiveness of the EU mining and construction sector.