Selection of Pumps and Filter Systems Based on Oil Contaminant Levels in an Agricultural Tractor

The use of the Oklahoma State University Pump Contaminant Sensitivity Test, OSU-F2 Multi-pass Filter Performance Test, and knowledge of hydraulic fluid contamination levels in field tests have proved to be highly effective tools in the development of a reliable hydraulic system for a modern farm tractor.

Goals for an improved filter system were: To provide as much filter capacity as economically possible; to increase the filter flow rate; to isolate the pumps from the sources of contaminants. These modifications corrected the problems: Brake friction surfaces which generated less contaminant; a pump with greater contaminant tolerance; an improved filtration system.