Description: The Kleenoil USA filter cartridge is made of densely wound pure coniferous long fiber wood pulp paper. It is held together in a material casing and comes in specified sizes for use in the appropriate filtration units as shown in the specification table below.

Action of the cartridge: The filtration cartridge acts both by absorption and by adsorption in a continuous recycling process. The long fibers of the paper attract the water formed either through the combustion process or by condensation and absorb it like a sponge, at the same time rejecting the large oil molecules which are forced to pass between the tight windings of the cartridge. As the oil passes through the cartridge, minute carbon, wear metals, and silicon particles are extracted from the oil by adhering to the many surfaces of the filter - a process known as adsorption. Thus the cartridge, by removing water inhibits the production of acids which both degrade the oil and cause excessive wear. The simultaneous removal of minute contaminants as they occur enables the oil life to be extended within its original operating specification.

The Kleenoil filter cartridge will remove particles down to 3 micron (relative) and totally remove water. The principle for filtering particulate matter is ‘liquid liquid chromatography’ which is in effect allowing a fluid to drain down a surface which will progressively arrest particles. This is achieved by having the tissue rolled on a core.Oil is passed up the core of a paper roll where it collects in a cavity between the lid of the filter housing and the paper roll.It is then forced down between the layers of the tissue where particles are adsorbed within the matrix created by millions of cellulose fibres which form the tissue layer. The principle for filtering water is capillary absorption into the hollow vegetable fibre of the cellulose tissue. The molecular structure of the oil is to large to be absorbed ‘capillary action’ in to the fibres, however the water is absorbed into the fibre and separates from the oil.

The construction of the Kleenoil filter cartridge is cellulose tissue, (paper) and we seek to always obtain a long fibre tissue which has not been previously processed. Short fibres will absorb the water, but the pressure of flowing oil will cause the water to be released back into the oil. A long fiber will have the ends crushed by the pressure of flow and a small portion of water will be permanently retained in each fiber. Water retention is approximately 2.2 litres per kilo of tissue.

Most papers are made with a large amount of repulped material, and as a general rule the fiber length is approximately halved each time it is re-pulped. The shortened fibre will not retain a significant amount of water, and tends to collapse into a repulped state when water is introduced. To be able to retain a large amount of very small particles the winding of the cellulose roll must be extremely precise. Normal paper converters operate at high speed and the motion is not particularly smooth.

To make an efficient filter the winding must reflect a constant and even tension, yet not be so to tight that oil will not freely flow. Re-pulped tissue with shorter fibres will not have the tensile strength to permit the tension without breaking.

To conclude, the cellulose tissue used to manufacture a Kleenoil cartridge must be from ‘virgin coniferous’ or other long fiber wood. It must must have no element of ‘broke’ (re-pulped material). There must be no chemicals such as optical bleach present, which could alter the features of other chemicals added to the oil being cleaned, There must be a constant slow wind to give the optimum density and tension of the material.

Any proprietary tissue would be unlikely to produce a filter which would meet the established specification of filtration to below 3 microns and total water removal within five passes.

Important Note: While the filtration unit is extracting the water and the contaminant, it is continuously safeguarding the desirable elements compounded within the actual oil in use. These typically include, dependent upon use, dispersants, detergents, oxidation and rust inhibitors, metal de-activators, pour-point depressants, viscosity improvers, lubricity agents, fungicidal, anti-foaming and gelling additives. These additives are held in suspension and their levels can be critical if the oil is to maintain its beneficial qualities.

Oil Flow Rate: Output levels are dependent on viscosity, temperature, degree of contamination, and oil pressure. Guide – For SAE 15w/40 oil @ 70 c/ 60 psi/ 4.2Kcm-0.44gcm/ 2.01mp to 0.65gpm/ 3.01mp

Operating Temperatures: Within operating specifications of engine, gear and hydraulic oils.
Filtration Level: Particulate contamination in accordance with BS 5540 part 4: 1981 and ISO/DIS 4406. ISO equivalent to NAS 1638 class 6. (Hydraulic oil specification)