Department of Mining Engineering 1

Power transmission is the movement of energy from its place of

generation to a location where it is applied to performing useful
work.
Power is defined formally as units of energy per unit time. OR
Power is the rate of energy generation or use, measured in Watts =
[Joules / sec].
Power systems used for machines are mainly Three types these are;

1.Electrical power system

2. Pneumatic Power System

3. Hydraulic Power system

Department of Mining Engineering 2

1.Electric power system: is a network of electrical components
used to supply, transmit and use electric power. An example of an
electric power system is the network that supplies a region's homes
and industry with power—for sizable regions, this power system is
known as the grid and can be broadly divided into the generators that
supply the power, the transmission system that carries the power from
the generating centers to the load centers and the distribution
system that feeds the power to nearby homes and industries.

The majority of these systems rely upon three-phase AC power—the

standard for large-scale power transmission and distribution across
the modern world.

Department of Mining Engineering 3

2.Pneumatic power system
Pneumatic : from the Greek (pneumn) for wind or breath.
Pneumatics is a type of power transmission that uses a gas ( in
our case, air) and pressure differential to create movement. Akin
to Hydraulics, but hydraulics use oil, water, or other fluids
instead of gases.
Pneumatic systems use air to transfer force from one point to
another. “Air is Compressible”
Compressible:
This describes whether it is possible to force an object into a
smaller space than it normally occupies. For example, a sponge
is compressible because it can be squeezed into a smaller size.
and “liquid is Incompressible”
ƒIncompressible:
The opposite to compressible. When a “squeezing” force is
applied to an object, it does not change to a smaller size. Liquid,
for example hydraulic fluid, possesses this physical property.

Department of Mining Engineering 4

Compressor
Driller Machine

Jack hammer

Fig.1. Examples of Pneumatic

Machines
Department of Mining Engineering 5
3.Hydraulic power system
Hydraulic: from the Greek words (hydra) for water and aulos for a pipe.
Hydraulic systems use liquid to transfer force from one point to another.
Hydraulic systems are commonly used where mechanisms require large forces
and precise control.
Examples: Include vehicle power steering and brakes, hydraulic jacks and
heavy earth moving machines.
Liquid is ideal for transferring a force from the control mechanism to the
mechanism doing the work. For example transferring force from the brake
pedal to the wheel brake in a car.
Uses of hydraulics power
Hydraulics plays an important role in many industries; there are a
lot of hydraulic applications in manufacturing, transportation, and
construction sectors. Hydraulics systems are used where large,
precise forces are required.

Department of Mining Engineering 6

Hydraulic power, also called Fluid Power, power
transmitted by the controlled circulation of
pressurized fluid, usually a water-soluble oil or
water–glycol mixture, to a motor that converts it into
a mechanical output capable of doing work on a load.
Hydraulic power systems have greater flexibility than
mechanical and electrical systems and can produce
more power than such systems of equal size. They
also provide rapid and accurate responses to controls.
As a result, hydraulic power systems are extensively
used in modern aircraft, automobiles, heavy industrial
machinery, and many kinds of machine tools.

Department of Mining Engineering 7

 Back Hoe Machine Hydraulic Shovel

Front End Loader(FEL) Dumper

Fig.2. Examples of Hydraulic Machines

Department of Mining Engineering 8
Hydraulic and Pneumatic Motors

Pneumatic Power - Air-powered cylinders

• Compressed air
• Either stored on board or injected by a pump
• Produces linear motion through activation of cylinders

Hydraulic Power - Fluid (non-air)-powered cylinders

• Uncompressible fluid, most often oil.
• Requires a pump to generate the pressure and flow rate needed.
• Complex and difficult to build effectively, and costly.

Department of Mining Engineering 9

Table 1. Pneumatic and Hydraulic Difference

Department of Mining Engineering 10

 Hydraulic and pneumatic power systems
 Despite the immense capabilities of hydraulics presented in terms of moving
higher loads and in other industrial utilization, pneumatics are still in wide use
today.
 Some applications and advantages of pneumatics in industry, Pneumatics is
study of mechanical motion caused by pressurized gases and how this motion can
be used to perform engineering tasks. Pneumatics is used mainly in mining and
general construction works. Pneumatic devices are used frequently in the
dentistry industry across the world. On the other hand, hydraulics means use of
pressurized fluids to execute a mechanical task. Hydraulics is frequently used in
the concepts of turbines, dams, and rivers.
 Air brakes in buses, air compressors, compressed air engines,
jackhammers, and vacuum pumps are some of the most
commonly used types of mechanical equipment that are based on
pneumatics technology.

Department of Mining Engineering 11

Advantages of Pneumatics over Hydraulics
Like hydraulics, pneumatics is a type of
fluid power application where instead of
an incompressible liquid, pneumatics
employ gas in their system. Hydraulics
present certain advantages over
pneumatics, but in a given application,
pneumatic powered equipment is more
suitable, particularly in industries where
the factory units are plumbed for
compressed air.
Department of Mining Engineering 12
 The air used in pneumatic devices is dried and
free from moisture so that it does not create any
problem to the internal parts of the system.
Moreover, to avoid corrosive actions, oil or
lubricants are added so that friction effects can be
reduced. Compressed air is used in most of the
machines and in some cases compressed carbon
dioxide is used. As most of the pneumatic devices
are air based, they have a less complicated design
and can be made of inexpensive material. Mass
production techniques can be adopted to produce
pneumatic systems, which not only save money
but save time too.
Department of Mining Engineering 13
 Initial cost is less; hydraulics equipment cost as much as twice the
price of pneumatic equipment.
 A pneumatic water treatment automation system reduces the costs
of installation and operation compared with conventional electrical
installations. For opening and closing of underwater valves,
pneumatic systems work well because they can sustain overload
pressure conditions.
 Pneumatic actuators also have long life and perform well with
negligible maintenance requirement throughout their life cycle.
 Very suitable for power transmission when distance of
transmission is more.

Department of Mining Engineering 14

The major disadvantage of pneumatic systems is that they

cannot be employed for tasks that require working

under high pressures. However, modern technology is
working on finding better solutions to this address this
problem so that heavy engineering tasks can be
executed using pneumatic devices. In order to execute
low scale engineering and mechanical tasks,
pneumatic devices would be the best suited and a
viable alternative over hydraulic systems.

Department of Mining Engineering 15

 “ INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT”

1.Explain briefly about the different

mechanical excavation machines applicable
for both surface and underground mining?

Department of Mining Engineering 16

Thank You

Department of Mining Engineering 17

Department of Mining Engineering 18