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Frequent fires involving mineral oils? Why has water–ethylene glycol fire‑resistant hydraulic fluid become the preferred choice for high‑risk operating conditions?

Category:Technical exchange

Category:Lubricating oils and additives

Category:Research and Exploration

Add time:2026-06-06

Summary:In high‑risk operating environments such as metallurgical hot rolling, forging and stamping, aluminum alloy die casting, underground coal mining, and high‑temperature furnace systems, hydraulic system fires have long been a routine safety hazard. Conventional mineral‑based hydraulic fluids have low flash points, are highly flammable, sustain combustion when exposed to open flames, and spread rapidly once ignited. When subjected to molten steel splashes, intense thermal radiation, electric welding sparks, or pipe ruptures that cause oil to spray, they can easily trigger fires and equipment shutdowns—resulting not only in equipment damage and production line downtime but also posing an immediate threat to the safety of frontline personnel.

Frequent fires involving mineral oils? Why has water–ethylene glycol fire‑resistant hydraulic fluid become the preferred choice for high‑risk operating conditions?

In high-risk operating environments such as metallurgical hot rolling, forging and stamping, aluminum alloy die casting, underground coal mining, and high‑temperature furnace systems, hydraulic system fires have long been a routine safety hazard. Conventional mineral‑based hydraulic fluids have low flash points, are highly flammable, sustain combustion when exposed to open flames, and spread rapidly once ignited. When subjected to molten steel splashes, intense thermal radiation, electric welding sparks, or pipe ruptures that cause oil to spray, they can easily trigger fires and equipment shutdowns—resulting not only in equipment damage and production line downtime but also posing an immediate threat to the safety of frontline personnel.

Many companies repeatedly switch to high‑quality mineral oils, install fire‑proof baffles, and upgrade pipeline protection, yet they still fail to eliminate the risk of fires. At root, the flammability of mineral oil is a fundamental physical limitation; protective measures address symptoms but not the underlying cause. In contrast, water‑glycol‑based fire‑resistant hydraulic fluids (HFCs), with their exceptional flame‑retardant safety, robust stability under demanding operating conditions, cost‑effectiveness, and low retrofitting requirements, have become the industry’s preferred mainstream alternative to mineral oil in high‑risk hydraulic applications.

I. Tackling the Core Issue: Why Has Conventional Mineral Oil Become a “Time Bomb” in High-Risk Operating Conditions?

Conventional mineral hydraulic oil is based on petroleum distillates, with flash points typically ranging from 180 to 210°C. It has a low ignition point and high calorific value, making it entirely unsuitable for industrial environments characterized by high temperatures, open flames, and intense thermal radiation. The primary safety concerns center around three key issues:

1. Flammable upon contact with open flames, with a high risk of spontaneous combustion: In the workshop’s high-temperature environment, oil temperatures continuously rise. Should pipelines wear and rupture or joints leak, the resulting high-pressure oil spray, once atomized, can come into contact with sparks or hot workpieces, igniting instantly. The resulting flames spread rapidly and are difficult to extinguish on their own.

2. The accident chain is highly interconnected, resulting in severe losses: Hydraulic systems typically store substantial amounts of oil, and once mineral oil ignites, it continues to feed the fire, easily spreading to nearby cables, rubber and plastic components, and oil storage areas. This can lead to the shutdown of an entire production line and even trigger safety incidents within the workshop, with post-incident costs and downtime far exceeding the cost of the oil itself.

3. Numerous passive protection vulnerabilities: fire curtains, flame-retardant partitions, and alarm systems all constitute passive safeguards, which are unable to cope with extreme operating conditions such as sudden pipe bursts or instantaneous high‑temperature spatter, resulting in an extremely high likelihood of protective failure.

In short, in high‑risk environments involving open flames, extreme temperatures, and frequent splashing, even the highest‑quality mineral oil cannot alter its inherently flammable nature. To completely eliminate fire hazards, it is essential to switch to a non‑flammable hydraulic fluid.

II. Core Advantages: Why Does Water-Glycol Outperform Mineral Oil?

Water‑glycol fire‑resistant hydraulic fluid is a water‑soluble, flame‑retardant medium formulated from deionized water, ethylene glycol, and multifunctional additives. Its key advantage lies in eliminating the risk of sustained combustion at its source, while also meeting the operational requirements of low‑ and medium‑pressure industrial hydraulic systems, thereby effectively addressing the safety limitations inherent in mineral oils.

1. Physically flame-retardant and self-extinguishing upon exposure to fire, eliminating the root cause of fire incidents.

Unlike mineral oil, which is combustible, water‑glycol achieves physical flame retardancy through its water content, offering a safe and stable fire‑suppression mechanism. When the medium is exposed to high temperatures or open flames, the water in the system vaporizes instantly, rapidly absorbing substantial heat and lowering the surrounding temperature. Simultaneously, the resulting steam forms an insulating barrier that prevents oxygen from reaching the fuel, causing the material to self‑extinguish immediately upon removal from the ignition source—without sustained combustion, splashing or spreading, or any risk of reignition.

Even under extreme conditions such as high-pressure oil injection, leakage contacting molten steel, or aluminum‑melt splashing, no open flame will ignite, thereby completely addressing the core safety concerns of mineral‑oil‑based lubricant fires and uncontrolled fire spread, and fully meeting the fire‑ and explosion‑proof safety requirements of high‑risk workshops.

2. Excellent process‑condition adaptability, with stable operation under high‑temperature and high‑pressure conditions.

Many companies worry: Will fire‑retardant fluids compromise hydraulic system performance? High‑quality water‑glycol fire‑retardant fluids are compatible with mainstream industrial medium‑ and low‑pressure hydraulic systems, operating at pressures up to 20 MPa and temperatures ranging from –20°C to 60°C, fully covering the vast majority of high‑risk applications, including forging, die casting, continuous casting, and coal‑mine auxiliary equipment.

This product is formulated with premium anti-wear, anti-rust, defoaming, and corrosion‑inhibiting additives, effectively addressing common issues in water‑soluble fluids such as wear, foaming, and rust. It ensures the reliable operation of critical components like hydraulic pumps, servo valves, and hydraulic cylinders, delivering smooth power output and responsive performance. It can fully replace mineral oil in equipment applications and exhibits excellent thermal stability, resisting oxidation and degradation even under high‑temperature conditions—far surpassing the thermal stability of conventional mineral oils.

3. Equipment retrofitting costs are extremely low, enabling seamless replacement of legacy equipment.

This is the core advantage that sets water‑glycol fluids apart from high‑end, flame‑retardant fluids such as phosphate esters, and it is also the key factor driving small and medium‑sized enterprises and older production lines to choose them.

Compared with phosphate esters, which require a complete overhaul of seals, hoses, and coatings—resulting in extremely high retrofit costs—water‑glycol fluids offer exceptional compatibility: they are compatible with existing conventional seals such as nitrile rubber and polyurethane, eliminating the need for large‑scale replacement of oil seals, gaskets, and hydraulic hoses. The only precaution required is to avoid components made of galvanized, cadmium‑plated, or bare aluminum, allowing for quick commissioning with minimal modifications.

Converting mineral oil to water‑glycol requires only draining the old fluid and briefly flushing the lines, with no need to modify the hydraulic system’s architecture. The retrofit is quick, cost‑effective, and has an extremely low barrier to entry.

4. Simple operations and maintenance, maximum cost-effectiveness, and greater savings across the entire lifecycle.

From a procurement‑cost perspective, water‑glycol fluid is significantly cheaper than synthetic fire‑resistant hydraulic fluid, with a price only slightly above that of conventional mineral oil; however, its safety and operational‑maintenance benefits far outweigh the cost differential.

Daily operations require only periodic monitoring of water content, pH, and viscosity, with deionized water and concentrated concentrate replenished as needed. The fluid is resistant to coking and carbon buildup, avoiding the sludge formation that can occur when mineral oils undergo high‑temperature oxidation and clog valve assemblies, thereby significantly reducing the frequency of filter cartridge changes, pipeline cleanings, and equipment maintenance. Moreover, aqueous glycol waste is easy to treat and does not qualify as a hazardous waste; its disposal costs are far lower than those for mineral oils and phosphate‑ester fire‑resistant fluids, enabling substantial long‑term reductions in operational and maintenance expenses.

III. Precise Adaptation: For these high-risk operating conditions, water‑glycol fluids should be prioritized as replacements.

Water‑glycol fluids are not universally suitable for all hydraulic applications; however, in high‑risk operating conditions where mineral‑oil fires are prevalent, they represent the optimal alternative, with clearly defined and well‑matched application scenarios:

1. Metallurgical industry: high-temperature, open-flame operating conditions such as continuous casting machine hydraulic systems, ladle turret turntables, furnace door opening and closing mechanisms, and hot rolling auxiliary equipment;

2. Hot-processing industries: aluminum alloy die‑casting machines, hot and cold forging hydraulic presses, and stamping thermoforming equipment—eliminating the risk of metal spatter igniting hydraulic oil.

3. Underground coal mines: roadheaders, auxiliary hydraulic supports, and hydraulic systems for underground conveying equipment, all compliant with stringent explosion-proof and fire‑resistant safety standards.

4. Casting and heat‑treatment industries: Hydraulic systems tailored for medium‑frequency furnaces and drive‑hydraulic equipment for heat‑treatment furnaces, specially adapted to high‑temperature radiant environments.

IV. Industry Consensus: In an era where safety takes precedence, flame-retardant alternatives have become the prevailing trend.

As industrial safety standards continue to evolve, “de‑flammability” of hydraulic systems operating under high‑risk conditions has become an essential industry requirement. The traditional fire‑protection approach—relying on manual inspections and passive safeguards—not only drives up management costs but also poses significant safety risks; any incident could result in a serious workplace safety liability.

Water‑glycol fire‑resistant hydraulic fluid, with five core advantages—intrinsic safety, reliable performance, low retrofitting costs, simple operation and maintenance, and high cost‑effectiveness—perfectly balances the three key requirements of safe production, equipment reliability, and cost control, making it the optimal solution today for high‑risk industrial medium‑ and low‑pressure hydraulic systems, replacing flammable mineral oils and eliminating the risk of hydraulic fires.

Conclusion and Summary

Fires involving mineral oils are frequent—not because of inadequate protective measures, but because the fluid itself has critical inherent shortcomings. In high‑risk operating conditions characterized by high temperatures, open flames, and frequent splashing, passive fire protection is less effective than intrinsic fire‑resistance. Water‑glycol‑based fire‑retardant hydraulic fluids address hydraulic system fire hazards at the source, balancing equipment reliability with cost efficiency—making them the preferred solution today for reducing risks, minimizing accidents, and controlling costs in high‑hazard industrial hydraulic applications.

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