Oil Conditioning Systems
Remove moisture and particulate contamination from steam and gas turbine lube oils. Hilco oil conditioning systems extend oil life, protect bearings and system components from corrosion, and reduce unplanned maintenance — with systems in operation worldwide across power generation, refinery, chemical, and heavy industrial facilities.
Why oil conditioning matters
The problem
The primary target is moisture contamination in steam turbine lube oils with good water separability characteristics (ASTM-D1401). Water accelerates bearing wear, promotes varnish formation, degrades additive packages, and causes hydrogen embrittlement of dynamically stressed surfaces. Amounts as low as 100 ppm can have serious effects on system components — reducing service life by 50 percent or more.
The result
Stand-alone oil conditioning systems
Complete systems from 1 to 100 GPM. Connect to the reservoir and operate. Each includes pump, motor, controls, pre-filter or post-filter vessels, coalescer/separator vessel, sampling ports, and automatic water drain.
Sizing guide
System flow capacity should be at least ½% of total lube oil volume.
| Model | Flow Rate | Reservoir Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 02CS10 | 10 GPM (2,270 LPH) | 2,000 Gallons (7,750 L) |
| 02CS20 | 20 GPM (4,540 LPH) | 4,000 Gallons (15,140 L) |
| 02CS30 | 30 GPM (6,810 LPH) | 6,000 Gallons (22,710 L) |
| 02CS60 | 60 GPM (13,625 LPH) | 12,000 Gallons (45,425 L) |
| 02CS100 | 100 GPM (22,710 LPH) | 20,000 Gallons (75,710 L) |
Options
Custom designs
Hilco engineers will analyze your requirements and design a system for your specific needs — from the smallest single-cartridge vessel to the most complex coalescer system. The Hilco lab can evaluate customer oil samples and recommend the right performance level and features.
Stainless and carbon steel heated system
With pre-filter. Explosion-proof with purged electrical enclosure and transmitters. Designed for demanding power generation environments.
Portable carbon steel heated system
With two pre-filters. Explosion-proof, rated for Group B (hydrogen) atmosphere. Designed for hydrogen-cooled generator seal oil service.
Portable models and element vessels
Portable Models
Flow capacities from 1 to 30 GPM. ASME code and non-code designs. Coalescer vessel with or without separator elements. Wheeled, forklift-movable, or trailer-mounted. Available with or without controls, with customer-specific electrical requirements.
Single or Multiple-Element Vessels
Flow capacities to 100 GPM. Designed to side-stream a portion of existing lube oil system pump flow. ASME code and non-code designs. Duplex designs with integral transfer valve for uninterrupted flow during element changes.
Typical system performance
Moisture content of a 2,000-gallon steam turbine reservoir with a 10-GPM Hilco oil conditioner installed. After 16 hours of operation, the system reduced moisture from 3,174 ppm to its natural saturation point.