Hydraulic System of Tractor:

Design Consideration

Sunil Shirwal
Pumps
 Pumps are rated by pressure and flow.

 Currently there are three types of hydraulic pumps

used; gear pumps, axial piston pumps and vane
pumps.

 Gear pumps have a practical efficiency of 85% to 90%

and will decrease over time.

 New piston and vane pumps’ efficiencies are

somewhere around 90 to 95% and too will lose
efficiency as the pump wears.

 Industrial standards for pump lifetimes are between

8000 to 10000 hours of operation.
 All pumps work by mechanically squeezing the
fluid between mating surfaces.

 In gear pumps it is the meshing of the gears

pushing against the pump housing wall,

 In piston pumps it is the piston pushing in the

piston silo against a valve plate.

 In vane pumps it is the vanes pushing against

the pump housing wall.

 In all cases the pumps are dependent on

maintaining lubricity between mating surfaces
to prevent material on material wear.
 All three types of pumps are sensitive to fluid
contamination, some more than others.

 Gear pumps are the least sensitive while piston and vane
pumps are the most sensitive.

 All pumps are also sensitive to fluid cavitations or air

bubbles that form in the fluid.

 These bubbles when compressed will explode creating

pitting and pockets in the pump material.

 As pumps wear over their lifetimes, the ability to produce

pressure and flow diminishes along with ever increasing
internal leakage.

 When pump efficiencies start dropping below 80 to 85%,

depending on the type, it is time to replace the pump or
rebuild it
 Hydraulic power performance
Theoretical discharge of hydraulic pump is given by

Where,
Dp = volume of displacement of pump in one revolution
N = pump speed, rpm

For plunger barrel type pumps, the discharge is given

by

Where, A= area of plunger, cm2

L= length of stroke, cm
N= pump speed, rpm
The actual discharge of hydraulic pump is given by

ηv = volumetric efficiency of the pump, and is dependent on internal leakage

and compressibility of the oil.

Pump Torque

Tth = theoretical input torque, N-m

Tac = actual input torque, N-m
P = pump outlet pressure minus pump inlet pressure (bar)
D = volume of displacement of pump
ηt = torque efficiency of pump, %.
 Input or Shaft Power

The input or shaft power (Ws) of hydraulic pump is given by

Ws = input or shaft power in kW

T = input shaft torque, N-m
N = shaft speed, rpm

Hydraulic/ Fluid power of pump

The Hydraulic/ Fluid power of pump (Wf) is given by

Q = actual pump discharge, 1/m Q = actual pump discharge, 1/s

P = pressure across the pump, Mpa H = Head, m
 Overall Efficiency of Pump

Overall Efficiency of Pump (ηm ) is given by

 Hydraulic Cylinder Design
 Hydraulic cylinder converts fluid power into linear
mechanical force which can be used for lifting/lowering
of implements attached to the tractor and control depth
of operation in the field.

 According to fluid flow and forces acting and specific

application, the hydraulic cylinders can be classified as:
◦ Single acting
◦ Double acting
◦ Double acting double rod
◦ Telescoping and
◦ Cushioned top type

 Single acting hydraulic cylinders are most commonly

used in hydraulic systems of tractors.
 Single acting hydraulic cylinder

Force in the cylinder is given by

Fe = extension force in the cylinder, N;

Fre = retraction force in the cylinder, N
P = fluid pressure in actuator, N/mm2
Ac = cross sectional area of ram, mm2
Ar = cross sectional area of rod, mm2
 Double acting hydraulic cylinder

Force applied by hydraulic cylinder

P1, P2 = hydraulic pressure, MPa

Dp = piston diameter, cm
dr = rod diameter, cm
S = stroke, cm
A1 = piston area of the cap end, cm2
A2 = piston area at the rod end, cm2
F = Force or load moved by
hydraulic cylinder, kN
In case the return oil line from the rod end is connected back to
reservoir at atmospheric pressure, then the piston is extending

When the supply is to the rod end and the cap end is vented to
atmosphere, the piston is retracting
 Speed of rod movement

The speed of piston rod in cylinder is obtained by dividing the volume of

fluid flow into the cylinder by the cross sectional area of cylinder bore as
under

Q= volume of fluid flow, litres/min

A = cross sectional area, cm2
V = velocity of piston, m/s

Power developed by the actuator

The power developed by hydraulic cylinder in kW is given by

Fe = Force developed by piston during extending, kN

V = speed of ram in cylinder, m/s
 Valve design (Flow rate through orifice)

 Hoses design (Thickness)