Hydraulic fluid injection injury PSA

[CastingFool]

In the army, I used to work on CH47 helicopters, which have 3 hydraulics systems, running at 6000 psi. Never thought about the danger of working with 6000 psi

[Greg S]

I do alot of industrial coatings, heated plural component mainly with typical line pressures in the 3-5k neighborhood. This is the second time I've seen this posted and it is realy sobering after you see pics of someones arm filleted open to relieve pressure and let the non-organic material drain out. Good weekly safety meeting material wiyh pics to drive the point home.

[samari46]

600 pound steam boilers on my ship at 900-950 degrees superheat. You could hear the whistle of a leak, and the corn broom was and is a good idea. Tank farm where I worked was only
100 psi saturated steam so you could see as well as hear it. Had a steam line let go when starting up a 100 year old double acting oil pump one day. Since it was attached to a hydrostatic oil lubricator
at the time steam and cylinder oil flying all over the pump room. Always check out the hydraulic hoses on my Kubota tractor on a regular basis. Frank

[Spooksar]

Worked as a Millwright for 30 years around lots of hydraulic they are nothing to play with. An injection like theOP is talking about can do lots of harm.

[GregLaROCHE]

I remember being taught about the danger when bench testing fuel injectors, but never thought about hydraulics. Makes a lot of sense though.

[megasupermagnum]

I remember being taught about the danger when bench testing fuel injectors, but never thought about hydraulics. Makes a lot of sense though.

Was this diesel injectors? I can't imagine a gasoline fuel injector being much of an issue at under 100 psi. Hydraulics are the big one. Even low end hydraulic systems can produce over 2000 psi.

[tommag]

Was this diesel injectors? I can't imagine a gasoline fuel injector being much of an issue at under 100 psi. Hydraulics are the big one. Even low end hydraulic systems can produce over 2000 psi.

I don't recall if the number was 5,000 or 50,000 psi, but the newer common rail diesel injection systems are very high pressure.

[bakerjw]

just wait till you learn about high pressure dry steam, when we went in the steam tunnels to find a leak it was common practice to carry an old corn broom and wave it ahead of you, if the broom got cut in two you had found the leak.

I've heard of this with cardboard too.

[MaryB]

Was this diesel injectors? I can't imagine a gasoline fuel injector being much of an issue at under 100 psi. Hydraulics are the big one. Even low end hydraulic systems can produce over 2000 psi.

My Ford 2.0L EcoBoost has direct cylinder injection... gasoline at 2200PSI...

[lightman]

Thanks for posting this!

As a retired Lineman we discussed hydraulic leaks in safety meetings. I've been in the bucket a few times when a hose broke and got drenched in hot oil. Being hosed down in oil makes for a miserable day! The oil in our systems had a high flash point. Thankfully most machines used for overhead work have holding valves on the cylinders that prevent them from falling in the event that a hose breaks.

[Burnt Fingers]

My Ford 2.0L EcoBoost has direct cylinder injection... gasoline at 2200PSI...

WOW! I knew they were in that range on the newer diesel engines but I had no idea they were doing that with gas too.

[Mk42gunner]

My first two ships were "1200 pound" steam plants; actually a bit more, not sure just how much more, I was a Gunner's Mate, not a snipe. I do remember they ran somewhere around 1476 degrees. We where always told "If you are down in the pit and hear whistling, grab a broom stick to wave around while getting out."

Never really though about tractor hydraulics, my WD has high pressure low volume at something like 4500 psi. Can't just go to the corner hardware store to get compatible cylinders.

Robert

[RKJ]

I cut the pointer finger on my left hand to the bone with a commercial power washer, I'd dropped the wand in the mud and after picking it up I thought just a little slow wash will c!Dan this off. If sure did, the bad thing is the guy at the rental place warned me about the spray but I didn't take him seriously enough. There was no blood, it was cauterized and as clean as a whistle. It made a believer of me though.

[Hipshot Percussion]

My first two ships were "1200 pound" steam plants; actually a bit more, not sure just how much more, I was a Gunner's Mate, not a snipe. I do remember they ran somewhere around 1476 degrees. We where always told "If you are down in the pit and hear whistling, grab a broom stick to wave around while getting out."

Never really though about tractor hydraulics, my WD has high pressure low volume at something like 4500 psi. Can't just go to the corner hardware store to get compatible cylinders.

Robert

Robert

As an electrician in the canoe club. I spent a little time on a 1200 psi ship.

If you could hear a steam leak you wouldn’t have been able to breathe. It would fill the compartment with 950 degree “dry” steam.

We did go searching for steam leaks with broom though. You passed the broom over stem pipes. If the bristles suddenly came flying down, you found a steam leak. Marked it for later work.

For further useless bits of trivia call any time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gator 45/70]

Worked in the Gulf on a few hummers, One had a Flowing tubing pressure of 20,700 psi out in Ship Shoal 77/76 area
Mostly nat gas with CO/2, Lots of condensate coming up and quite hot !
Had velocity elbows for 90's coming off the tree and flowlines, A regular 4'' 90 would cut out in short order from the velocity ramming up against it.
Those cut outs were very easy to locate.

[myg30]

OP, thank you for the good info that most may not be aware of fluid danger.


AIR pressure can be just as bad. Most of us have an air compressor at home for many uses.
We tend to blow off saw dust and dirt from our clothes before we go inside to the house.
A non safety air nossle can force a air bubble thru the skin and into the blood stream, this too can be very dangerous.
A safety nossle has holes thru the tip before the end and it reduces the force coming out the tip.
Most of us old guys have the old school type for Full pressure and can forget about the dangers.

As children most of us were told not to fool with electric, but mom or dad never told us the dangers of hydraulics or air pressures.


Everyone be safe, Mike