Enhanced Performance of Agriculture Based Biodegradable Hydraulic Fluids

Farm equipment and other industries use biodegradable hydraulic fluids (BHF), esters based on agricultural raw materials, that provide rapid decomposition and reduced environmental problems associated with spills. Hydrolytic stability is major problem, since BHFs react with dissolved water creating alcohols and acids accelerating degradation. This program introduces a membrane system to remove water and stabilize BHF. The inert membrane withstands harsh thermal and chemical environments and in-line systems remove water in real time. Phase I was very successful both technically and commercially. Using commercial products, we demonstrated rapid 90% removal of water (program goal of 50%) and showed water removal dramatically reduced deleterious acid formation. Systems showed excellent stability. Engineering and economic analysis projected system costs less than $1,000 with payback time of seven months. These positive results encouraged industry players to provide key support for Phase II and subsequent commercialization. Phase II will integrate commercial membrane modules into hydraulic systems in laboratory followed by full scale field tests to demonstrate a field system with costs less than $1,000 and payback times less than one year. Previous results in combination with key industrial partners and our commercial manufacturing infrastructure positions the program for Phase II and commercial success.