Fluid  Power  Variables  

At  the  end  of  this  video,  you  should  be  able  to:  
•  Define  pressure  and  flow  rate  and  their  common  units  
•  Describe  the  difference  between  through  and  across  variables  
•  Calculate  the  power  of  hydraulic  components  
Defini3on:  Pressure  (P)  
Pressure  is  the  force  per  unit  area  
Across  Variable:  Measured  with  respect  to  reference  
Units  
SI: Pascal (Pa)

US: pounds per inch2 (psi)

Source: http://alpcentauri.info/pressure_and_pascal_10.html
Defini3on:  Flow  Rate  (Q  or  m)  
Flow  rate  is  the  volume  (or  mass)  per  unit  Eme  
Through  Variable:  flow  through  imaginary  plane  
Units  –  Volume  Flow  Rate  
SI: meters3 per second (m3/s)

US: gallons per minute (gpm)

Units  –  Mass  Flow  Rate  

SI: kilograms per second (kg/s)
US: pounds per second (lbm/s)
Source: http://www.irrigationdirect.com/
Measuring  Pressure  and  Flow  Rate  
Pressure  
 
 
 
 
Flow  Rate  
Power  Calcula3on  
•  CalculaEons  in  fluid  power  are  easiest  in  SI  units  
 

 Power  =  Pressure  *  Flow  Rate  

 
 
P = ΔPQ
Source: http://www.drhydraulicservices.com

SI:  
 
US: