Clogging of Filters used in Hydraulic System - Due to Cellulosic Material

Ethan Ng · Sep 25, 2020

Hi,

A particular filter that is in use for the Hydraulic System of an aircraft that i maintain, keeps on clogging. When we cut open the filter, we find that it is heavily clogged with a dark greyish substance. When we send the dark greyish substance to the Laboratory for examination, the laboratory told us that the substance is a cellulosic material. I'm puzzled because i'm not aware of such material being used in the Hydraulic System. Does anyone have a similar experience?

One possible suspect is the filter itself, but when I tried to look through the filter OEM's website, but there is no material of the construct of the filter there.

Thanks in advance, and regards

Ethan

3DDave · Sep 25, 2020

Maybe someone left a rag or paper towels or tissue in the system; perhaps the tank.

The crack team of assemblers I worked with did that with the cooling system on a diesel, put a rag in a line to keep the coolant from dribbling or some such while servicing. I guess the rag got pushed back where it wasn't hanging out anymore. A 2 stroke supercharged diesel actually depends on cooling and rag as found throughout the heads.

Best of luck finding it. I'd start with any reservoir.

hydtools · Sep 25, 2020

Maybe paper hand towel.

Ted

TugboatEng · Sep 30, 2020

What is the hydraulic fluid? Is it possible there is some degredation or contamination of the fluid? Esters and cellulose aren't too different in terms of atomic makeup.

Compositepro · Oct 5, 2020

I think the lab just told you that you have a paper filter.

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Clogging of Filters used in Hydraulic System - Due to Cellulosic Material

Ethan Ng

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