Part III: Hydraulic Circuits of Hydraulic Equipment and Hydraulic

Examples
1.Introduction
1.1. Overview
God created the first and most wonderful hydraulic system. It includes a double pump delivering a fluid flow rate of
about 10 L/min at 0.16 bar maximum pressure. This pump feeds a piping network stretching more than 100,000 km.
That’s nearly two and a half times around the Earth. It operates continuously for a very long time, mostly
maintenance free. It is the human blood circulatory system.

What is Fluid Power?

Fluid power is the transmission of forces and motions using a confined and pressurized fluid. Fluid power system is a
mechanism for converting mechanical power into hydraulic power (kinetic and pressure) in a fluid, transmitting that
power through a conduit, control it and then reconverting it to mechanical power in order to perform work.

Why Fluid Power!!

Fluid power is ideal for high speed, high force, high power applications. Compared to all other actuation
technologies, including electric motors. Fluid power is unsurpassed for force and power density and is capable of
generating extremely high forces with relatively lightweight cylinder actuators. Fluid power systems have a higher
bandwidth than electric motors and can be used in applications that require fast starts, stops and reversals, or that
require high frequency oscillations. Because oil has a high bulk modulus, hydraulic systems can be finely controlled
for precision motion applications. Another major advantage of fluid power is compactness and flexibility. Fluid
power cylinders are relatively small and light for their weight and flexible hoses allows power to be snaked around
corners, over joints and through tubes leading to compact packaging without sacrificing high force and high power. A
good example of this compact packaging are Jaws of Life rescue tools for ripping open automobile bodies to extract
those trapped within.

Fluid power is all good news!?

No, Fluid power is not all good news. Hydraulic systems can leak oil at connections and seals. Hydraulic power is not
as easy to generate as electric power and requires a heavy, noisy pump. Hydraulic fluids can cavitate and retain air
resulting in spongy performance and loss of precision. Hydraulic and pneumatic systems become contaminated with
particles and require careful filtering. The physics of fluid power is more complex than that of electric motors which
makes modeling and control more challenging. University and industry researchers are working hard not only to
overcome these challenges but also to open fluid power to new applications, for example tiny robots and wearable
power-assist tools.

Stream Team 1
Fluid Power Applications
• Automotive
• Aerospace
• Construction industry
• Lawn and garden
• Agriculture
• Robotics
– Rescue
• Biomedical
• Mechanical testing
– components / materials
– structure
• Manufacturing
– steel
– injection molding

Testing Equipment

Stream Team 2
1.2. Fluid Power Examples

Fluid power is pervasive, from the gas spring that holds you up in the
office chair you are sitting on, to the air drill used by dentists, to the
brakes in your car, to practically every large agriculture, construction and
mining machine including harvesters, drills and excavators.
The Caterpillar 797B mining truck is the largest truck in the world at 3550
hp (Fig. 1.1). It carries 400 tons at 40 mph, uses 900 g of diesel per 12
hr. shift, costs about $6M and has tires that are about $60,000 each. It is
used in large mining operations such as the Hull-Rust-Mahoning Open
Pit Iron Mine, the world’s largest open pit iron mine, located in Hibbing
MN and the Muskeg River Mine in Alberta Canada.2 The 797B uses
fluid power for many of its internal actuation systems, including lifting
the fully loaded bed.
Shultz Steel, an aerospace company in South
Gate CA, has a 40,000- ton forging press that
weighs over 5.2 million pounds (Fig. 1.2). It is
the largest press in the world and is powered
by hydraulics operating at 6,600 psi requiring
24 700 hp pumps.
The Multi-Axial Sub-Assemblage Testing (MAST) Laboratory is located at
the University of Minnesota and is used to conduct three-dimensional,
quasi-static testing of large-scale civil engineering structures, including
buildings, to determine behavior during earthquakes (Fig.1.3).
The MAST system, constructed by MTS Systems, has eight
hydraulic actuators that can each push or pull with a force of
3910 kN. The Caterpillar 345C L excavator is used in the
construction industry for large digging and lifting operations and
has a 345 hp engine (Fig. 1.4).
-The 345C L operates at a hydraulic pressure of 5,511 psi to
generate a bucket digging force of 60,200 lbs and a lift force of
up to 47,350 lbs. A feller bencher is a large forestry machine that
cuts trees in place (Fig. 1.5).
Some of the fastest roller coasters in the world get their initial
launch from hydraulics and pneumatics. (Fig. 1.6). Hydraulic
launch assist systems pump hydraulic fluid into a bank of accumulators storing energy as a
compressed gas. At launch, the
energy is suddenly released
into a hydraulic motor whose
output shaft drives a cable
drum with the cable rapidly
bringing the train from rest to
very high velocities. The
Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great
Adventure uses this launch and
reaches 128 mph in 3.5 s.

Stream Team 3
 1.3 Hydraulic Equipment Circuits
1.3.1 Forklift

Usage

Forklifts fall under the

category of lifting and
transport machinery. A
forklift has a lifting
system for loading
packages and a mobile
system for moving
around, like a truck.

Comment:
1- There is one device
Containing 3 parts
together and a
2-POCV to safe load from
falling under its weight.
3- DCVs connected in
series.

Operation
Extension Retraction

Stream Team 4
Component

Name Photo Symbol Location

1-Return line The first part in
filter the circuit
2-Oil Tank

Lifting cylinder The last part in

D_p = 63 mm circuit
D_r = 40 mm
Stroke = 800 mm

4/3 Manually After pump and

Actuated spring before the
centered DCV cylinder
with Embedded
PRV
Tilting cylinder The last part in
with pilot circuit
operating check
valve and P-G

Pump After tank and

Motor before DCV
Pressure gauge

Pilot operating In the line going

check to the cylinder

Flow control In the line going

valve with check to the cylinder
valve in parallel

Stream Team 5
 1.3.2 Loader

Usage

A loader is a heavy equipment machine used in construction to

move aside or load materials onto another type of machinery.

COMMENTS:
1- Two cylinders are connected in parallel to lift load.
2- Cross connection between 2 cylinders to have a steering.
3- Individual cylinder used for tilting.

Operation
Extension Retraction

Stream Team 6
Component

Name Photo Symbol Location

Positive After tank
displacement and before
Pump DCV
connected to
electric motor
Tilting cylinder The last
part in
circuit

Two Lifting The last

cylinders part in
circuit

Pressure relief In parallel

valve with pump

Cross In the lines

connection going to
the
cylinders

Three 4/3 After pump

manually and before
actuated the
spring cylinder
centered
direction
control valves
connected in
parallel

Stream Team 7
1.3.3 Elevator

Usage

Hydraulic elevators are a mainstay in

construction industry, generally in
buildings up to six stories high. They don’t
require significant overhead hoisting
machinery in comparison to traction
systems.

COMMENTS:
1- Two pilot operated check valves in
the same package to save the load
from falling under its load.

2- Flow control valve with check valve

connected in parallel to control the
speed of the cylinder.

Operation
Extension Retraction

Stream Team 8
Component

Name Photo Symbol Location

Positive After tank
displacement and
pump before
DCV

Pressure relief In parallel

valve with pump

Two pilot After DCV

operated and
check valve in before the
the same cylinder
body

Flow control In the line

valve going to
the
cylinder

Direction After
control valve pump and
before the
cylinder

Double acting The last

cylinder part in
circuit

Stream Team 9
1.3.4 Training board

a) Simple cycle

Usage

Simple cycle with uncontrolled usual speed for both

extension and retraction stroke.

b) Regenerative cycle

Usage

Regenerative cycle to have a High speed extension.

Stream Team 11
c) Simple cycle with flow control valve before inlet of piston side

Usage

Flow control valve located before the inlet of piston side to

control the speed in extension stroke.

d) Simple cycle with flow control valve before inlet of rod side

Usage

Flow control valve located before the inlet of rode side to

control the speed in Retraction stroke.

Stream Team 11
Component

Name Photo Symbol Location

Pump unit The first
part in the
circuit

Direction After
control valve pump and
before the
cylinder

Double The last

acting part in
cylinder circuit

Two Headers Header to

one to pump collect all
one to tank lines to
pump or
tank
Pressure In parallel
relief valve with
with two pump
pressure
gauges

Flow control In the line

valve going to
the
cylinder

Stream Team 12