"Preface One of the most frustrating practices of my career has been the search for information on hydraulic fluids, which includes information on fluid chemistry; physical properties; maintenance practices; and fluid, system, and component design. Although some information on petroleum oil hydraulic fluids can be found, there is much less information on fire-resistant, biodegradable, and other types of fluids. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, fluid coverage in hydraulic texts is typically limited to a single-chapter overview intended to cover all fluids. Therefore, it is often necessary to perform a literature search or a time-consuming manual search of my files. Some time ago it occurred to me that others must be encountering the same problem. There seemed to be a vital need for an extensive reference text on hydraulic fluids that would provide information in sufficient depth and breadth to be of use to the fluid formulator, hydraulic system designer, plant maintenance engineer, and others who serve the industry. Currently, there are no books dedicated to hydraulic fluid chemistry. Most hydraulic fluid treatment is found in handbooks, which primarily focus on hydraulic system hardware, installation, and troubleshooting. Most of these books fit into one of two categories. One type of book deals with hydraulic equipment, with a single, simplified overview chapter covering all hydraulic fluids but with a focus on petroleum-derived fluids. The second type of book provides fluid coverage with minimal, if any, discussion of engineering properties of importance in a hydraulic system. The purpose of the Handbook of Hydraulic Fluid Technology is to provide a comprehensive and rigorous overview of hydraulic fluid technology"-- Provided by publisher.