Highly efficient heat transfer solutions for cooling marine, land-based and underground hydraulic systems.
Bowman is a leading UK manufacturer of hydraulic oil coolers that deliver highly efficient cooling solutions for a wide range of hydraulic systems, including gear boxes, power packs, cranes and lifting equipment, hydraulic presses, plastic injection moulding machinery, automotive engine and transmission testing, processing machinery and marine thruster, stabiliser and winch systems.
For land-based installations, standard units are supplied with cast iron end covers. Where sea water is used for cooling, marine specification end covers are fitted.
High Temperature
Standard products are suitable for cooling oil up to 120 °C but our comprehensive range offers units for applications where hydraulic oil is required to run at temperatures up to 200 °C.
Tube Stack Options
Whilst cupronickel is the standard tube material on all units, but titanium tube stacks are also available as options to suit customer requirements.
SAE Flanges
On Bowman GL size hydraulic oil coolers and larger, SAE oil flange connections are provided on the shell side of the unit, whilst the smaller EC, FC and FG models feature BSP connections as standard.
Mining Applications
For deep underground mining applications, where ambient air temperatures are high, Bowman offer a range of oil coolers suitable for use with water pressures up to 35 bar.
Specification Options
Sealing rings are available on some units enabling easy service and maintenance of the cooling tubes without having to drain the hydraulic circuit.
Specification
Hydraulic Oil Coolers – Typical Performance and Dimensions
The following information offers a general guide to the performance and dimensions of our standard range of hydraulic oil coolers. For more detailed information on additional configurations and specific applications, please download the product brochure. Computer aided selection software (CAS) is available to accurately select the correct heat exchanger specifically for your application.
Please contact us or your nearest stockist with the following information to receive a CAS selection:
Oil type (or Viscosity at a specific temperature)
Oil flow rate
Required oil outlet temperature
Heat to be dissipated
Temperature and source of cooling water
The image above is representative of the Hydraulic Oil Cooler range from EC80 to RK600.
Note – Dimensions in the table below refer to standard three-pass, fresh water hydraulic oil coolers. For part numbers and more detailed drawings please download the brochure or contact us.
Type
Heat Dissipated
(kW)
Dim. A (mm)
Dim. B (mm)
Dim. C (mm)
Weight (kg)
Industrial
Marine
Mining
High Temp (200 °C)
EC80
4
174
60
84
2.4
✓
✓
EC100
9
260
140
84
3.2
✓
✓
EC120
13
346
226
84
3.8
✓
✓
✓
✓
EC140
17
444
324
84
4.8
✓
✓
EC160
22
572
452
84
5.7
✓
✓
FC80
13
272
116
108
5.5
✓
✓
FC100
19
358
202
108
6.3
✓
✓
✓
✓
FC120
26
456
300
108
7.3
✓
✓
FC140
35
584
428
108
9.4
✓
✓
FC160
45
730
574
108
11.0
✓
✓
FG80
28
374
196
128
8.5
✓
✓
FG100
37
472
294
128
10.0
✓
✓
✓
✓
FG120
50
600
422
128
12.0
✓
✓
✓
✓
FG140
62
746
568
128
14.5
✓
✓
✓
✓
FG160
79
924
746
128
17.5
✓
✓
✓
✓
FG200
123
1330
1152
128
24.0
✓
✓
GL140
56
502
272
162
18.0
✓
✓
✓
✓
GL180
73
630
400
162
21.0
✓
✓
GL240
93
776
546
162
25.0
✓
✓
✓
✓
GL320
114
954
724
162
30.0
✓
✓
GL400
146
1156
926
162
36.0
✓
✓
GL480
172
1360
1130
162
42.0
✓
✓
GK190
112
674
370
198
34.0
✓
✓
GK250
144
820
516
198
39.0
✓
✓
GK320
181
998
694
198
46.0
✓
✓
GK400
221
1200
896
198
54.0
✓
✓
GK480
259
1404
1100
198
62.0
✓
✓
GK600
329
1708
1404
198
74.0
✓
✓
JK190
145
704
340
232
58.0
✓
✓
JK250
186
850
486
232
66.0
✓
✓
JK320
232
1028
664
232
78.0
✓
✓
JK400
283
1230
866
232
92.0
✓
✓
JK480
335
1434
1070
232
105.0
✓
✓
JK600
401
1738
1374
232
126.0
✓
✓
PK190
212
754
330
278
81.0
✓
✓
PK250
270
900
476
278
94.0
✓
✓
PK320
336
1078
654
278
110.0
✓
✓
PK400
414
1280
856
278
125.0
✓
✓
PK480
497
1484
1060
278
140.0
✓
✓
PK600
660
1788
1364
278
158.0
✓
✓
RK400
570
1392
812
338
186.0
✓
✓
RK600
900
1900
1320
338
246.0
✓
✓
Downloads
Hydraulic Oil Coolers
Technical sales brochure includes product information, ratings charts, drawings and dimensions for the standard product range.
Installation Manual for Hydraulic Oil Coolers
Download our installation manual for the hydraulic oil coolers here.
DC Oil Coolers
Technical sales brochure includes product information, ratings charts, drawings and dimensions for the standard product range.
The cost of producing a bespoke heat exchanger can be prohibitive. For applications up to 1 MW, Bowman can now offer a high-performance, cost-effective alternative.
Ensuring the correct velocity of cooling medium through the heat exchanger is vital to the long term health of the unit. Get it wrong and results could be terminal.
Mechanical equipment, such as internal combustion engines, gearboxes and transmission systems rely on oil to lubricate moving internal components, enabling them to run freely, whilst reducing wear to metallic surfaces.
In addition to lubrication, engine oil also acts as a coolant, to remove surplus heat from mechanical equipment. For example, a hot engine transfers heat to the oil, which then circulates through a heat exchanger (also known as an oil cooler), using either air or water to cool the oil.
All oils have a recommended operating temperature range and if this is exceeded, the viscosity of the oil can be weakened, reducing its lubrication qualities. Should excessive heat continue to build up, the oil’s ability to lubricate components will be significantly reduced and in extreme cases, the viscosity may break down, creating conditions where the metal components overheat, leading to premature wear. In extreme cases this could even result in a catastrophic component failure.
This situation can occur where equipment is to be operated at high speeds for extended periods, or where climatic conditions dictate higher ambient air temperatures. In such conditions, adding an oil cooler to the lubrication system, will remove the excess heat, reducing the oil’s temperature so that it remains within the correct range to protect the equipment, prolonging its operating life.
Whether an air or water cooled oil cooler is used depends on application and operating conditions.
Bowman oil coolers are water cooled ‘shell and tube designed units that are robust and reliable over a wide range of operating conditions. For more information about Bowman Oil Coolers.
An oil cooler is designed to remove excessive heat from the oil used to lubricate vehicles, machinery and mechanical equipment. For example, a hot engine transfers heat to the oil which then circulates through a heat-exchanger (also known as an oil cooler), using either air or water to cool the oil.
It achieves this by using a cooling medium – usually either air or water – to transfer heat from the oil and to the cooling medium. It does this without either the oil or cooling medium coming into direct contact with each other.
For example, an air cooled oil cooler often looks like a small car radiator and achieves its purpose by running the oil through finned tubes. The incoming air passes over and around the tubes, removing heat as it passes through.
For many applications, air cooling isn’t appropriate and here water cooling is the solution. Shell and tube oil coolers are very popular, the coolant flowing through the central ‘tube core’, whilst the oil flows around and through the tubes, providing extremely efficient heat transfer.
Bowman manufacture a wide range of water cooled shell and tube oil coolers for torque converters, automatic transmission and engine oils. Find out more about Bowman Oil Coolers.
In a shell and tube heat exchanger, coolant usually flows through the central ‘tube core’ to cool hot oil, water or air, which passes over and around the tubes. The direction in which the two fluids travel through the heat exchanger can be either ‘parallel flow’ or ‘counterflow’.
Parallel flow is where the fluid to be cooled, flows through the heat exchanger in the same direction as the cooling medium. Whilst this arrangement will provide cooling, it has limitations and can also create thermal stress within the heat exchanger, as one half of the unit will be appreciably warmer than the other.
In counterflow cooling, the incoming cooling medium absorbs more heat as the ‘hot’ fluid travels in the opposite direction. The cooling medium heats up as it travels through the heat exchanger, but as colder water enters the heat exchanger it absorbs more heat, reducing the temperature much lower than could be achieved with parallel flow.
The mean temperature difference between the cooling medium and the fluid being cooled is also more uniform along the length of the heat exchanger, reducing thermal stress.
Depending on flow rate and temperature, the heat transfer performance could be up to 15% more efficient with counterflow, possibly enabling a smaller heat exchanger to be used, saving space and money!
During the course of its operating life, a shell and tube heat exchanger will need cleaning many times. Both fresh water and sea water cooling media today contain high levels of minerals and pollutants, which can build up over time, restricting the water flow through the tube core, resulting in a reduced flow rate and significantly lower heat transfer efficiency.
The good news is that Bowman shell and tube heat exchangers are much easier to clean than many other types and the following information is intended as a basic guide:
Removing the end covers gives access to the tube core, which can be removed from the body (or shell).
The tube plates and external tubes can then be washed using a handheld hose or lance. A steam cleaner can also be used, if available.
Small diameter rods or tube brushes can be used to clean through each tube to remove any stubborn deposits.
Detergents or chemicals can be used, if tube fouling is severe. Allow plenty of time for the cleaning media to work before hosing down with plenty of water. NOTE: it is important to check any cleaners being used are compatible with the tube material.
Thoroughly flush the tube core with clean water to remove all traces of cleaning chemicals/detergents and if necessary, neutralise the cleaning fluid.
Reassemble the tube core into the body, refit the end covers in their original orientation and tighten to the recommended torque figures – NOTE: always use new ‘O’ seals after cleaning to ensure a watertight joint.
There are a number of factors to consider when projecting the life of a marine oil cooler.
For example, has the correct product been selected for the cooling requirement?
Has it been installed and commissioned correctly?
Is the velocity (or flow rate) and pressure of the cooling medium within manufacturers recommendations?
Has the unit been maintained and serviced in line with manufacturers requirements?
Assuming all the of the above questions (and possibly a few more) have been correctly addressed, there is no reason why a good quality marine oil cooler, from a well known, reputable company such as Bowman, shouldn’t last for more than 20 years.
But to achieve this, it’s vital that the unit is correctly specified, installed, commissioned and maintained.
For example, on marine oil coolers fitted with Cupro-nickel tube stacks, it is vitally important to ensure the copper-nickel alloy tubes are ‘conditioned’ correctly, to enable the thin layer of natural protective film to form on the tube surface, to provide long term corrosion protection.
Additionally, if the manufacturers recommended water flow rate is exceeded, high velocity seawater entering the oil cooler can quickly erode the tubes and tube plates, leading to premature failure, so following the guidelines is critical!
And the well documented rise of plastic waste in our oceans, means that in addition to having adequate filtration of the incoming seawater, it’s also really important to inspect and clean an oil cooler regularly, to maintain its performance and extend the life of the unit!
The good news is that if looked after correctly, a marine oil cooler can operate reliably for decades.
In fact Bowman often hear of instances where their marine oil coolers have been working for more than 40 years!
Bowman manufacture a very wide range of oil coolers to suit most marine applications and have a computer based selection programme, to recommend the correct unit for the application.