Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

In today’s guide, you will learn how to choose a suitable hydraulic tank filter housing.

Whether you’re looking for information about material type, specification, installation process or replacement.

It is all in this FAQ guide.

What is Hydraulic Filter Housing?

This is a pressure vessel that houses the other components of a hydraulic filter.

A hydraulic filter housing is made of a bowl and head that permits access to filter elements.

It also hosts inlet and outlet ports, by-pass valves, mounting holes and indicators of element conditions.

Hydraulic tank filter housing

What is the difference between Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing and Filter Element?

A hydraulic tank filter housing is made specifically for holding the filter elements.

On the other hand, filter elements are responsible for the actual filtration of contaminants in the hydraulic fluid.

Filter housing vs filter element

Which Type of Hydraulic Filter Elements are there?

There are different types of filters that you can sue in your application at different sections of the system.

They include:

· Air Filters

Though forgotten, it is an important component of contamination control.

It is fundamental for breathing systems that require air to be siphoned into the system and expelled in the cause of operation.

· Suction Filters

These filters are located before the pump to protect them from fluid contamination.

They are fitted with a coarse mesh and therefore cannot filter out fine particles.

Make sure to consult your pump manufacturer since some do not recommend the use of suction filters.

· Pressure Filters

These filters are fitted immediately after the pump and designed for the protection of the most vital components in the system.

You have to ensure that the filter is compatible with the flow rate of the system.

Mostly they are fitted with finer mesh and are able to filter out very fine particles.

· Return Filters

These filters are used to remove contaminants arising from wearing of system components like the cylinders.

They are low pressure filters and such are also cheaper.

In most cases, they are the last filters located just before the fluid is drained back into reservoir tanks.

They are therefore vital for protecting the pump from contamination arising from the working components of the system.

· Offline Filters

They are fitted outside the main system lines.

Their main purpose is to keep the reservoir fluid at a constant contamination level hence acting as a secondary filter system.

They consist of a pump, electrical motor, filter, and complementary hardware.

The reservoir fluid is pumped through the filter lines and back to the main tank continuously.

What should you consider when choosing Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing?

Selecting the most appropriate hydraulic tank filter housing will ensure proper functioning and longevity of the filter assembly components.

The following factors will influence the choice of the most appropriate housing assemblies:

Hydraulic tank filter housing

1. Pressure Rating

You need to choose a hydraulic filter housing that is suitable for your operation.

You can do this by determining the nominal and maximum pressure at which the filter housing should operate at.

Choosing a filter housing that does not match your application rating will significantly reduce the efficiency of your system.

For instance, when you choose a filter housing that should perform at a lower pressure than your system application, all the filter elements will be destroyed.

On the other hand, using a filter housing with a higher pressure rating than your application will reduce the rate of fluid flow thus resulting in improper filtration.

2. Filter Housing Models and Designs

You need to ensure that you have the right series and models while placing purchase orders.

This is because different applications that use filters greatly vary in model designs.

For example, in some application, the design can be placed at the top while others at the bottom, inside, front, outside, and vice versa.

Choosing the most appropriate model and design will ensure that the function of your application is not subjected to incompatibility shortcomings.

3. Size and Quality

The size of the hydraulic filter housing will depend on the hydraulic system environments.

It will also depend on special requirements associated with the environments.

It is essential that you choose hydraulic filter housing that is accredited and meet integrity tests by relevant regulatory authorities.

Different kinds of materials are available for your selection.

However, you should consider the costing and working environment when selecting a suitable material for your filter housing.

4. Temperature

Just like pressure, you need to know the optimal operating temperature for your hydraulic filter housing.

Choosing a filter housing that is manufactured for a lower working temperature than your application will lower hydraulic fluid viscosity.

Hence affecting the filtration quality.

Similarly, selecting a filter housing for higher working temperature will reduce the efficiency of the filtration process.

5. Flow Rates

Different types and designs of filter housing are made to conform with specific flow rate levels.

You should select a filter housing that has a similar flow rate to your application for a smooth transfer of hydraulic pressure in the system.

6. Inlet and Outlet Connections

Inlet and outlet placement and sizing vary between the different models and designs.

You should match your system requirements and the filter housing so as to avoid piping limitations that may arise from mismatch.

7. By Pass Valve

This valve will open and allow continuous flow of the hydraulic fluid when the filter element is choked up with contaminants. It will prevent collapsing of the filter elements.

A variety of bypass valve designs are available which will give you options in choosing the most appropriate hydraulic filter housing for your hydraulic systems.

Bypass to tank, the design is made in a way that it will allow the unfiltered bypass flow back to the reservoir tank through a third port.

This prevents the contaminated bypass flow from returning to the main system.

Similarly, you can opt for no bypass designs which are made to block any downward flow of unfiltered hydraulic fluid. 

You will use these designs where you need to implement very high protection against very sensitive components in the hydraulic system.

You have to select the bypass design before sizing in a filter housing.

With this considered, you should choose a bypass with the highest cracking pressure which will provide the longest element life.

8. Elements Condition Indictors

This equipment will let you know when the filter elements are supposed to be cleaned or replaced.

They are calibrated and will produce signals if the bypass valve is opened.

Filter housing can possess indicators with mechanical linkage to the bypass valve.

Alternatively, these indicators can also operate as independent sensing devices on differential pressure.

They will provide either electrical, visual or both types of signals.

You can set your indicators to signal you at 5%-25% prior to opening of the bypass valve.

Which Material is Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing Made of?

Your decision on the choice of a housing assembly material will rely on the inherent ability of the material to:

• Withstand the operating pressure
• External operating environment

The material should also be mechanically and chemically compatible with hydraulic fluid, prevent fluid permeability and associated leakages.

Several hydraulic housings are made from steel, iron, aluminum, copper and bronze are available.

The following materials are more commonly used for manufacturing hydraulic filter housing.

· Carbon Steel

These filter housings are made from a mixture of high quality carbon and steel as the main materials.

You can select from the following types of carbon steel housing materials;

• Low or mild carbon steel
• High tensile carbon steel
• Higher carbon steel

Carbon filter housing

Generally, this material is relatively cheaper than most other materials and hence will also translate into lower priced filter housing.

It can also withstand relatively higher pressure levels.

However, its use can be greatly reduced when the ratio of carbon is higher than steel.

This will reduce the melting point and the efficiency of joint welding.

· Steel Grade SS 316

Stainless steel filter housing

This steel grade is composed of 10% nickel, 16% chromium and 2% molybdenum.

The main advantage associated with this steel grade is high resistance to corrosion due to presence of molybdenum.

It also durable and very stable at high temperatures.

· Steel Grade SS304

This material contain nickel (8%) and chromium (18%).

It can tolerate very high temperature and supports splendorous surface finishing.

· UNS S32760 Housing for Seawater

This most suitable material when you want to filter salty fluids like seawater.

It is also the best material when your operation plant is located in salty environments as its composition is highly resistant to corrosion as a result of salt.

It is specifically composed of molybdenum (6%), nickel (7%), tungsten, copper, and chromium (25%).

The material also possesses great impact strength which will enable you to filter without concerns of cracks and breakage.

How much do Hydraulic Tank Filter Housings Cost?

The cost of hydraulic tank filter housing will vary greatly depending on the type of material, housing design, size, type of housing, etc.

You can get a hydraulic tank filter housing costing from as low as $30 dollars apiece to as high as $ 6000 per duplex setting.

Make sure to confirm the model prices before placing a purchase order.

How does High Pressure Hydraulic Filter Housing compare to Low Pressure Filter Housing?

High pressure filter housing is designed and made with materials that are capable of withstanding very high pressure and heat since they operate at full pressure system.

Because of the high quality material requires, the high pressure filters are usually more expensive.

In contrast, low pressure filter housing is mostly found in the return application and hence can only withstand low pressure. 

They are less expensive.

Hydraulic tank filter housing

What is Duplex Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing?

This is the equipment that hosts all the critical constituents of the duplex filter. 

Duplex filters are made of a pair of identical filter housing which can operate interchangeably in case of servicing or breakdown of the filter cartridges in one of the housings.

You can install the duplex housing in a secure and stable platform to avoid vibrations when in operation.

The housing also hosts the inlet and outlet for hydraulic fluid as well as a drug plug for removal of contaminants from the working area.

When should you use Simplex Hydraulic Filter Tank Housing?

You can only use simplex hydraulic filters housings in hydraulic processes that can be interrupted to allow servicing.

Duplex vs simplex filter housing

How long can Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing last?

Because most hydraulic tank filter housings are reusable, their durability will be influenced by the quality, operating environment conditions and workload intensity and handling.

With proper care and servicing, a high quality filter housing can last for years under favorable operational conditions.

When should you get Replacement Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing?

You should always conduct regular inspections to monitor the conditions of your systems’ hydraulic tank housing.

You should immediately replace any filter housing with visible damages like denting or those that have worn out from continuous use.

You should also replace cracked and leaking filter housings. 

What affects Efficiency of Hydraulic Filter Housing?

The efficiency of hydraulic system is influenced by a number of factors including;

• The operational environmental conditions i.e. operating temperature, pressure and flow rates
• The type of hydraulic fluid used
• The type of material used in manufacturing the filter housing
• Installation conditions of the filter housing
• Care and maintenance

What are the Parts of Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing?

The hydraulic tank filter housing usually consists of two or more assemblies.

The following parts are characteristic of a standard hydraulic filter housing constituents.

Parts of hydraulic filter housing

· The body

This is the exterior part of the filter housing is generally made of different kinds of material.

You can choose from diverse materials available.

A quality material should, however, be able to withstand the environmental pressure and maintain good chemical compatibility with the hydraulic fluid among other factors.

· Cartridge Couplers

This equipment simultaneously joins two filter cartridges and therefore doubles the filtration capacity. 

This is achieved through extensions of filter length and enhancement of filtration efficacy. 

Furthermore, they reduce production costs owing to their reusability

· Sumps

This is a tubular structure located at the bottom section of hydraulic filter housing.

It acts as collection point for unfiltered hydraulic fluid during filtration.

· Cap

Filter housing caps are vital components of the filter housing.

These components prevent leakage of hydraulic fluid and entry of dusts.

They also ensure maximum filtration through holding the filter elements in place inside the housing.

While choosing a filter housing, ensure that the accompanying caps are of high quality.

Poor quality caps will result into leakage of hydraulic fluid which can cause serious damage to other components of the hydraulic system.

· Pressure Release Buttons

These buttons are found on sides of a hydraulic filter and are essential for regulating the level of pressure inside the housing.

They also avoid rapture of the filter elements through ensuring that the pressure does not exceed the maximum levels.

· Stands

These are responsible for firm placement of the filter housing in a table position.

You can choose between the flexible and inflexible filter housing stands depending on your hydraulic process.

Flexible stands are found in filter housing with small and multiple process.

These stands enable the filter housing to change positions in the cause of operation.

Inflexible stands are associated with continuous applications associated with large processes.

They are stationary in nature and so is the mounted filter housing.

How do you clean Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing?

You should clean the hydraulic tank house every time you are servicing the filters.

You can achieve this by following these steps:

• Inspect the filter service indicator to confirm whether the filters are due for servicing.
• Switch off the hydraulic system and release the pressure
• Depending with the type of hydraulic filter housing you are servicing, you can either unscrew the cartridge housing or remove the housing cover
• Gently remove the contents of the filter housing and safely dispose the used filters, cartridges, seals and springs where applicable.
• Thoroughly clean out any sediments inside and outside the filter housing together with accompanying gaskets, mounts and covers.
• Set the filter housing to dry out on a clean surface. At this point you can now acquire new cartridges and reinstall the filter housing back to the piping appropriately.

How do you join Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing to Piping System?

You should take care to carefully join the filter housing to the piping system.

This is to avoid damages that would otherwise compromise the effectiveness of the filtration system.

• The first step is to ensure all the components of the filter housing and filter assemblies are not damaged in any way.
• Using a clean system oil, lubricate the gaskets, seals, O-rings, and thread.
• Ensure that the cartridges and filter elements are well installed.
• Gently fit the housing to the filter head through aligning the thread and spinning the filter until the gasket contacts the sealing surface.
• Using your hands, tighten the filters as instructed on the filter housing. Take care not to over-tighten.
• Bleed the system and inspect for any leakage.

Do all Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing have Drain Plug?

No, not all hydraulic filter housing are fitted with drain plugs.

For instance, many manufactures produce spin on filter housings that lack drain plugs.

Spin on filter housing

However, where available, in-house drain plugs ensure easy servicing through releasing system pressure.

How can you Test for Leakage in Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing?

You can test for leakage through bubble tight helium leakage test. Follow these steps for your test:

• Connect the filter housing to be tested to gaseous helium supply tank.
• Submerge the filter housing under water then increase the gaseous supply pressure
• Repeat the test at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of the maximum allowable working pressure while observing for production of bubbles.
• A continuous production of bubbles for more than a minute is an indication of leakage in the filter housing.

Which Surface Finish for Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing are there?

An expertly done polishing will give the filter tank housing a touch of professionalism besides adding some aesthetic value.

These are some of the available surface finishing techniques that can be used for materials for making thank filter housing:

• Electro polishing
• Abrasive blasting
• Grinding
• Chemical and mechanical planarization
• Burnishing
• Industrial etching
• Barreling
• Thermal deburring

Are there Quality Standards for Hydraulic Tank Filter Housing?

Different countries have developed accreditation and certification bodies that ensure manufactures of hydraulic filter housing comply with ISO 9001 standards.

These standards ensure that manufactures meet the statuary and regulatory standards associated with production of quality materials.

As you can see, choosing hydraulic tank filter housing requires an in-depth understanding of all the aspects in this guide.

At the same time, FilSon team is also ready to help get the best hydraulic tank filter housing.

Remember, FilSon offers the best filter housing replacement for top brands in the industry such as Hydac filter housing replacement, and Pall filter housing replacement, amongst others.

You can contact us today for all your hydraulic tank filter housing solutions.