Water Quality Affect Coolant Performance
As we know, a concentration of cutting oil is always one of the points to stable emulsion and optimized lubrication. But, there’s another critical key:WATER QUALITY. Water quality encompasses several factors, including hardness, pH, mineral content, and impurities. These seemingly subtle attributes collectively dictate the efficacy of coolants used in metal machining operations.
How does water quality affect your coolant abilities? Water-based cutting oils are normally diluted with water to form an emulsion which offers excellent cooling ability and lubricity and extreme pressure characteristics for effective machining operations. In some cases, diluted coolant can be 70% to 95% water in it.
The quality of the water, which can vary widely by source, region and country, has a significant impact on the emulsion quality and its sump life. However, the water quality is better kept at a proper water hardness before we use it. For example, hard water quality - it will lead to emulsion splitting and a decrease in metalworking performance. And soft water quality will increase foaming while machining.
Therefore, we’re going to share how water quality affects coolant abilities? And how to check water hardness?
• Hard water leading to emulsion splitting
Hard water with high mineral content, including chlorides, calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) can have detrimental effects on the emulsion quality of the fluid, leave residues, and provide food for bacteria to grow. Additionally, sulfur and chlorine can wreak havoc on your coolant; these impair the fluid’s ability to provide adequate rust protection.
If the water is very hard (well above 20° dH/350 ppm), it will lead to emulsion splitting and a decrease in metalworking performance. Using hard water may also cause significant discoloration on the surface of steel and aluminum parts. It may have negative effects such as the formation of lime (calcium) soaps, weakened corrosion protection, reduced emulsion stability, and shorter sump life.
Especially, hard water is difficult to mix with coolant, so it easily separates oil and water, and part of the concentrated liquid is consumed to soften the water, and cannot function as a cutting fluid. In order to ensure the performance of cutting fluids, adding more concentrated fluids increased the cost.
• Soft water increases foaming
The water hardness determines the foam behavior of many metalworking fluid emulsions. If the water is soft (below 8° dH/140 ppm), it is not as problematic as hard water, it can greatly increase foaming.
In most cases, normal tap water can be used for the initial filling of the machine, while treated water is recommended for the preparation of the top-up emulsion. However, some metalworking fluids need soft or even RO water for good long-term stability.
How to check the water quality
Both the water hardness and the chloride concentration can be checked directly on-site with measuring strips. And, we recommended water hardness is between 50 ~ 60 ppm. Additionally, many cities and regions provide information on the local water quality on websites. Once it is ensured that the water quality is ideal for the operation, the mixing process can start.
Do you still face these problems : Decreased metalworking fluid performance? Excessive corrosion? Maybe it's time your water quality was evaluated. You can ask relevant professionals or coolant providers for on-site inspection and analysis.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us, send an email to us or fill out the form below. We will contact you as soon as possible.
At Hai Lu Jya He, our expert team is dedicated to assisting you in selecting the perfect cutting oil for your equipment. Contact us (+886-4-25332210) today to discover how our metalworking oils can enhance your machinery's efficiency, durability, and overall performance.
Do you still face these problems : Decreased metalworking fluid performance? Excessive corrosion? Maybe it's time your water quality was evaluated. You can ask relevant professionals or coolant providers for on-site inspection and analysis.
If you still have any problems, please click Contact Us or fill out the form below or send an email to us. We will contact you as soon as possible.
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