CHAPTER 9

AUXILIARY COMPONENTS
Fluid Power Circuits and Controls,
John S.Cundiff, 2001

INTRODUCTION

z Discussion of the hardware needed to connect the

various components (pumps, actuators, valves,
accumulators, filters, oil coolers) in a circuit.

z Two key issues in fluid power are

{P (pressure)

{Q (flow).

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 INTRODUCTION

z Two key issues in the design of the lines between

components are
{sizing for the recommended maximum fluid velocity
(related to Q).

{selection of the pressure rating (P).

z Conductors must have higher a working pressure

rating than the maximum expected pressure in the
system.

RESERVOIR
z The reservoir has four functions.
{It separates entrained air.
z Dwell time in the reservoir provides opportunity for air bubbles
in the fluid to rise to the top and burst on the surface.
{It dissipates pressure pulses.
z Circuits with several actuators and random actuation of these
actuators can have significant pressure pulses in the return
line.
{It provides cooling.
z Heat exchange from the reservoir to the surroundings.
{It traps contaminant.
z If the reservoir has to trap contaminant, the filtration is not
working correctly.

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 RESERVOIR CONSTRUCTION
z Recommended reservoir capacity is one to three times the
pump output.

z Machines are often less than three times the pump flow, but
should never be less than one times the total pump flow.

z Reservoir must be sized to hold all fluid from the cylinders

when they are fully retracted.

z When all cylinders are fully extended, the level of fluid in the
reservoir must still be above the suction line to the pump.

RESERVOIR CONSTRUCTION

z Refer Fig 9.1

z A reservoir with
maximum surface
area per unit volume
gives the best heat
exchange.

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 RESERVOIR CONSTRUCTION
z Refer Fig 9.2

z The reservoir location

should be chosen such
that the distance h
between the fluid level and
the pump inlet is as great
as possible.

z A larger h reduces the

potential for cavitations.

z There should be good air

circulation across all
exterior surfaces.

RESERVOIR CONSTRUCTION

z Some modular units

have pumps mounted
on the top of the
reservoir. The pump
must provide enough
suction to lift fluid into
the pump.

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RESERVOIR CONSTRUCTION

z Both inlet and return

lines should be
submerged. If the
return flow jets across
the surface of the
fluid, air will be
entrained in fluid.

RESERVOIR CONSTRUCTION
z Pump inlet should be some distance above the
bottom of the reservoir to minimize the potential
for ingestion of contaminants that have settled
on the bottom.

z A strainer should always be used at the inlet.

z The drain plug should be located such that all oil

can be drained from the reservoir.

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 RESERVOIR CONSTRUCTION

z Two baffle patterns.

z Thorough mixing of oil

in larger reservoirs
prevents temperature
gradients and improves
heat exchange.

RESERVOIR CONSTRUCTION

z Pressurize the
reservoir using a
bladder, if it is not
possible to provide a
large enough h to
completely fill the
pump at design
operating speed.

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RESERVOIR CONSTRUCTION

zA pressurized reservoir eliminates the

exchange of air into the reservoir.

zEliminates a pathway for dirt ingress

zEliminates the entrance of water vapor into

the reservoir where water vapor can
condense on the interior surface and drop
water into the oil.

HYDRAULIC LINES

z There are three types of lines used for

pressurized fluid :

{Pipe

{Seamless tubing

{Hose

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 HYDRAULIC LINES
Pipe
z Pipe and tubing are both
rigid conductors.
z Normal sizes of American
standard pipe and pipe
fittings are defined by ANSI
standard B36.10, 1970.
z There are four schedules
{ 40
{ 80
{ 60
{ Double extra heavy

HYDRAULIC LINES
z The outside diameter is held constant for all
schedules of a given nominal size, because the
threads cut into the OD must always fit those
tapped into a mating port or fitting.

z The wall thickness increases to provide a higher

pressure rating.

z Pressure ratings for steel pipe are given in the

table. (Refer Table 9.2)

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HYDRAULIC LINES

HYDRAULIC LINES

z Pipes and pipe fittings have tapered threads.

z These threads seal by a metal-to-metal contact

between the threads in the mating parts.

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 HYDRAULIC LINES
z NPT threads engage
mating threads on their
flanks.

z This design leaves a small

spiral groove along the
thread tips, which must be
filled with sealant.

z NPTF threads seal by

tightening until the thread
crests are crushed enough
that the flanks make full
contact.

HYDRAULIC LINES
Hydraulic tubing

z Tubing is either seamless carbon steel or seamless stainless

steel.

z Stainless steel tubing is for applications in which

{ the exterior surface is attacked by the surrounding chemical
environment
{ (Or) the fluid itself is corrosive and the inside is subject to attack.

z Hydraulic tubing is specified by its outside diameter (OD). It

has a thin wall compared to pipe.

z Methods other than threading have been developed to

connect tubing.

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 HYDRAULIC LINES

z Three main types of fittings to connect tubing

{Flared tubing fittings

{Flareless tubing fittings

{Welded tubing fittings

HYDRAULIC LINES
z Flared tubing fittings

z Three piece type is the most widely

used for hydraulic circuits.

z A sleeve is placed on the tubing

before it is flared.

z When flare nut is tightened sleeve

absorbs the twisting friction
produced by the nut so that only
axial forces are exerted against the
flared tube.

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 HYDRAULIC LINES
z The standard flare angle
o
for hydraulic tubing is 37 .

z Making the flare too

narrow is a common
fabrication error.

z The correct amount of

extension of the fare
above the sleeve is
shown. (Refer Fig 9.10)

HYDRAULIC LINES

z Flareless tubing fittings

z Tubing wall thickness ca be increased to produce

tubing with a higher pressure rating.

z Flaring is more difficult as wall thickness increases,

as a result flareless fittings were developed.

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 HYDRAULIC LINES

z There are a number of different designs

z All the different designs have some means whereby

a ferrule is pressed against the tubing and actually
“bites” into the surface.

z Once this ferrule is seated, it cannot be removed.

HYDRAULIC LINES

z Flareless fittings will leak if under-tightened or

overtightened.

z It is best to moderately tighten, check for leaks

o
and then tighten in 37 increments until the leak
is sealed.

z Flareless fittings are not recommended for

tubing below a certain wall thickness.

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 HYDRAULIC LINES

z Welded Fittings

z Welded fittings are used for the most severe

applications.

z Of the three types, the cost for welded fittings is

the highest

HYDRAULIC LINES
z Selection of hydraulic tubing involves choosing the
correct material and then determining the size, OD
and wall thickness.

z Pressure rating for hydraulic tubing and fittings are

given in SAE Standard J1065 Jul95.

z The design pressure data is based on severity of

service rating A. This rating uses a design factor of 4,
meaning that the burst pressure to working pressure
ratio is 4:1

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 HYDRAULIC LINES

z Example of severe service is the following

application.

{A press is used to form bladders for truck brakes. Sheets of

reinforced elastomer material are placed in the mold and the
press closes. A combination of pressure and temperature is
used to form the part. The procedure calls for a “bump” cycle
where pressure is cycled for several cycles. Operating
o
temperature is 320 F. The pressure valve for the press circuit
is set on 2000 psi and 0.75 OD carbon steel tubing has been
selected. Find the wall thickness required.

HYDRAULIC LINES

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 HYDRAULIC LINES

HYDRAULIC LINES
z Solution:
{The derating factor for B service is 0.67 (Refer Table 9.4)
o
and for 320 F, the derating factor is 0.99. The combined
factor is 0.67 x 0.99 = 0.663. Tubing selected must have a
design pressure rating of
2000 psi = 3015 psi
0.663
From Table A9.1, 0.75-in. C-1010 steel tubing is selected
with a 0.083-in. wall thickness has a design pressure
rating of 3050 psi. The burst pressure rating is 4 x 3050
psi = 12,200 psi; thus the overall design factor for this
application is 12,200 psi = 6.1
2,000 psi

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HYDRAULIC LINES

z Referencing Table 9.3, the tubing has an 0.083-in. wall

thickness; thus either flared or flareless fittings can be
used.

HYDRAULIC LINES

z Hydraulic Hose

z Hydraulic hose can be divided into two

categories:

{Fabric-reinforced hose

{Wire-reinforced hose

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 HYDRAULIC LINES

Fabric-reinforced hose

z Fabric reinforced hose has

a plastic (or rubber) inner
tube covered by one or
more layers of woven
fabric.

z The outer surface is

protected by a rubber or
plastic covering.

HYDRAULIC LINES
Wire-reinforced hose.

z Wire-reinforced hose has a

synthetic rubber inner tube,
one or more layers of wire
reinforcement, and a
synthetic rubber outer
coating to protect the wire.

z Two types of reinforcement:

{ Woven
{ Spiral bound

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HYDRAULIC LINES
z Pressure ratings for hydraulic hose are given in
SAE Standard J517 May97.

z The design pressure rating decreases as

diameter increases.

z There are several techniques for attaching the

hose end to the hose.
{Barbed nipples with bolted clamps.
{Reusable fittings with screw-in nipples.

HYDRAULIC LINES
z Barbed nipples with bolted clamps

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 HYDRAULIC LINES
Reusable fittings with
screw-in nipples

z Advantages of reusable
fitting:

{ Being able to salvage the

fitting when the hose is
replaced

{ Potential for changing the

nipple to obtain a different
fitting on the end of the
hose.

HYDRAULIC LINES

z Large hoses have large

fittings, and it is often
difficult to get the right
size wrench in position to
tighten the fitting.

z Split flange fittings were

developed so that
assembly can be done by
tightening four small
bolts. (Refer Fig 9.17)

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 FLUID VELOCITY IN CONDUCTORS

z Pressure drop per foot of

tubing is plotted, for a
viscosity of 100 SUS and
flowing in a straight 0.5-in.
ID tube or hose.

z Pressure drop in the hose is

slightly higher, because the
friction factor for elastomer
inner tube > factor for steel
surface of the tubing.

FLUID VELOCITY IN CONDUCTORS

z Importance of
maintaining oil
temperature and
therefore viscosity, in the
desired range is shown.

z Pressure drop is plotted

versus fluid velocity for
viscosities 100 and 400
SUS.

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FLUID VELOCITY IN CONDUCTORS
z These viscosities were
chosen because they
represent the viscosity range
of typical hydraulic oil where
o
the system is started at 0 F
ambient temperature versus
o
starting at 100 F.

z Pressure drop in the lines

decreases as the system
comes up to the operating
temperature.

FLUID VELOCITY IN CONDUCTORS

z It is recommended that the lines be sized such

that the following velocities are not exceeded:

{Pressure line – 15 ft/s

{Return line – 10 ft/s

{Suction line – 4 ft/s

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FLUID VELOCITY IN CONDUCTORS
z The cost for the conductors (pipe, tubing or
hose) increases significantly as size increases.

z A one-inch fittings cost about eight times more

than 0.5-in. fittings.

z Selection of a maximum velocity for pressure

lines of 15 ft/s is a trade-off between fixed cost
for the conductor and higher operating costs due
to higher pressure drop in the lines.

FLUID VELOCITY IN CONDUCTORS

z Referring to Fig 9.18, pressure drops increases
more rapidly as velocity increases above 15 ft/s.

z Referring to Fig 9.19, pressure drop in the lines

represents a conversion of hydraulic energy to heat
energy, and thus increases operating cost.

z Return lines are low pressure lines and thus less

expensive. Costs less to increase return line size
and achieve lower velocity.

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Options for Connecting Components

z There are a wide variety of fittings used to

connect tubing, hose and pipe.

z A dash numbering system has been developed

to facilitate the selection of needed fittings.

z Dash number is the number of sixteenths of an

inch in the nominal size.

z Data for selected tubing and hose (Table 9.6)

Options for Connecting Components

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Options for Connecting Components
z Tubing with a 0.5-in. OD has a -8 number.

z Nominal 0.5-in. hose has a -8 number. The real advantage comes in the
selection of fittings. A -8 tube fitting mates with a -8 adapter, which mates
with a -8 hose end. The ID is approx. constant through the connection
,which minimizes pressure drop. (Refer Fig 9.20)

Options for Connecting Components

z Many tubing and hose

connections for mobile and
stationary applications are
o
made with 37 F flare
fittings.

z It is recommended that
pumps, motors and valves
be purchased with straight-
thread O-ring ports.

z An adapter is screwed into

this port as shown.
(Fig 9.21)

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 Options for Connecting Components

z O-ring fits into a shallow groove machined into

the surface of the port.

z The O-ring is compressed as the adaptor is

tightened.

z The threads do not seal. Sealing is done by the

O-ring.

Options for Connecting Components

z Fittings are available that

o
can swivel 360 . (Fig 9.22)

z These fittings are more

expensive.

z Sometimes they are

needed to prevent a hose
from twisting as it moves
to follow an actuator.

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End of Chapter 9

THANK YOU

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