Sizing Air Cooled Oil Coolers Correctly: A Practical Guide for Plant Engineers
Your hydraulic system is running fine in winter, but in peak summer, the oil temperature crosses 65 to 70°C, and alarms start flashing. Sound familiar? Incorrect sizing is one of the most common reasons that can cause your systems. In order to prevent it from damaging your machinery from the inside, you need to invest in the right air-cooled oil coolers from a reliable manufacturer. By getting your hand on the right cooler, you can ensure optimal heat load calculation, flow rate, and ambient conditions. When you size correctly, you protect pumps, seals, and overall system efficiency. Start with Actual Heat Load Calculation Before selecting any industrial oil cooling equipment, calculate the heat load in kilowatts (kW). In hydraulic systems, nearly 25 to 30% of input power converts into heat due to inefficiencies. You can obviously use the formula: Heat Load (kW) = Flow Rate × Pressure Drop ÷ 600. If you skip this step, you may undersize the cooler. That leads to thermal degradation of...