Water-based hydraulic fluids
AssigneeThe Dow Chemical Company
InventorsGene D. Rose, Arthur S. Teot
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Water-based hydraulic fluids are thickened by admixing the fluid with a viscoelastic surfactant. Viscoelastic surfactants comprise surfactant ions and organic counterions that associate with the hydraulic fluid to form the viscoelastic surfactant. Water-based hydraulic fluids of this invention are highly shear stable and do not experience substantial viscosity loss with an increase in temperature. The hydraulic fluids are capable of providing low amounts of wear in pumping apparatus during use.
Claims25
A method of improving a water-based hydraulic fluid containing a lubricant and a corrosion inhibitor, comprising the step of contacting the fluid with:
- (a) surfactant ions having an ionic, hydrophilic moiety chemically bonded to a hydrophobic moiety, and
- (b) a stoichiometric amount of organic counterions,
- so as to form an aqueous solution under suitable solution conditions whereby the surfactant ions and organic counterions associate in the hydraulic fluid thereby forming a viscoelastic surfactant;
- wherein the concentration of viscoelastic surfactant ranges from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent of the hydraulic fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.