UNIT 1

HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS
SYLLABUS:
Introduction to fluid power system – Hydraulic fluids – functions, types, properties,
selection and application. Construction, operation, characteristics and graphical symbols
of hydraulic components –pumps, actuators/motors, valves, switches, filters, seals,
fittings and other accessories.

What is fluid power?

• Fluid power is energy transmitted and controlled by means of a pressurized fluid, either liquid
or gas. The term fluid power applies to both hydraulics and pneumatics.
• Hydraulics uses pressurized liquid, for example, oil or water;
• Pneumatics uses compressed air or other neutral gases.
• Fluid power can be effectively combined with other technologies through the use of sensors,
transducers and microprocessors.

Pascal's Law
"Pressure exerted by a confined fluid acts undiminished equally in all directions."

FUNCTIONS OF HYDRAULIC FLUID

 Transfer of fluid power efficiently
 Lubricate the moving parts
 Absorb, carry and transfer the heat generated
 Be compatible with the hydraulic components
 Remain stable against a wide range of physical and chemical changes

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SELECTION OF A FLUID

1. Operating pressure of the system.
2. Operating temperature of the system and its variation.
3. Material of the system and its compatibility with oil used.
4. Speed of operation.
5. Availability of replacement fluid.
6. Cost of transmission lines.
7. Contamination possibilities.
8. Environmental condition (fire proneness, extreme atmosphere like in mining, etc.).
9. Lubricity.
10. Safety to operator.
11. Expected service life.
Elements of Hydraulic system

Pump Control
Actuators
Unit Valves
HYDRAULIC PUMPS
• Hydraulic pumps are the heart of hydraulic system, which converts mechanical energy
into hydraulic energy.
• The mechanical energy is given to the pump via an electric motor.
• Partial vacuum is created at the inlet due to the mechanical rotation of pump shaft.
Vacuum permits atmospheric pressure to force the fluid through the inlet line and into the
pump. The pump then pushes the fluid mechanically into the fluid power actuated devices
such as a motor or a cylinder.
• The pump is classified into 2 types
1. Positive displacement or hydro static pump
2. Non-positive displacement or hydrodynamic pump
• In Hydrostatic pumps or positive displacement pumps, the displacement (flow through the
pump per rotation of the pump) cannot be adjusted
• In Hydrodynamic or non positive displacement pump, the displacement (flow through the
pump per rotation of the pump) can be adjusted.
TYPES OF PUMPS

PUMPS

Non- Positive Positive

Displacement Pump Displacement Pump

Radial Axial
Centrifug Rotary Reciprocating
flow flow
al Pump
pump pump
pump pump

Vane pump Axial Radial

Gear pump Piston piston
1.
1. External gear Unbalanced pump pump
pump vane pump
2. Internal gear 2. Balanced
pump vane pump
3. Lobe pump
4. Screw pump
5. Gerotor pump

1. EXTERNAL GEAR PUMP

 Two identical gears rotates against each other.
 One gear is driven by a motor and it in turn drives the other gear.
 Each gear is supported by a shaft with bearings on both sides of the gear.
 As the gears come out of mesh, they create expanding volume on the inlet side of the
pump. Liquid flows into the cavity and is trapped by the gear teeth as they rotate.
 Liquid travels around the interior of the casing in the pockets between the teeth and the
casing -- it does not pass between the gears.
 Finally, the meshing of the gears forces liquid through the outlet port under pressure

ADVANTAGES
 • High speed, High pressure , No overhung bearing loads , Relatively quiet operation,
Design accommodates wide variety of materials

DISADVANTAGES
• Four bushings in liquid area, No solids allowed , Fixed End Clearances
APPLICATIONS
• Various fuel oils and lube oils, Chemical additive and polymer metering, Chemical mixing
and blending (double pump) , Industrial and mobile hydraulic applications (log splitters,
lifts, etc.), Acids and caustic (stainless steel or composite construction) , Low volume
transfer or application

2. INTERNAL GEAR PUMP

 Liquid enters the suction port between the rotor (large exterior gear) and idler (small
interior gear) teeth. The arrows indicate the direction of the pump and liquid.
 Liquid travels through the pump between the teeth of the "gear-within-a-gear" principle.
The crescent shape divides the liquid and acts as a seal between the suction and
discharge ports.
 The pump head is now nearly flooded, just prior to forcing the liquid out of the discharge
port. Intermeshing gears of the idler and rotor form locked pockets for the liquid which
assures volume control.
 Rotor and idler teeth mesh completely to form a seal equidistant from the discharge and
suction ports. This seal forces the liquid out of the discharge port.
ADVANTAGES
• Non-pulsating discharge, Excellent for high-viscosity liquids, Constant and even discharge
regardless of pressure conditions, Single adjustable end clearance, Easy to maintain,
Flexible design offers application customization
DISADVANTAGES
• Usually requires moderate speeds, Medium pressure limitations, One bearing runs in the
product pumped, Overhung load on shaft bearing
APPLICATIONS
• Resins and Polymers, Alcohols and solvents, Asphalt, Bitumen, and Tar, Polyurethane
foam (Isocyanate and polyol), Food products such as corn syrup, chocolate, and peanut
butter, Glycol, Paint, inks, and pigments, Soaps and surfactants
3. GEROTOR PUMP
 Gerotor pumps are internal gear pumps without the crescent.
 The gerotor is the internal (drive) gear and the female gerotor is the external (driven) gear.
 They are primarily suitable for clean, low pressure applications such as lubrication
systems or hot oil filtration systems, but can also be found in low to moderate pressure
hydraulic applications.
ADVANTAGES
• High Speed, Constant and even discharge regardless of pressure conditions, Operates
well in either direction, Quiet operation
DISADVANTAGES
• Medium pressure limitations, Fixed clearances, No solids allowed, One bearing runs in the
product pumped, Overhung load on shaft bearing
APPLICATIONS
• Light fuel oils, Lube oil, Cooking oils, Hydraulic fluid
4. LOBE PUMP
• Lobe pumps are similar to external gear pumps in operation in that fluid flows around the
interior of the casing.
• As the lobes come out of mesh, they create expanding volume on the inlet side of the
pump. Liquid flows into the cavity and is trapped by the lobes as they rotate.
• Liquid travels around the interior of the casing in the pockets between the lobes and the
casing -- it does not pass between the lobes.
• Finally, the meshing of the lobes forces liquid through the outlet port under pressure.
• Lobe pumps are frequently used in food applications because they handle solids without
damaging the product

ADVANTAGES
• Pass medium solids, No metal-to-metal contact, Superior CIP/SIP capabilities
• Long term dry run (with lubrication to seals), Non-pulsating discharge
DISADVANTAGES
• Requires timing gears, Requires two seals, Reduced lift with thin liquids
APPLICATIONS
• Polymers ,Paper coatings, Soaps and surfactants, Paints and dyes, Rubber and
adhesives, Pharmaceuticals, Food applications

5. SCREW PUMP

Advantages:
Self-priming and more reliable, quiet due to rolling action of screw spindles, handle liquids
containing gases and vapor, long service life.

Disadvantages:
Bulky and heavy, sensitive to viscosity changes of the fluid, low volumetric and mechanical
efficiencies, Manufacturing cost of precision screw is high.

6. VANE PUMP
• In a vane-type pump, a slotted rotor splined to a drive shaft rotates between closely fitted
side plates that are inside of an elliptical- or circular-shaped ring.
• Polished, hardened vanes slide in and out of the rotor slots and follow the ring contour by
centrifugal force.
• Pumping chambers are formed between succeeding vanes, carrying oil from the inlet to
the outlet.
• A partial vacuum is created at the inlet as the space between vanes increases.
• The oil is squeezed out at the outlet as the pumping chamber's size decreases.
Unbalanced Vane Pump
• In the unbalanced design, a cam ring's shape is a true circle that is on a different
centerline from a rotor's.
• Pump displacement depends on how far a rotor and ring are eccentric.
 • The advantage of a true-circle ring is that control can be applied to vary the eccentricity
and thus vary the displacement.
• A disadvantage is that an unbalanced pressure at the outlet is effective against a small
area of the rotor's edge, imposing side loads on the shaft.
• Thus there is a limit on a pump's size unless very large hearings and heavy supports are
used.

Balanced Vane Pump

• In the balanced design (Figure 3-10), a pump has a stationary, elliptical cam ring and two
sets of internal ports.
• A pumping chamber is formed between any two vanes twice in each revolution.
• The two inlets and outlets are 180 degrees apart.
• Back pressures against the edges of a rotor cancel each other.
• Recent design improvements that allow high operating speeds and pressures have made
this pump the most universal in the mobile-equipment field.

Advantages
1. Eliminates the bearing side loads and therefore high operating pressure can be used.
2. Service life is high compared to unbalanced type due to less wear and tear.
Disadvantages
1. They are fixed displacement pumps.
2. Design is more complicated.
3. Manufacturing cost is high compared to unbalanced type.

7. PISTON PUMPS
7 a. Axial Piston Pump
Bent Axis Piston pump
• In this pump, the pistons are at an angle to the drive shaft and Thrust Plate.
• The piston block shaft is connected to the drive shaft by a universal joint.
• The drive shaft, thrust plate, piston block shaft, and piston block all revolve.
• The connecting rods are attached to the thrust plate and revolve with it, unlike the swash
plate pump where the piston rods slide past a stationary swash plate.
• The outlet ports are semi-circular holes in the Valve Plate.
• As the pump revolves, half the pistons suck in fluid as they pass over the intake port.
• The other pistons discharge their fluid through the outlet port.

Swash plate Piston pump

 In this type, the cylinder block and drive shaft are located on the same centre line.
 The pistons are connected to a shoe plate that bears against an angled swash plate.
 As the cylinder rotates, the pistons reciprocate because the piston shoes follow the angled
surface of the swash plate.
 The outlet and inlet ports are located in the valve plate so that the pistons pass the inlet as
they are being pulled out and pass the outlet as they are being forced back in.
 This type of pump can also be designed to have a variable displacement capability.
 The maximum swash plate angle is limited to 17.5° by construction.
7 b. Radial Piston Pump

• In a radial piston pump the pistons are arranged like wheel spokes in a short cylindrical
block.
• A drive shaft, which is inside a circular housing, rotates a cylinder block.
• The block turns on a stationary pintle that contains the inlet and outlet ports.
• As a cylinder block turns, centrifugal force slings the pistons, which follow a circular
housing.
• A housing's centerline is offset from a cylinder block's centerline.
• The amount of eccentricity between the two determines a piston stroke and, therefore, a
pump's displacement.
• Controls can be applied to change a housing's location and thereby vary a pump's delivery
from zero to maximum.
HYDRAULIC ACTUATORS
 It converts hydraulic energy into mechanical energy.
 Depending on the type of actuation, hydraulic actuators are classified as follows:
1. Linear actuator: For linear actuation (hydraulic cylinders).
2. Rotary actuator: For rotary actuation (hydraulic motor).
3. Semi-rotary actuator: For limited angle of actuation
HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS
The function of hydraulic cylinder is to convert hydraulic power into linear mechanical force
or motion. Hydraulic cylinders extend and retract a piston rod to provide a push or pull force to
drive the external load along a straight-line path.
Types of Hydraulic Cylinders
Hydraulic cylinders are of the following types:
1. Single-acting cylinders.
2. Double-acting cylinders.
3. Telescopic cylinders.
4. Tandem cylinders.
1. SINGLE-ACTING CYLINDER:
It consists of a piston inside a cylindrical housing called barrel. On one end of the piston
there is a rod, which can reciprocate. At the opposite end, there is a port for the entrance and exit
of oil. Single-acting cylinders produce force in one direction by hydraulic pressure acting on the
piston. (Single-acting cylinders can exert a force in the extending direction only.) The return of the
piston is not done hydraulically. In single-acting cylinders, retraction is done either by gravity or
by a spring.

2. Double acting cylinder

To extend the cylinder, the pump flow is sent to the blank-end port . The fluid from the rod-
end port returns to the reservoir. To retract the cylinder, the pump flow is sent to the rod-end port
and the fluid from the blank-end port returns to the tank.
3. Tandem cylinder
It is used in applications where a large amount of force is required from a small-diameter
cylinder. Pressure is applied to both pistons, resulting in increased force because of the larger
area. The drawback is that these cylinders must be longer than a standard cylinder to achieve an
equal speed because flow must go to both pistons.

4. Telescopic cylinder
• Most telescopic cylinders, are single acting, although double-acting versions are
available.
• Telescopic cylinders contain five or more sets of tubing, or stages, that nest inside one
another.

• Each stage is equipped with seals and bearing surfaces to act as both a cylinder barrel
and piston rod.
• Available for extensions exceeding 15 ft, most are used on mobile applications where
available mounting space is limited.
 • The collapsed length of a telescoping cylinder can be as little as 15 its extended length,
but the cost is several times that of a standard cylinder that can produce equivalent force.
• Models are available in which all stages extend simultaneously or where the largest stage
extends first, followed by each successively smaller stage.

CYLINDER CUSHIONING
 For the prevention of shock due to stopping loads at the end of the piston stroke, cushion
devices are used. Cushions may be applied at either end or both ends.
 They operate on the principle that as the cylinder piston approaches the end of stroke, an
exhaust fluid is forced to go through an adjustable needle valve that is set to control the
escaping fluid at a given rate.
 This allows the deceleration characteristics to be adjusted for different loads.
 When the cylinder piston is actuated, the fluid enters the cylinder port and flows through
the little check valve so that the entire piston area can be utilized to produce force and
motion.
ROTARY ACTUATOR / HYDRAULIC MOTOR
The types of Rotary actuators are as follows,
1. Gear motors.
2. Vane motors.
3. Piston motors:
Axial piston-type motors.
Radial piston-type motors.

****** the diagrams are same as hydraulic pumps*****

SEMI-ROTARY ACTUATORS
These are devices used to convert fluid energy into a torque which turns through an angle limited
by the design of the actuator. With the majority of designs, the angle of rotation is limited to 360º
although it is possible to considerably exceed this when using
piston-operated actuators.

1. Vane-Type Semi-Rotary Actuator (Single Vane)

A semi-rotary actuator allows only a partial revolution. A vane-
type semi-rotary actuator consists of a vane connected to an
output shaft. When hydraulic pressure is applied to one side of
the vane, it rotates. A stop prevents the vane from rotating
continuously. The rotation angle in the case of a single-vane
semi-rotary actuator is 315°.

2. Two-Vane-Type Semi-Rotary Actuator

A two-vane rotary actuator is shown in Figure. The advantage of this
design is that the torque output is increased because the area
subjected to pressure is large. However, two-vane models cannot
rotate as many degrees as can single-vane models. It is limited to
100°. Passageways are used to connect the different chambers of
the rotary actuator.

3. Chain and Sprocket Semi-Rotary Actuator

 In this design, an endless chain and a sprocket are used. It is suitable for multi-revolution
applications.
 The chain is anchored to two pistons, one large and other small, which when in their
respective bores separate the half of the unit.
 The larger cylinder is the power cylinder and the smaller cylinder is the chain return or seal
cylinder.
 The idler is automatically a tensioned one, so that a constant tension is maintained.
Pressure is applied to one port of the actuator.
 The larger piston moves away from the port due to differential areas of the two pistons.
 The movement of larger piston pulls the chain, causing the sprocket and output shaft to
rotate.

4. Rack and Pinion Rotary Actuator

A rack and pinion rotary actuator is a commonly used design for obtaining partial
revolution actuation. This consists of a hydraulic cylinder with a rack and pinion gear mechanism.
The rack gear on the piston rod turns the pinion gear, thereby converting the linear motion of the
piston into rotary motion, which is transmitted to the load through the output shaft.

5. Rack and rotary actuator

In this design, the cylinder drives a pinion gear and the rack is an integral part of the piston
rod. The angle of rotation depends upon the stroke of the cylinder, rack and the pitch circle
diameter of the pinion. The start and finish of the stroke are adjusted by means of an internal
stop(stroke adjuster).

HYDRAULIC VALVES