www.hpmag.co.uk HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS September 2025 17 Drive Forward with EtherCAT from Delta Motion CCSLN.com 44(0)1926 485532 Distributor One axis or fifty. Servo hydraulic or servo electric. Position, velocity, or force control. Direct connection or through EtherCAT. Delta RMC Motion Controllers and graphical RMCTools software make complex motion easier, smoother, and more precise. Drive over to deltamotion.com or call 44(0)7594 000453. Get your next project moving forward more quickly than you thought possible! HYDRAULIC VALVES MOTOR DRIVES SENSORS Temperature losses in the pipework are equally costly — every degree lost is a degree not delivered to the process. Why pipe size matters At a flow velocity of roughly 2.0 m/s using water as the cooling medium, a single 6-inch pipe can convey around 134 m?/h, whereas a pair of 4-inch pipes manage closer to 118 m?/h. Assuming a temperature differential of around 5 °C, this equates to an estimated heat transfer of 780 kW for the 6-inch pipe, versus about 690 kW for the twin 4-inch configuration. Even at 6 °C, the larger pipe still delivers more capacity. While two smaller pipes may be easier to handle for temporary hire, they are not a substitute for a correctly sized single run in permanent installations. Getting the balance right is essential for both performance and system longevity. The real cost of poor design The penalties for poor pipework are significant. Inefficient layouts and incorrect sizing can waste between 5% and 25% of hire cooling capacity. In some cases, total plant energy use can rise by up to 40% during temporary operation. Industry data shows that improper pipework can reduce system efficiency by up to 20% and increase energy bills by nearly 35%. These figures exclude the additional cost of downtime if the system trips or fails — a risk that can be avoided with correct design. Protecting hydraulic uptime For hydraulic systems, poor pipework design can be a silent drain on performance. Undersized, oversized, or poorly laid-out pipe runs increase pump energy demand, shorten oil life, and risk unplanned downtime if cooling falls short. The performance of a hydraulic heat exchanger is not defined by the unit alone. Pipe diameter, material selection, layout, and flow velocity are hidden but decisive factors. Get them right, and the heat exchanger will safeguard cooling efficiency and system reliability. Get them wrong, and the cost will be paid not only in wasted energy, but also in unplanned hydraulic system failures. This article was contributed to by ICS Cool Energy. For further information please visit: www.icscoolenergy.com Questions to ask your hire equipment supplier 1. What pipe materials are compatible with the fluid and operating conditions? 2. What velocity range will the system operate in, and how will it be maintained? 3. What’s the estimated pressure drop, and how was it calculated? 4. Does the pipework need to be insulated? 5. Are the connections compatible with my plant?
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=