Breathers
Hydraulic reservoirs "breathe" air in and out as the oil level rises and falls. This circulating air contains articles and moisture that can cause corrosion, increase equipment wear and reduce fluid performance. In typical systems, the internal hydraulic fluid is warmer than the external environment. This difference in temperatures causes water vapor to form. Breathers protect your hydraulic system by filtering out damaging moisture and particles.
More than 25% of the samples sent to the Eaton Fluid Analysis Laboratory for analysis have significant water contamination. In an operating system, the H20-gate Vent Breather creates a moisture barrier when there is a 5°F (2°C) difference between reservoir and ambient temperature and when there is a 10% per minute exchange of air volume above the fluid. The Mobile-gate breather is smaller in size but is also 1/4 the size and 1/2 the capacity of the H20-gate. These temperature and air flow conditions are present in most hydraulic systems which employ a cylinder.
During the "inhalation" cycle, the proprietary media blocks the water vapor from entering the reservoir. During the "exhalation" cycle, the media allows the moisture in the reservoir air to exit. The moisture is carried off the media by the exiting air, restoring the media's water barrier capacity and the moisture barrier mechanism is not affected by the amount of exposure to moisture. The reservoir air is maintained at a low relative humidity and more importantly, at a lower dew point temperature than the ambient temperature.
Works even when the system is shut down.
The H20-gate and Mobile-gate Vent Breather retard the vapor equilibrium process and work to prevent condensation even after the system is shut and cooled down, such as overnight. As this chart illustrates, the dewpoint is slow to climb, even after the system temperature has dropped to the ambient temperature. Once the system has reached ambient temperature, condensation does not occur.
Reduces humidity inside reservoir.
The H20-gate and Mobilegate Vent Breathers lower and stabilize the relative humidity of air inside the reservoir, leading to a lower dewpoint (Tdewpoint < Tambient = NO CONDENSATION) at a rate and amount that will be dependent upon several conditions: the ambient conditions, the internal reservoir heat, amount and frequency of reservoir air flow through the vent and the temperature of the reservoir surfaces.
