Sensor-Based Filtration Monitoring for Industrial Gases and Fluids

Donaldson is releasing its iCue Connected Technology across its compressed air and hydraulic fluid filtration equipment portfolios. The monitoring system is engineered for industrial automation environments to continuously track operational parameters, providing facility operators with the data necessary to maximize equipment uptime and manage maintenance cycles efficiently.

Telemetry Integration and Data Analytics
Industrial filtration operations require precise monitoring to prevent particulate accumulation and fluid degradation from causing system failures. The integrated connected technology utilizes a network of sensors to monitor performance indicators across plant filtration equipment. By analyzing this operational data, the system provides facility managers with visibility into machine health. Operators configure specific operating parameters and baseline thresholds, triggering automated alerts when metrics deviate from acceptable ranges. This continuous data collection allows for an analytical approach to maintenance, replacing fixed schedules with condition-based servicing.

Equipment-Specific Technical Use Cases
The sensor technology is deployed within specific industrial filtration units to address distinct operational challenges. For applications requiring clean and dry compressed air, the system is integrated into the Ultradryer+ series of heated desiccant dryers. In fluid management applications, the technology is embedded in the Hy-Pro Vac-U-Dry vacuum dehydrators. These dehydrators are utilized to remove water and particulates from high-viscosity hydraulic oils and lubricants. Monitoring these specific processes ensures that process fluids maintain optimal viscosity and purity, which directly supports the reliability of the broader digital supply chain by mitigating the risk of machinery failure due to contamination. The monitoring capabilities were previously established in the Smart Collectors series and are expanding across the wider filtration portfolio.

Configurable Parameters and Performance Metrics
The deployment of sensor-based monitoring allows for customized oversight based on the specific industrial environment. "The iCue Connected Technology in both systems uses a combination of standard and optional sensors that provide performance metrics specific to end-user equipment and applications," stated Bart Robbeets, General Manager of Industrial Gases at Donaldson. The resulting telemetry is centralized into a digital dashboard, allowing operators to monitor system performance continuously from remote connected devices.

Additional Context
This section details technical specifications and competitive benchmarking not included in the original news release.

Within the industrial filtration and condition monitoring market, comparable systems include the SensoNODE sensors and Voice of the Machine platform developed by Parker Hannifin, as well as condition monitoring solutions from SKF. These platforms are benchmarked on their ability to capture continuous data points such as pressure differential, flow rate, temperature, and moisture levels in hydraulic fluids and pneumatic lines. While Parker Hannifin utilizes localized telemetry and cloud-based gateways for broad fluid power applications, the evaluated system distinguishes itself by being factory-integrated directly into specific heavy-duty vacuum dehydrators and heated desiccant dryers, thereby eliminating the engineering workload associated with third-party sensor retrofitting on complex filtration assets.

Edited by Aishwarya Mambet, Induportals Editor, with AI assistance.

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