By Jim Fitch
Transactions of the National Conference on Fluid Power
Users of hydraulic equipment need to know how clean their fluid should be. The information and procedure for determining this has not been readily available in the past. This has been largely due to the many factors· that impinge on the decision. This paper introduces a new· system called the Contaminant Life Index (figure 1) which deals with this question head on. The Contaminant Life Index addresses each of the many issues involved in determining required system cleanliness. These factors are presented in a simple, easy to follow format. The CLI delineates only the most salient criteria with the objective to span the numerous diverse types of hydraulic equipment in use.