MPS 30 – Aircraft Systems

Hydraulic System:
Hydraulic Fluid

Emilia Villani
Purpose

▪ Understand the fundamentals of kinematics and dynamics of compressible

and incompressible fluids, and their applications in the design of hydraulic
systems in aircraft.

2
Topics

1. Introduction

2. Properties

3. Review of Fluid Mechanics

3
Topics

1. Introduction

2. Properties

3. Review of Fluid Mechanics

4
Introduction

▪ Main purposes of hydraulic fluid:

❑ Transmit power;
❑ Lubricate the moving parts, reducing friction;
❑ Dissipate heat.

5
Introduction

▪ Hydraulic fluids
❑ Vegetable oils
– Derived from castor oil (óleo de mamona) and alcohol, used in old
aircrafts;
– Highly flammable;
– Used with natural rubber seals;
– Color: blue;
– Example of specification: MIL-H-7644.
❑ Mineral oils
– Derived from petroleum, are still used in many small aircraft.
– Have low viscosity variation, are flammable, working temperature up to
~130ºC.
– Used with synthetic rubber seals;
– Color: red;
– Example of specification: MIL-H-5606.

6
Introduction

▪ Hydraulic fluids
❑ Vegetable oils
– Derived from castor oil (óleo de mamona) and alcohol, used in old
aircrafts;
– Highly flammable;
– Used with natural rubber seals;
– Color: blue;
– Example of specification: MIL-H-7644.
❑ Mineral oils
– Derived from petroleum, are still used in many small aircraft.
– Have low viscosity variation, are flammable, working temperature up to
~130ºC.
– Used with synthetic rubber seals;
– Color: red;
– Example of specification: MIL-H-5606.

7
Introduction

▪ Hydraulic fluids
❑ Vegetable oils
– Derived from castor oil (óleo de mamona) and alcohol, used in old
aircrafts;
– Highly flammable;
– Used with natural rubber seals;
– Color: blue;
– Example of specification: MIL-H-7644.
❑ Mineral oils
– Derived from petroleum, are still used in many small aircraft.
– Have low viscosity variation, are flammable, working temperature up to
~130ºC.
– Used with synthetic rubber seals;
– Color: red;
– Example of specification: MIL-H-5606.

8
Introduction

▪ Hydraulic fluids
❑ Synthetic oils (Skydrol, HyJet)
– Based on ester phosphate, are the most commonly used today.
– Practically non-flammable, good performance at low temperature, does
not attack metal components like aluminum and steel, low toxic;
– Type IV: first generation;
– Type V: higher thermal stability, lower density, longer life;
– Use with rubber butyl or ethylene-propylene seal;
– Color: purple;
– Example of specification: MIL-H-8446.

9
Topics

1. Introduction

2. Properties

3. Review of Fluid Mechanics

10
Properties

▪ Physical Properties - Density

❑ Specific weight (in N/m³): γ
– Weight of the substance per unit volume.
❑ Density (in kg/m³): ρ
– Mass of the substance per unit volume: ρ = γ/g , where g is the gravity
acceleration.
❑ Relative Density or 'Specific Gravity': σ or SG
– Ratio between the density (or specific gravity) of a substance at a certain
temperature and the density (or specific gravity) of the water at the same
temperature.

Examples γ (N/m3) ρ (kg/m3) σ

Water 9797 1000 1
Mineral oil – OM15 8327 850 0,85
Synthetic oil – Skydrol 500 11266 1150 1,15

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Properties

▪ Physical Properties - Density

❑ Implications for hydraulic system design:
– It is desirable to minimize the weight of the hydraulic fluid to be
transported.
– At pumps, it is the mass of each unit of volume that resists acceleration
and therefore defines the energy consumed.
– When a flow crosses constraints (e.g., valves), the density influences the
resulting pressure drop.

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Properties

▪ Physical Properties - Compressibility

❑ The density varies according to temperature and pressure (linear
approximation):
     
 = 0 +   .(P − P0 ) +   .(T − T0 )
 P T  T  P

 
.(P − P0 ) −  .(T − T0 )
1
 =  0 .1 +
  

Volumetric Coefficient of cubic

compressibility module expansion
 P   P  1    1  V 
 =  0 .  = −V0 .   =− .  = . 
  T  V T  0  T  P V0  T  P

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Properties

▪ Physical Properties – Compressibility

❑ Volumetric compressibility module - also called Bulk Modulus:

Examples 𝛽 (N/m2)
Water 20x108
Mineral oil – OM15 18x108
Synthetic oil – Skydrol 500 26x108

❑ Bulk Modulus varies with pressure.

❑ Different definitions - different results:
– Isothermal secant Work Work
P pressure P pressure
– Adiabatic secant Tangent
Secant
– Isothermal tangent
– Adiabatic tangent (V0-V)/V0 (V0-V)/V0

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Properties

▪ Physical Properties – Compressibility

❑ Modulus of effective elasticity: 𝛽𝐸
– Considers the presence of air in the fluid.
– Considers container volume variation.
Gas
VG - Gas
VG VT

VL - Liquid Liquid

VR

1 1  V + VL − VR  1 1 1 VG  1 1 
=− . G  = + + . − 
E (VG + VL )  P  E R L VL   G  L 

𝛽𝑅 is a function of the diameter and thickness of the pipe.

𝛽𝐺 is a function of specific heats at constant pressure and constant volume of the gas.

15
Properties

▪ Physical Properties – Compressibility

❑ Implications for hydraulic system design:
– The compression of a fluid under pressure has the equivalent effect of a
spring.
– For an actuator, it is not possible to extend the operating frequency range
beyond the natural resonant frequency of the actuator (resulting from the
'fluid/spring + mass/inertia' composition).
– 'Hammer' effect: high pressure waves that propagate along the pipe,
causing oscillations.

16
Properties

▪ Physical Properties – Compressibility and Thermal Expansion

❑ Implications for hydraulic system design:
– The expansion of fluids with the increasing temperature should be
considered, for example, in the design of tanks and reservoirs.
– If a fluid in a reservoir is subjected to a temperature variation and does
not have sufficient space to expand, the volume variation becomes
pressure variation.

17
Properties

▪ Physical Properties – Compressibility

❑ Implications for hydraulic system design:
– In the operation of pumps, a residual volume at high pressure can occupy
a significant volume at low pressure, decreasing the flow generated by the
pump.
– If the residual volume is too small and there is a delay between the piston
and the valve, high pressures (on equipment load) or negative pressures
(cavitation) can be generated.

Tank
one-way valve

System

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Properties

▪ Physical Properties – Viscosity

❑ Resistance of a fluid to the flow.
❑ Absolute viscosity: 𝜇 (10 poise ≡ 1Pa.s ≡ 1N.s / m²)
– Due to viscosity, the oil adheres to both surfaces, resulting in a linear
velocity profile with a slope v / y.
v
F Moving board
A.v
Thickness of
oil film
y Speed Profile F =
Fixed plate
y

 Shearing stress of the fluid

Absolute viscosity =
v/ y Speed profile inclination

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Properties

▪ Physical Properties – Viscosity

❑ Absolute viscosity: 𝜇
– For unit values of v, y, and the area of the plates, we have:
 
= = =F
v/ y 1/1
– It is the force required to move a flat plate of unitary area, positioned at a
unitary distance from a fixed plate, with relative unitary velocity, when the
spacing between the plates is filled with the fluid.
❑ Kinematic viscosity: 𝜐 (m²/s)

 Absolute viscosity
Kinematic viscosity =
 Density

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Properties

▪ Physical Properties – Viscosity

❑ Viscosity as damping:
– The force required to cause a relative motion is proportional to the
velocity and contact area, and inversely proportional to the thickness of
the film:
Contact area

x
F L D F =  . A. Film
Cr thickness

Viscosity
Cr

 D.L. 
F =   . .x = b.x
 Cr 
DAMPING

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Properties

▪ Physical Properties – Viscosity

❑ Implications for hydraulic system design:
– High viscosity assists in leakage control through small openings, but
restricts the flow in pipes.
– It influences the leak between low and high pressure in pumps and
motors, affecting its performance.
– It acts as a damping for the control system.
– Viscosity is strongly influenced by temperature (and also slightly by
pressure).
– Consequently, the viscosity limits the temperature range that a circuit can
operate.

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Properties

▪ Thermal Properties
❑ Specific heat
– The amount of heat required to increase the temperature of a unit mass
by 1 ° C.
• Measured at constant pressure: 𝐶𝑃
• Measured at constant volume: 𝐶𝑉
❑ Thermal Conductivity
– Energy transmitted by the fluid for a given temperature gradient in the
direction of the heat flow.
❑ Implications for hydraulic system design:
– Energy spent through valves, filters, and other components, transformed
into increased fluid temperature and must be dissipated.
– Good heat transfer ability is desirable.

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Properties

▪ Physical properties
❑ Other properties to consider:
– Lubricity:
• Strictly defined as ability to prevent wear on metal surfaces.
• Low lubricity results in component wear.
• As a consequence, there are leaks, loss of efficiency and reduction in pressure
increase.
– Thermal stability:
• Ability to withstand chemical reactions and decomposition at high
temperatures, which can generate solid products.

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Properties

▪ Physical properties
❑ Other properties to consider:
– Low oxidation
• Ability to withstand reactions with materials containing oxygen (air), which
can generate solid and acidic products.
– Resistance to foaming
• The presence of air in the system drastically reduces bulk modulus.
– Low volatility
– Compatibility with system materials
– Fire resistance
– Non-polluting, non-toxic

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Topics

1. Introduction

2. Properties

3. Review of Fluid Mechanics

26
Review of Fluid Mechanics

▪ Flow Laws
❑ Conservation of momentum: Navier-Stokes equations

inertia viscosity

– Reynolds number:
• Ratio of inertia forces and viscosity force.
• Turbulent flow: high Reynolds number.
• Laminar flow: low Reynolds number.

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Review of Fluid Mechanics

▪ Flow Laws
❑ Conservation of mass:
– Unidirectional flow 1 dm 1 d ( .V )
Q − Q
in out = . = .
 dt  dt

Q V
V dP dV
 Qin −  Qout = . +
 dt dt

– For incompressible flow:

dV
Q − Q
in out =
dt Qin – Input Flow
Qout – Output flow
V – Volume
t – Time

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Review of Fluid Mechanics

▪ Flow Laws
❑ Conservation of energy:
– Unidirectional flow
– Incompressible fluid.
L 𝑑𝑊𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑊𝑜𝑢𝑡
− = ෍ 𝜌. 𝑄2 . ℎ2 − ෍ 𝜌. 𝑄1 . ℎ1
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
Win – Heat provided
to the system
𝑃 𝑣2 Wout – Work done by
1 2 ℎ= + + 𝑧 + 𝑐𝑃 . 𝑇 the system
𝛾 2. 𝑔
Wout Win T – Temperature
Q – Flow rate
– For permanent regime cP – Specific heat
h – Energy
P – Pressure
𝑃1 𝑣1 2 𝑃2 𝑣2 2 v – Velocity
+ + 𝑧1 + 𝑐𝑃 . 𝑇1 = + + 𝑧2 + 𝑐𝑃 . 𝑇2 g – Gravity
𝛾 2. 𝑔 𝛾 2. 𝑔 z – altura
t – Time

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Review of Fluid Mechanics

▪ Application - Flow through constraint

❑ Steady-state turbulent flow, incompressible and non-viscous fluid.
A0
The particles of the fluids are accelerated
between stations 1 and 2, forming a jet
"contractual vein". Between points 2 and 3 a
violent mixing of the jet occurs with the fluid, the
flow becomes turbulent and the kinetic energy is
converted into an increase in temperature. Since
the kinetic energy is not recovered, the pressures
1 2 A2 3 at points 2 and 3 are approximately equal.

T1  T2 P2  P3 Q = A1.v1 = A2 .v2 = A3 .v3

2 2 2
P1v P v P v
+ 1 + c p .T1 = 2 + 2 + c p .T2 = 3 + 3 + c p .T3
 2  2  2

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Review of Fluid Mechanics

▪ Application - Flow through constraint

❑ Steady-state turbulent flow, incompressible and non-viscous fluid.
A0
A2 2
Q= . .( P1 − P2 )
A 
2 
1 −  2 
 A1 

1 2 A2 3 2
Q = Cd . A0 . .( P1 − P3 )
Pressure loss 

PL P1 − P3
= = c p .(T1 − T3 ) Coefficient of discharge
 

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Thank you!