Flushing Hydraulic Control Lines
VFL flushes hydraulic control line for the Subsea Industry. The control lines range from 1/4 inch to 3" in ID. The lines may be tubing or hose and the length may be from inches to many miles long. The lines may be in a bundle (as in an umbilical) or a piece of equipment. The fluids are usually Glycol based, but may vary depending on the customer requirements.
VFL considers the flow rate of the cleaning fluid to be the "number one" priority in extracting debris and particulate matter from hydraulic control lines. In particular, during any flushing operation, the Reynolds number must be high enough to generate turbulent flow. VFL flushing stations are able to achieve required flow in different size tubing and hoses without bypassing fluid, using our variable frequency drive to control an electric motor driven triplex pump.
VFL uses the following standards for the
analysis of fluid samples.
NAS 1638: Cleanliness Required of Parts Used in Hydraulic Systems.
SAE AS4059: Aerospace Fluid Power - Cleanliness Classification for Hydraulic Fluids.
ISO 4406: Method of Coding the Level of Contamination by Solid Particles.
The sofisticated flushing stations are also suitable for hydraulic pressure testing to 15,000 psi and have been used to provide emergency hydraulic power upon the failure of primary HPU's to help keep operations on line.
See VFL Documents for futher information.