OilLife Bypass Oil Filter System
The OilLife bypass oil filter (formerly known as EOLS: Extended OilLife System) is a kidney loop filtration system that enhances engine lubrication beyond the capabilities of traditional oil filters. Working in parallel with standard oil filtration, the OilLife system uses both filtration and evaporation to remove solid, chemical and gaseous contaminants from oils and hydraulic fluids. When combined with our OilAlert oil condition sensors, you can extend oil life and enjoy the security of realtime reporting of oil quality.
About 80% of engine failures can be attributed to contaminated oil impairing engine lubrication. In hydraulic systems, the figure is even higher with around 90% of breakdowns being caused by oil-borne contaminants. Traditional full-flow filters usually struggle to remove small wear particles and are unable to remove gaseous contamination.
The OilLife bypass oil filter system is suitable for engine, hydraulic, transmission and compressor oils and the results and benefits are impressive:
- Oil drain intervals extended by at least 4 times.
- Reduced wear and damage to the engine.
- Reduced oil usage and disposal cost.
- Minimised filter replacement and ongoing consumable costs.
- Reduced likelihood of unpredictable maintenance.
The OilLife system improves engine lubrication. The state-of-the-art dual filtration and slow-venting evaporation systems combine to remove all forms of contamination. Contamination can be traced to a number of root causes such as liquid acids, sludge, soot, abrasive particles and fuel dilution. Our OilLife system removes at least 98.4% of solid contaminants down to 1 micron in a single pass.
The OilLife bypass oil filter system can extend the life of your oil by up to 4 times
Extended oil life is one part of our services to help industries that rely on heavy capital equipment – especially if that equipment operates in remote locations.
- Open cast and underground mining vehicles.
- Construction and earth-moving vehicles.
- Commercial and military shipping.
- Passenger transport.
- Haulage.
- Landfill power generation.
- Renewable power generation.
OilLife bypass oil filters extend the service intervals of mining and quarrying vehicles
OilLife bypass oil filters reduce the maintenance demands of inaccessible sites like offshore wind farms
OilLife bypass oil filters keep construction equipment working productively by reducing oil changes
On-board maintenance is reduced by OilLife bypass oil filters
How OilLife bypass oil filters work
The OilLife system combines the dual-action process of filtration and evaporation to remove all oil-based contaminants.Contaminated oil is transferred through a small metering jet under normal engine oil pressure supplied by the engine’s oil pump.
Oil is passed through long-strand, protein-rich cotton, a highly efficient filtration medium capable of absolute filtration down to 1 micron. Acidic contaminants react with the protein-rich cotton, removing them completely from the oil. Once filtered, the oil enters the heated evaporation chamber where liquid contaminants and gases are evaporated and vented to the atmosphere.
The OilLife unit features a unique patented diffuser plate design which provides a large heated surface area relative to the volume of oil. This allows the thin film evaporation effect to remove all precursors to acid formation. After the contaminants are removed, the clean oil is gravity-fed back to the engine oil sump. For hydraulic applications such as bow thrusters, the system incorporates its own electrically-powered pump to provide oil circulation through the cleaning system and back to the hydraulic tank.
Why is 1-micron filtration important?
Particulates under one micron in size will not have an abrasive effect in engine or hydraulic oil. Most quality engine and hydraulic oils will keep solid contaminants under 4 microns (such as sludge) in suspension.
However, the danger is that smaller particles will combine, fall out of suspension and collect in the engine oil sump. This results in a considerable drop in performance in the engine and hydraulic system.
Financial
Example cost analysis
| System | Engine with standard oil filtration | Engine with OilLife oil filtration | Operational savings per year |
| Service interval (hours) | 400 | 1,600 | |
| £2,350.00 | £658.00 | £1,692.00 | |
| * Figures are for guidance only. | |||
Assumptions
- 1,000kVa generator.
- Running 3,000 hours a year.
- 180 litres of oil.
- Industry average labour, oil and filter prices.
Competitive comparison
The OilLife bypass oil filter removes at least 98.4% of solid contaminants down to 1 micron in a single pass. OilLife prevents the formation of the acids which hamper an oil’s ability to lubricate, seal and cool the engine. The system’s dual action of filtration and thin film evaporation is five times more effective than alternative diffuser plate designs.
OilLife is a versatile and effective solution for use across a wide range of applications including transmission fluids, hydraulic oils, compressor and engine oils.
OilLife benefits
- Greater cost savings – lower unit cost, lower consumption in filter media and 2 stage disposal process.
- Suitable for a wide range of high and medium speed engines.
- For use with multiple applications.
Evaporation process
- Unique thin film evaporation chamber design.
- Heating element.
- Thin film evaporation effect removes water, diesel fuel (light hydrocarbons) and sulphur dioxide / trioxide.
Filtration process
- Long-strand, unbleached, unprocessed cotton.
- Solid contaminants filtered down to 1 micron.
- Slow flow rate (40 litres per hour) in order to retain solid contaminants and allow chemical reaction with cotton (acid retention).
- Prevents build up of sludge.
Alternative systems
Centrifuge models are partially effective at removing sub 5-micron contaminants
- Most alternative by-pass systems are application specific.
- Higher unit cost and up to six stage disposal process.
- Alternative models cover a lower application range.
Video
Combining our OilAlert and OilLife systems adds an unbeatable edge to any mechanical equipment, vehicle or vessel. OilLife reduces operating costs by safely extending service intervals and OilAlert oil quality sensors give you the confidence to extract maximum productivity.
Watch our videos to see how OilLife works and some typical scenarios:
Specifications
| OP15 | OP80 | OP100 | |
| Maximum engine hp (guide) | 300 | 800 | 1000 |
| Max oil capacity litres (engines) | 30 | 80 | 200 |
| Max oil capacity gallons UK (engines) | 6 | 18 | 44 |
| Max oil capacity gallons US (engines) | 7 | 21 | 53 |
| Maximum oil capacity litres (hydraulics) | 500 | 2000 | 3000 |
| Maximum oil capacity gallons UK (hydraulics) | 33 | 441 | 661 |
| Maximum oil capacity gallons US (hydraulics) | 40 | 500 | 1000 |
| Flow rate litres/hour | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| Flow rate gallons UK/hour | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Flow rate gallons US/hour | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Current draw (amps) | |||
| 12 VDC | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 |
| 24 VDC | 6.25 | 6.25 | 6.25 |
| 110 VDC | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 |
| 220 VDC | 0.68 | 0.68 | 0.68 |