Rhein Chemies lubricants division recently invested 750,000 ($978,000) in new equipment for testing hydraulic fluids at its technology center in Mannheim, Germany.
Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH purchased the new equipment, a testing installation from Parker Dension, and inaugurated it last week. The German additive company will use it to develop hydraulic additive packages and to conduct tests on behalf of the companys lubricants customers.
Although the equipment is in Europe, the technology will extend to the companys global network. Pittsburgh, Pa.-based Rhein Chemie Corporation’s Michael Assaf, director of lubricant additives for the NAFTA region, told Lube Report that the testing capabilities will also be potentially available to U.S. customers. We can certainly work with a customer based in the U.S. or China, or any region of the world that has the right type of project, Assaf said, adding that the new testing installation is one of only 12 worldwide.
The testing system uses a T6H hybrid pump from Parker Denison to measure the performance of an additive package in combination with a basic oil. The Denison spec is one of the toughest specifications in the hydraulic sector, Vice President of Corporate Communications Martina Bitterlich told Lube Report. It is globally recognized and has a well-established pump test.
In our pump testing installation, we test [hydraulic] additive packages against the most rigorous and globally recognized OEM specification for hydraulic oils, the HF-0, said Philipp Junge, head of the Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbHs lube business, in a company press release. According to the company, each test takes four to five weeks.
The company highlighted the challenges in the hydraulic fluids industry that the company hopes to tackle with the new testing unit: To meet the ever increasing demands imposed on the energy efficiency of hydraulic oils, hydraulic systems are becoming more and more compact, their power density is rising as a result and maintenance intervals are getting longer, the company said. Additives must live up to these higher demands by improving the thermal oxidation stability of the liquids, preventing sludging at elevated temperatures, and offering advanced anti-wear properties for a long service life.
Rhein Chemie makes hydraulic packages made up of different individual additives for performance categories such as corrosion inhibition, anti-wear and oxidation stability. The company develops, produces and sells additives, specialty chemicals and service products for the rubber, lubricant and plastics industries. Rhein Chemie is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the specialty chemicals group Lanxess, based in Leverkusen, Germany.