Thermal Disinfection of Coolant Lubricants
Whoever works with coolant lubricants knows the problem: You enter the production hall in the
morning and it stinks to high heaven, because the coolant in one of the tooling machines has turned.
As is well known the cause of this are microorganisms, namely fungi and bacteria which find a per-
fect breeding ground in the coolant. These microorganisms mainly occur in water-soluble coolants
and become more frequent in summer and in southern countries because of higher temperatures.
The odour nuisance comes from the excretions of anaerobic bacteria.
Apart from the smell bacteria and fungi also have other unwanted side effects: They reduce the
effectiveness of the coolant and so impair its performance. Occasionally pipes and tubes are blocked
by fungus threads and/or mucus bacteria, exceptionally even fungus growths the size of a cabbage
occur.
Targeted care does pay off
Therefore, a targeted maintenance of the coolant clearly makes sense to maintain the performance
for longer, i.e. to prolong the life span of the coolant. This reduces the cost for purchasing new
coolant, the – frequently underestimated – cost for disposal of used coolant, and the cost for
machine stand still times during the change
of the coolant.
Maintenance of the coolant in most cases
includes filtering the coolant with the aid of
specific coolant filters as well as collecting
surface oils with the help of skimmers and
oil separators. Such mechanical methods,
however, are powerless against existing
microorganisms. Even monitoring the
coolant with respect to nitrite, nitrate and
Coolant after three days: No thermal disinfection
the pH-value only allows to determine that
bacteria 10^4 cfu/ml fungi 10^4 cfu/ml
(cfu = colony-forming units) resp. when new measure have to be taken.
Fungi, yeasts, and bacteria – and how to fight them
For fighting bacteria and fungi in the coolant only very few methods are available. Widespread is
exposure to ultraviolet light. This works relatively well with transparent fluids but with coolant the
UV rays can only disinfect at the surface because of the milky quality and impurities. As a result the
coolant has to be reduced to a very thin layer so that UV rays can still penetrate the coolant. In
practice this is a significant challenge and results are often rather modest: Often only 60-80%, and
sometimes less than 50% of the existing bacteria and fungi can be eliminated.
Certainly most frequently applied are biocides, i.e. bactericides and fungicides. Without a doubt
these have the advantage of being highly cost effective and normally also of being very efficient. On
the other hand, biocides are hazardous substances under the CLP ordinance of the EU, which require
a professional (and expensive) application.
So, in many respects one evil is replaced with another because biocides can result in considerable
health complaints. These span from easy infection of everyday wounds to eczema and allergies all
the way to irritations of the skin, the eyes, and mucous membranes. Concentrates in particular must
not come into contact with the skin as even smallest droplets can lead to significant health issues.
Version 29.11.2021 1
Avoiding biocides would therefore reduce the health risks for the employees and contribute to
reducing sick days.
Thermal disinfection
Little known but all the more effective is the
thermal disinfection, known as pasteurisation in
hospitals and in the food industry. For this
purpose the coolant is heated up to 65°C. As
proteins and therefore bacteria and fungi are
destroyed at ca. 62-63°C this method is close to
Coolant three days: With thermal disinfection 100% effective.
bacteria 10^0 cfu/ml fungi 10^0 cfu/ml In a test series conducted by ph-cleantec in Fell-
(cfu = colony-forming units) bach thermal disinfection was analysed at 107
customers with 75 different coolants. 88
Graph 1a – Bacteria, page 1 customers showed bacteria, at 29 of the 107
also fungi were found in the coolant.
THERMAL DISINFECTION: RESULTS BACTERIA
Agip LAK-E
Agip LAK-E BF
zero Note: The quantity of fungi and bacteria prior to a
zero
Agip LMS 1008 zero thermal disinfection of a coolant only shows that at
ALSUS Fluid Top Cut Plus zero
ALSUS Fluid Top Cut Plus zero
a specific customer and at a specific point in time a
Avia Metacool 54-2
Avia Metacool ADK
specific amount of germs was found in the respec-
zero
Avia Metacool CPF zero tive coolant. This may be a function of the tempe-
Avia Metacool CPF zero
Avia Metacool CPS zero rature, the specific application, or the age of the
Avia Metacool KSC
Avia Metacool RSK 56
zero
zero
coolant, and does not say anything about the quality
Beku Oil Bekucool 9010 zero of the respective coolant or whether a particular
Beku Oil Bekucool 9700 zero
Beku Oil Bekucool ABF 4300 zero coolant is particularly prone to developing germs.
Blaser Beccol 9665 zero
Blaser Beccol 9665
Blaser Swiss 935 Kombi zero Graphs 1a, 1b, and 2 show the results of the
Blaser Vasco 5000
Bonderite L-MR 71-2
zero
zero
thermal disinfection for several coolants in
Bonderite L-MR 90-2
Castrol Almaredge 51 FF
zero
zero
practice. The graphs are on a logarithmic scale,
post disinfection
Castrol Alusol 32
Castrol Alusol M-FX
zero
zero
so 10^3 means 10 x 10 x 10 = 1000. Measured
prior to disinfestion
Castrol Alusol SL 51 XBB
Castrol Alusol SL 51 XBB
zero were colony-forming units per milliliter (cfu/
zero
Castrol Alusol SL 51 XBB zero ml).
Castrol Alusol SL 51 XBB zero
Castrol Alusol XT-FF zero
Castrol Hysol MB50 zero In 90% of cases – 79 out of 88 customers –
Cimcool Cimstar 156-02 zero
Cimcool Cimstar 31-66 FF zero bacteria were reduced to zero (graphs 1a and
Cimcool Cimstar 31-66 FF zero
Cimcool Cimstar 620 zero 1b). Only in 9 cases bacteria remained at all, but
Condocool AF-M Schorr AG
Divinol Zubora 65 H Ultra
zero
zero
could be reduced by a factor 10^3 on average.
Divinol Zubora 65 H Ultra
Ecocool R-Grindstar CPU zero
Even in cases of severe infestation – 10^6 or
Eni AGIP Aquamet LMX-ET
Eni Aquamat 104
zero
zero
10^7 bacterial germs per milliliter – after the
Fuchs Ecocool BF 2215
Fuchs EcoCool RHCM
disinfection no bacteria were found in the
zero
Haughten Adrana A 2859 zero coolant in 23 out of 26 cases, and in the remain-
Hebrolub 2020 M2 zero
1,00E+00 1,00E+01 1,00E+02 1,00E+03 1,00E+04 1,00E+05 1,00E+06 1,00E+07 ing cases bacteria were reduced by a factor
1.000 or 10.000.
Test results ph-cleantec GmbH with 88 customers
from October 2017 to today – page 1 Even more successful was the thermal disinfec-
blue bars: prior to disinfection
tion of fungi (graph 2): In all 29 cases these
green bars: post disinfection
were reduced to zero.
Version 29.11.2021 2
Thermal Disinfection in practice
From the users’ perspective particularly relevant is that the thermal disinfection works in real life
and in the long run. Companies using the system were able to completely avoid biocides and to pro-
longate the life span of their coolants significantly once they started to disinfect their coolant
regularly. This is also acknowledged by coolant producers.
Graph 1b - Bacteria page 2
As a result thermal disinfection is certainly
THERMAL DISINFECTION: RESULTS BACTERIA
one of the most efficient methods to disinfect
Hebrolub 607 BF
Hebrolub F188-B21
zero
zero
coolants. It is, as no chemicals and no bio-
Helcotec Basic 111
Helcotec Helcool Vario 8000 A
zero
zero
cides are needed, also health and environ-
Henkel Bondercut L-MR 71-2
HM 15 WW
zero
zero
mentally friendly. Finally, the thermal disin-
HM 1580 SFF
Hougthen Adriana A 2859
zero fection is particularly cost efficient as a relati-
zero
Huaten Hocut 95
Kluthe Hacuform A 953
zero vely low investment for purchasing a machine
zero
Kluthe Hacuform 70-55 AF
KSS Luftforth W14
zero for thermal disinfection – e.g. the ThermoDes
zero
Motorex Swisscool Magnum UX-550 zero or the 1000 SR with a built-in option for ther-
Oelheld Aqua Tech 1548 zero
Oelheld Rotorol EP zero mal disinfection from ph-cleantec in Fellbach
Oemeta 881
Oemeta Novamet 910 zero – as wells as minimal operating costs, namely
Oest Colometa EPA 48 P zero
Oest Colometa EPA 48 P zero for electricity, are required. In any event, the
Oest PA 50 PN zero
Ölscheu TOP KSS K 902 zero disinfection should be run during full produc-
post disinfection
Ostheim SynCool 341 zero
Ostheim SynCool 341 zero tion so that the content of tubes and pipes
prior to disinfection
Rhenus FS 750 zero
Rhenus FU 60 zero can be disinfected also. As a result there are
Rhenus FU 800
Rhenus TU 34 also no stand still costs during disinfection.
Rhenus TU 43 P
Rhenus TU 46 zero
Riedel R-7674
Riedel R-7674
zero
zero
An example calculation
Roth Cut 3000 zero
SZS Alcut 621 WMS
SZS Alcut 621 WWS
zero This can be illustrated with a simple example:
zero
Toolbox Supracut 102
zero
Wieds ecochem AG UHT 48
Consider a company with 10 tooling machines
zero
Wieds LU 3003 PX
zero (TM) of 500 liters each where the coolant is
Wilke Wicolub 1119 AL
zero
Wilke Wicopal HS
changed twice a year the annual consumption
Zahradnik Z-CutNT 511 BF
zero
Zeller & Gmelin Zubora 67H Extra
zero amounts to 10,000 liters of coolant. At costs
Zeller & Gmelin Zubora 67H Ultra
zero
Zeller & Gmelin Zubora 67H Ultra
zero of €5/l of coolant concentrate and a con-
ZET Chemie ET Cool 4100
zero
1,00E+00 centration of 6%-that costs 10,000 l x 6% x €5
1,00E+01 1,00E+02 1,00E+03 1,00E+04 1,00E+05 1,00E+06 1,00E+07
= €3.000. Say the disposal costs another
Test results ph-cleantec GmbH with 88 customers €0.12/l, that is 10,000 l x €0.12 = €1,200. Add
from October 2017 to today – page 2
the cost of stand still times: Assuming the TM
blue bars: prior to disinfection
stands still for eight hours to change the
green bars: post disinfection
coolant, and an hour of stand still time costs
€100, then this costs 10 TM x 2 changes per
year x 8 hours x €100 = €16,000. Total costs therefore amount to €20,200.
If the life span of the coolant can be prolongated by 50% due to thermal disinfection the company
saves €6,733 p.a., and if the life span of the coolant can be doubled the company even saves
€10,100 per year. On top the costs for bactericides und fungicides can be saved. Last not least some
benefits which cannot easily be quantified in terms of money need to be cited: No unpleasant
smells, a clean production environment, and, importantly, less health problems.
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Thermal Disinfection in practice - continued
In practice the machines used for thermal disinfection are mobile and can easily be driven to the
respective tooling machine. The coolant is sucked into the disinfection device from the tank of the
tooling machine, disinfected, and then re-injected into the tank of the tooling machine. With a dis-
infection capacity of 5-6 liters per minute a tank of for example 500 liters can be disinfected once in
less than two hours. Also an incorporation into a central cooling system is feasible.
Graph 2 Ideally, the sterilised coolant should be
TH ER MAL D ISIN FEC TION : R ESULTS FU N GI
transferred to a sterile container and the
machine tool should be thoroughly cleaned
Agip LAK-E zero
and sterilised before the coolant is
Agip LAK-E BF zero
ALSUS Fluid Top Cut Plus zero
reintroduced into the machine. However,
Avia Metacool 54-2 zero
this is hardly practical. In practice, the
Avia Metacool CPF zero disinfected coolant is directly reintroduced
Avia Metacool CPF zero
into the bath and mixed with the non-
Beku Oil Bekucool 9010 zero
Beku Oil Bekucool ABF 4300
disinfected coolant. This means that non-
zero
Blaser Beccol 9665 zero
disinfected coolant remains in the tank of
Castrol Alusol 32 zero the machine tool, in particular the biofilm
Castrol Alusol M-FX zero
on the floor and walls of the machine tool.
Castrol Hysol MB50 zero
Cimcool Cimstar 156-02
However, this is no different with all other
zero
Cimcool Cimstar 31-66 FF zero
methods, even with biocides, so the
post disinfection
Condocool AF-M Schorr AG zero situation is no worse here.
prior to disinfection
Fuchs Ecocool BF 2215
Hebro Chemie Hebrolub 2020 M2
zero
In practice, it is recommended to disinfect
zero
HM 15 WW zero
the cooling lubricant three times directly
HM 1580 SFF zero one after the other and, if possible, to mix it
KSS Luftforth W14 zero up a little so that as much as possible of the
KSS Oelheld Aqua Tech 1548 zero
germ-contaminated residues in the corners,
Riedel R-7674 zero
RotCut 2E ME 2462-1 zero
pipes and on the floor are swirled up and
SynCool 341 zero disinfected also. Depending on the specific
SZS Alcut 621 WMS zero application, it will take weeks, sometimes
Wieds LU 3003 PX zero
months, until the KSS is so heavily
Wilhe Wicopal HS zero
ZET Chemie CutCu 8404 F zero
contaminated again that a new disinfection
ZET Chemie ET Cool 4100 zero is necessary.
1,00E+00 1,00E+01 1,00E+02 1,00E+03 1,00E+04 1,00E+05 1,00E+06
Nevertheless, thermal disinfection should
Test results of ph-cleantec GmbH with diverse be repeated regularly, e.g. once a month, in
customers from October 2017 to today order to prevent excessive germ formation
Fungi: blue bars prior to disinfection; from the outset. As this can and should be
green bars post disinfection done in bypass mode, the ongoing
operation is not affected.
This can be visualized with the following schematic.
Version 29.11.2021 4
Summary
To conclude, a significant prolongation of the life span of the coolant is possible – with corres-
ponding savings potential for purchasing and disposing of the coolant, as well as reduced health
complaints by employees and therefore potentially lower sick times.
"Since the middle of February 2018 we use a 1000 SR by ph-cleantec with the Option Thermal
Disinfection. On top of machine cleaning with the low pressure hot cleaner we use this option as
a prophylactic measure to disinfect the content of the tanks of our tooling machines. Both the
cleaning and the concurrent disinfection are conducted according to a specific plan that we
developed in-house.
Particularly with the very hot temperatures of the last months we could reduce the usage of
biocides significantly, resp. avoid them altogether, because the thermal disinfection reduces the
infestation of bacteria and fungi so dramatically!
As a result of this environmentally friendly procedure our personnel and our environment are
burdened less."
Edelstahl Rosswag, Pfinztal, Mr. Broschinski >> www.edelstahl-rosswag.de
Version 29.11.2021 5
