C.C.

JENSEN presents
Varnish Removal Unit (VRU)
What is Varnish?

As oil degrades the functional properties and composition

change. Oil degradation creates unwanted by products:

● Varnish (sticky sand paper like deposits)

● Soft contaminants (sludge/resins that dissolve in warm oil)

● Acid compounds

varnish formation on
inlet guide vane valve
 Contamination by Oxidation

Wear Particles
Depletion
of Additives Oxidation by products
Water = ● Resins
● Sludge
● Varnish

Air Heat

Base Oil Oxidation

Servo control valves are designed with very fine tolerances.
Varnish on spools and bores restrict oil flow and cause valves to stick.
What does varnish cost ?

Unplanned downtime
- turbine trips
- seized components

Oil Changes
- cost of new oil
- cost to dispose of used oil
- system flushing
varnish on valve surface
What does varnish cost ...

● Maintenance to clean varnished

components

● Cleaning sludge and sediment

from oil reservoir

varnish on journal bearing sleeve

What does varnish cost ...

Increased component wear & replacement parts

What is the cost of varnish?

Oil Changes…………………….......…..$
Flushing Service…………………......…$
Turbine trips…………..…………...…....$
Cleaning Parts and Reservoir…….......$
Replacement Parts…………………......$
Down Time……………..………....…......$
Are inline filters enough?

varnish clogged inline filter of

servo valve hydraulics

● Cannot keep up with particles and sludge

● Expensive to frequently replace
● Do not remove soft contaminants held in suspension
How does the VRU work?

● The on board chiller cools the oil

down to 5 degrees Celsius

● As the oil cools the varnish comes

out of solution.

● Filter inserts retain the varnish,

sludge, and particles
How does the VRU work ...

● Polar attraction causes the inserts to

retain varnish and soft contaminants

● The cellulose fibres both mechanically

and chemically filter contamination

new filter inserts

How does the VRU work ...

Adsorption Phase Clean Oil Phase Desorption Phase Maintenance Phase

Desorption Phase

● After 1-2 months of continuous filtering the oil should be almost varnish
free.

● The clean oil will then move through the system acting as a solvent to
remove varnish from components (aka desorption).
Typical VRU results:

MPC 60 to MPC 10
( in 4-6 weeks)

new and used filter elements

Varnish Removal Trend

MPC
Value
Case Study: 2x GE Gas turbine (42 MW base loaded)

Oil Type: Mobil DTE 832 (mineral based 32 turbine oil)

Oil Volume: 6,500 L. (1,700 Gal.)
Oil Temp. 66-85 C (150-185 F.)
Spain 2011

new filters used inserts

Case Study: 2x GE Gas turbine (42 MW base loaded)

MPC 64 to MPC 24
(in 10 days)

Outlet

Inlet
 Case Study: Slab Press (Canada 2014)

Oil Type: Hydrex AW68 Hydraulic Oil

Oil Volume: 4,160 L. (1,100 Gal.)
Oil Temp. 52 C (125 F.)

March 5 March 12 March 20 March 26

MPC Value: 87.4 63.3 29.5 24.5

Case Study: Siemens V64.3 Gas Turbine (53.9 MW, Base loaded, Denmark 2011)

Oil Type: Mobil DTE 832 (mineral based 32 turbine oil)

Oil Volume: 9,800 L. (2,600 Gal.)
Oil Temp. 62 C (144 F.) weeks
0 1 2 3

Inlet

MPC 24 to MPC 7
(in 8 weeks)
Outlet
Case Study: Siemens V64.3 Gas Turbine (53.9 MW, Base loaded, Denmark 2011)

MPC
Value

Feb. 21 March 3 March 13 March 23 April 2 April 12

Case Study: GE Frame 6 Gas Turbine (peak loaded, Spain 2011)

Oil Type: Repsol Aries 32, (mineral based turbine oil)

Oil Volume: 6,500 L. (1,700 Gal.)
Oil Temp. 85 C (185 F.)

MPC 64 to MPC 8
(in 24 hours)
Case Study: GE Frame 6 Gas Turbine (peak loaded, Spain 2011)

MPC
Value

April 12 April 22 May 2 May 12 May 22 June 1

VRU Applications:

● Gas turbines with combined lube and control system fluid

(eg. GE Frame 7)

● Base loaded gas or steam turbines operating with a high oil temperature
(above 60 C. / 140 F.)

● High stress hydraulic or lube systems that operate at high temperatures.

Case Study: Alstom GT-11E gas turbine (176 MW base loaded)

Oil Type: Mobil DTE 846, (mineral based 46 turbine oil)

Oil Volume: 22,000 L. (5,800 Gal.)
Oil Temp. 85 C (185 F.)

Samples
MPC 28 to MPC 7
(in 7 days)
1 2 3 4
FAQ
Does the VRU filter out additives?
No, additives are dissolved in turbine oil like sugar in coffee. By removing
particles, varnish, and moisture the life of the additives are actually extended.

Does the VRU filter particles?

Yes, the VRU filters particles to 3 micron absolute.

Does the VRU require an external water supply?

No. The chiller is filled once with water before startup.
How often do filters need to be changed ?
How much varnish do you want to remove…?

Typical interval time from start

1st 4 weeks

2nd 12 weeks

3rd 24 weeks

As required 4-6 months

*Filter changeouts will vary based on system details and

degree of contamination
Our experience…

180+ VRUs worldwide

Increased turbine reliability & availability

No turbine trips due to varnish

Full control of governor system, no sticking valves

No need for tank cleaning and system flushing

MPC values continuously at safe level ( <10 MPC)

Increased lifetime of oil and system components

Klassen Specialty Hydraulics Inc.
distributor for
C.C.Jensen Offline Filtration Systems
9465 Ford Rd.
Rosedale, BC V0X 1X0

Ph. (604) 794-7755

Web: www.klassenhydraulics.com