Naturally High Dielectric Strength With BioBlend Lubricants
High Dielectric Strength – Why It Matters
Do you operate in environments that put you or your employees in close proximity to dangerous high voltage equipment such as power lines, buried cables or transformers? If so, you will want to consider the dielectric strength of the fluids and greases you are using. But why is this important?
Dielectric strength is the measure of a lubricant’s ability to not conduct electricity as determined by the maximum voltage that a particular lubricant can handle without exhausting its insulating properties. High dielectric strength indicates some level of protection against electrical conductivity by a lubricant when used in or near an electrically charged operational environment. Additionally, high dielectric strength fluids can protect the integrity of your lubricants against breaking down due to the damaging effects of an electrical current flowing through them. This requires you maintain clean fluids as contaminants such as water and wear metals can bring down the dielectric strength and actually make those fluids more conductive.
If you, or your employees, work with equipment that requires fluids with high dielectric strength, such as bucket trucks, cherry-pickers and transformers, you must ensure you are doing everything possible to maintain the reliability of those fluids. This means fluids should remain as free of debris and moisture as possible. To do this, make sure all the filters within the equipment remain functional and are replaced as needed. If your equipment does not have any in-system filtration you might want to consider utilizing some sort of portable filtration such as a filter cart or hand-held unit on a regular rotation. Additionally, in the battle against moisture within the system you should consider desiccant breathers on the machinery if possible.
There are a range of products to choose from, and mineral oil is the go-to standard in many of these applications. But it is detrimental to the environment, it is petroleum-based and it is not fire resistant.
Products made from natural or plant esters have naturally higher dielectric strength and insulating properties than their petroleum counterparts. They are less toxic and have higher flash points.
Semi-synthetics also have a higher dielectric strength. Semi-synthetic oils allows a wider operating temperature range: they last longer in higher temperature applications and perform better in low temperature applications.
BioFlo AWS Hydraulic Fluids
BioFlo AWS Hydraulic Fluids are semi-synthetic hydraulic oils formulated from renewable base stocks to meet the performance requirements of mobile and industrial hydraulic systems. They exhibit a comparatively higher dielectric strength, with a greater than 45 kV rating (ASTM D877). BioFlo AWS fluids are suitable for use in all conventional hydraulic systems, especially environmentally sensitive applications.
In addition, these high lubricity base oils are paired with environmentally responsible additive technologies to minimize ecological impact. These lubricants offer excellent thermal and oxidative stability, assuring superior service life with minimal viscosity change over a broad range of operating temperatures.
Take a look at our full line of products here or contact us to find out how we can assist you in reaching your operational, cost and ESG goals. You may also reach us at +1 888 BIO-BLND (888-246-2563).