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Causes of leakage in oil coolers, whether water or oil leaks
Release date:
26-04-21
During the operation of the unit, the oil cooler supplied by the manufacturer may experience leaks at the bottom end cover—either water or oil. Such failures are particularly common during startup and shutdown. Let us now explain the underlying causes.
During the operation of the unit, the oil cooler supplied by the manufacturer may experience leaks at the bottom end cover, either of water or oil. Such failures are particularly common during startup and shutdown. Let us now explain the underlying causes.
1) During unit startup or shutdown, pressure fluctuations frequently occur on both the oil side and the water side of the oil cooler, causing the O-ring to shift and resulting in leakage.
2) During installation, if the oil cooler is misaligned internally, the clearance of the O-ring will become abnormal. Under operating conditions, even slight pressure fluctuations—on either the oil side or the water side—can lead to leakage.
3) During each cold oil cooler overhaul, when replacing the O-ring, the confined space at the bottom end cover creates installation difficulties, often resulting in the O-ring being crushed by the copper seat and subsequently leaking. After each maintenance cycle, the likelihood of leakage on the water side exceeds that on the oil side, further demonstrating that the current design is unfavorable for maintenance and for ensuring maintenance quality.
The isolation between the oil and water in the oil cooler, as well as any leakage of either fluid, relies entirely on two O‑ring seals. If either O‑ring is damaged or displaced, altering the sealing gap, leakage will inevitably occur. Because the sealing surfaces of these O‑rings are located on the left and right sides—rather than the conventional top and bottom—increasing the tightening torque of the flange bolts will not reduce the leakage once it has begun. Based on this analysis, the above factors are the primary causes of changes in the O‑ring sealing gap and subsequent seal failure.
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