Shell has reformulated its Tellus hydraulic oil
The hydraulic oil market worldwide consumes around 3.8 billion litres annually – that’s enough to fill around 1,000 miles of tankers parked bumper to bumper. Even if the UK is taken in isolation, the yearly usage is in excess of 100 million litres, all of which makes the sector of particular importance even to one of the global giants of world trade. In fact, Shell and its Tellus brand has been the largest supplier of lubricants globally for nine consecutive years, but why should plant managers be choosing to specify the next generation developed by the industry leader?
From a maintenance and management standpoint it is imperative that construction machinery is viewed as a complete system rather than a collection of isolated parts. That is the fundamental principle of what has become known as integrated systems engineering – an approach which must include the quality and integrity of the often neglected but vital oils and lubricants. Put simply, getting the right oil in the right place can improve the performance of construction plant.
When it comes to a shopping list for hydraulic oil top of the list of benefits for the end user would be longevity. At the same time the equipment itself needs to last longer, whilst in operation the efficiency of the system itself needs to be enhanced. How much does it cost me to run a given machine over a period time and how can I reduce that cost? That’s a question that any successful plant hirer or contractor will be asking themselves, and one on which the choice of hydraulic oil can have a significant impact. A further question that that same plant manager should be asking themselves is how do I keep my equipment at the original design specification for longer? And part of the answer, according to its makers, is Shell Tellus.
In order to respond to the needs of its customers, OEMs are now producing smaller machinery that’s designed to work harder. That increases the pressure and flow rates in the hydraulics, which in turn has an effect on the oil. If, for instance, you were to follow a given sample of oil around a piece of plant it can, in some cases, circumnavigate the entire system in less than a minute. In addition, with the introduction of after-treatment technologies like AdBlue, equipment manufacturers are increasingly looking to reduce the overall size of the hydraulic infrastructure within a machine. Hydraulic fluid needs to resist all of these additional burdens, as well as the surface pressures of air and water – in essence the oil must stay as an oil.
“Systems are increasingly having to operate under greater pressures which puts greater stress on hydraulic oils. We have responded to this by introducing an improved formulation that not only helps to improve performance, but also to optimise reliability of hydraulic systems,”
Mark Draper, Technology Manager Shell Lubricants.
Specifically developed for hydraulic applications in the mining and construction sectors, Shell Tellus S2 VX for mobile hydraulic systems is formulated with a high viscosity index for optimal performance over a wide range of operating temperatures.
The oil life has been shown to exceed the usual requirements of industry and Original Equipment Manufacturer limits by up to three times. In addition, Shell Tellus S2 VX offers improved filterability – even under humid conditions. This helps reduce the risk of filter clogging leading to equipment failure, increasing productivity through longer maintenance cycles and reducing costs thanks to more efficient operation. In addition, the new product is compatible with previous generations of the manufacturer’s hydraulic oils, as well as many commercial mineral-based hydraulic oils, which makes it especially easy for users to take advantage of the new formulation.
“The quality and condition of a hydraulic oil directly affects system performance,” continues Mark Draper. “Therefore, we focus not only on developing new, high-quality lubricants, but also on helping our customers to use them correctly. This provides the basis for optimal system performance.”
As a reflection of the new reality of operating conditions that oils and lubricants in a hydraulic system are now subjected in terms of pressures
and speeds, Bosch Rexroth has introduced additional testing. As a result the advanced formulation of the new Shell Tellus S2 MX for stationary systems is among the first hydraulic oils on the market to meet these new approval standards, demonstrating excellent wear protection, even under operating conditions that are thirteen times more severe than those required by standard industry tests.
The heart of any hydraulic system is the pump and developments in hydraulic hardware in recent years have focused on its controllability. It is now required work according to demand and that type of intermittent operation is far more stressful on an oil. The latest tests also takes this into account, and again Tellus stands up to the punishment very favourably. The pump itself, and its components, are also required to be returned to the original equipment manufacturer for approval after the testing.
In fact, compared to the previous Shell Tellus S2 M and V7 products, Tellus S2 VX exhibits double the life. As well as that, in terms of system efficiency, it’s not just filterability that has seen improvements with more consistent water separation, improved air release and excellent stick-slip control all seeing enhancements. Unscheduled returns to the workshop for replacement of parts or oil changes are the enemy of any construction plant fleet. Shell Tellus S2 VX is designed to reduce these, regardless of how extreme the operation, or environment the equipment is working in might be.
For further information on Shell Tellus S2 VX click here
