Although land clearing and protecting the environment might seem mutually exclusive to some, one equipment manufacturer has introduced a green hydraulic fluid product specifically for hydraulic equipment working in wet or dusty conditions where fluid spills are a concern.
Forestry mulcher and vegetation management equipment maker Fecon’s Green Hydraulic Fluids are made from a zinc-free biodegradable formula that the company says stands up to the rigors of land clearing and forestry mulching.
The fluid meets or exceeds Vickers M-2950-S, Vickers 1-286-5, U.S. Steel 126, and U.S. Steel 127 criteria. It also meets or exceeds high-pressure pump requirements.
Extremely low volatility increases the flash and fire safety features, protecting the equipment and its operators, Fecon says.
The product has a high viscosity index meant to provide fluid protection under higher loads and pressures. It is also formulated to provide seal conditioning, which can extend seal life and reduce oil leakage.
In addition, it’s compatible with the same system materials and components that are designed to operate on mineral oil-based and most synthetic-based fluids.
It can be used in extreme conditions such as forestry, marine, and in industrial hydraulic systems that require anti-wear, anti-rust, anti-oxidation, anti-foam, and demusibility properties.
The anti-wear performance meets or exceeds the requirements for Vickers 35VQ-25 and V-104C (ASTM D-2882) vane pump stand tests, the company says, and exceeds DIN 51524 Part 2 and 3 (HLP/HVLP) load stage 10 that is recommended for vane, piston, and gear pumps.
Fecon Green Hydraulic Fluids meet the EPA_ 2013 Vessel General Permit guidelines for Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants and should be used in hydraulic systems in which low toxicity, biodegradability, and non-bioaccumulation properties are required.
They exceed the acute toxicity (LC-50 I EC-50 > 1000 ppm) criteria accepted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the EPA. Because they meet the environmental requirements, Fecon says they can also be used where ISO 15380 (HEES/HETG) hydraulic fluids are specified.
The hydraulic fluid is available in one-gallon, 5-gallon, and 55-gallon containers and is now standard in all Fecon mulching tractors.
