MEP 432

Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Dr. E. Akowuah

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Introduction

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Log Splitter

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 Backhoe

Excavator

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 Forklift
 Tilt Cylinders - are hydraulic cylinders that are mounted to the truck frame and the mast. The tilt
cylinders pivot the mast to assist in engaging a load.
 The Mast - is the vertical assembly that does the work of raising and lowering the load. It is
made up of interlocking rails that also provide lateral stability. The interlocking rails may either
have rollers or bushings as guides. The mast is either hydraulically operated by one or more
hydraulic cylinders or it may be chain operated with a hydraulic motor providing motive power. It
may be mounted to the front axle or the frame of the forklift.
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6
 Hydraulic Drill

Hydraulic Jack 7
Sky-tram

Sky tram is unique. It is self-propelled and

travels on a stationary cable. Because the
tram moves instead of the cable, the
operator can stop, start, and reverse any
one car completely independently of any
other car in the tram system. Integral to
the design of the Sky-tram drive is a pump
(driven by a standard eight-cylinder
gasoline engine) which supplies
pressurized fluid to four hydraulic motors.
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Pneumatic Drill

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 Hydraulic Stacker
Hydraulic Press
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11
 Fluid Power
• Technology that deals with generation, control and transmission of
power, using pressurized fluids
• Both Hydraulics and Pneumatics are Fluid Power systems
• Hydraulics – when the fluid is liquid (petroleum oils, synthetic oils
and water).
• Pneumatics – when the fluid is gas (air - very abundant and can be
readily exhausted into the atmosphere after completing task)

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Fluid Power

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Fluid Power

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 Application of Hydraulics

Mobile Hydraulics Stationary Hydraulics

Using manual Using electro-

hydraulics to control hydraulics to control
•Crane •Press machine
•Excavator •Molding machine
•Back-hoe •Lathe machine
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 Advantages of using Hydraulics

1. Very high force despite small components (if

pneumatics, bigger components are needed for
high force, thus, incur high cost as well as wastage
of compressed air)
2. Very slow and linear movements (if pneumatics,
too slow will create jerking on the cylinder)
3. Very exact positioning (stops exactly on a point).
Compared to pneumatics, there’s a tolerance and
if a load is given, it will move a little.
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 Advantages of using Hydraulics

4. Start-up under heavy loads (Possible to start the motor &

process a job with a load attached to it. This is because
there is oil in the actuator though the pump is idling).
5. Simplicity, safety, economy
In general, fluid power systems use fewer moving parts
than comparable mechanical or electrical systems. Thus,
they are simpler to maintain and operate. This, in turn,
maximizes safety, compactness and reliability.

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 Disadvantages of using Hydraulics
1. Slow movement of actuators, heavy work is slower (Pneumatics
are faster)
2. Messy (Leakage may occur and if not bothered, the surrounding
area could be messy. However, constant cleaning could avoid
messy.)
3. heavier equipment
4. Dangerous!
i. It produces extreme pressure and if there’s a leakage, oil will be
forced out. Stopping the flow with bare hand would result in a
punctuated wound.
ii. While in process, oil became hot and flammable (though not
easily happened). Therefore, it is advisable to control the
temperature by limiting it (turning off the machine if the limit is
exceeded). 18
Applications of Pneumatics
•Paintball Guns
•Torque Wrenches
•Nail Guns
•Truck Suspensions
•Automotive Air Bag

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Advantages of Pneumatics

•only one power source is required

•endless supply of air
•relatively clean depending on the
environment
•able to operate at high speeds
•lighter component weights

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Disadvantages of Pneumatics

•not capable of heavy work

•construction crews rarely fix air leaks
•there is a minor loss of energy due to
friction and exhausting
•higher operating costs with electric
compressors

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22
Fluid Power Systems

Power Supply Control System Work Actuator

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 Components of Hydraulic Systems
All industrial hydraulic systems will have:
 A fluid, usually oil.

 A tank, or reservoir, to hold a

supply of the fluid.

 A pump to cause the fluid to flow.

 An electric motor, or engine, to

drive the pump.

 Hoses or tubing to carry the fluid.

 Valves to control fluid flow,

direction and pressure.

 One or more actuators, usually cylinders or hydraulic motors, to

do the work where mechanical movement occurs.
Next >
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Basic Principles
 Pressure and Force

Pressure is defined as force per unit area.

Hence, pressure is the amount of force acting over a unit
area

Pressure (P) = Force (F) / Area (A)

Example of P at 100 kPa and A at 20 m²,

F = P x A, so F = 100 kPa x 20 m²
F = 2000 kN.
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Example

• A lift is to raise a load of 15kN and is to have a system

pressure of 75 bar. How large does the piston surface need to
be?

Solution:
P = F/A
A = F/P
= 15000N/(75x105 Pa)
= 0.002 m2

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 Basic working principle
• Hydraulic systems operate according to
Pascal's Principle - Pressure is
transmitted undiminished in an
enclosed static fluid.

• Illustration of force multiplication by

applying pressure according to Pascal's
principle, which for the two pistons
implies
P1 = P2

• Therefore, with the automatic hydraulic

lift, heavy load can be lifted with a small
force. Of course, assuming in an ideal
case with no frictional loss, work cannot
be multiplied:
Winput = Woutput Slide-28
 F2=10 kN
d2=3 m
d1=0.5 m
S2=0.5m
F1 = ?
S1
S1 = ?

• F1/A1 = F2/A2
A1 = 0.1963 m2  W = F.s
A2 = 7.0686 m2
F1s1 = F2s2
F1 = (F2/A2) x A1 0.278 x s1 = 10 x 0.5
= (10 kN / 7.0686 m2) x 0.1963 m2
= 0.278 kN s1 = 17.986 m

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 Flow
• Flow is the movement of a hydraulic fluid caused by a
difference in the pressure at two points.
• In a hydraulic system, flow is usually produced by the
action of a hydraulic pump- a device used to continuously
push on a hydraulic fluid.
• The two ways of measuring flow are velocity and flow
rate.
 Velocity
• Velocity is the average speed at which a fluid's particles
move past a given point, measured in meter per second
(m/s). Velocity is an important consideration in sizing the
hydraulic lines that carry a fluid between the components.
 Flow Rate
• Flow rate is the measure of how much volume of a liquid
passes a point in a given time.
• Flow rate determines the speed at which a load moves
and, therefore, is important when considering power.
Pressure Transfer Medium
 Pressure Transfer Medium
• There are 2 media types
• Liquid
• Gas
• Form of liquid used
• Oil, when surrounding is not hot (car brake system)
• Water, when surrounding is hot / very hot. To avoid corrosion
and to have better lubrication, water is usually mixed with some
additives (food processing, semiconductor process, paper
manufacturing, construction works, medical and welfare
appliances).

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Pressure Transfer Medium
Gas Vs.
•Compressible, both
in theory and practical
•Pressure is storable
Liquid
• Not compressible in
theory, however, is
compressible up to
0.7% in practice
•Pressure is not
storable. Released
when the pump stops.
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 Physical differences between liquids and gases

Parameter Liquid Gas

Volume Has its own volume Volume is determined

by container

Shape Takes shape of container Expands to completely

but only to its volume fill and take the shape
of the container

Compressibility Incompressible for most Readily compressible

engineering applications

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 PROPERTIES of Hydraulic Fluid
For the fluid to perform well some properties or characteristics are
required.
• COMPRESSIBILITY: Liquids are very difficult to squeeze into a smaller
volume. If air is mixed with the liquid it becomes slightly
compressible and loses this property.
• VISCOSITY: The viscosity of a fluid determines how easily it flows.
Fluids with a low viscosity such as water flow easily but fluids with a
high viscosity such as thick oil, flows with some difficulty and this
results in a loss of pressure in the pipes and fittings. The preferred
units are centi-Stokes but many other units exist such as Redwood
Seconds.
• VISCOSITY INDEX: The viscosity of a liquid usually decreases as it gets
hotter. Oil with a low viscosity index will change very little but one
with a high index will change a lot.
 PROPERTIES
• AIR ABSORPTION AND RELEASE: Liquids will absorb gas under
pressure and release it when the pressure is released. A good
hydraulic fluid will not absorb air easily and will release it quickly
without causing froth and foam.
• OXIDATION: Oxidation is chemical combination of elements in the
liquid with oxygen. This causes the oil to thicken and produce
varnishes which stain the components surface. The life of the oil is
much reduced.
• CORROSION: Hydraulic fluids can cause corrosion of metals. This is
avoided by using compatible materials.
 PROPERTIES
• WEAR: Chemicals may be added which cause the fluid to deposit a
surface film at places where surfaces are pressed together such as
on the flanks of gears in gear pumps and motors. This prevents wear
taking place.
• POUR POINT: The pour point is the lowest temperature at which the
fluid will flow from a beaker when tipped up. It is possible to add
chemicals to reduce this temperature for working in cold climates.
• FLASH POINT: The flash point of a fluid is the temperature of the
fluid at which vapour given off will ignite on contact with a naked
flame. The apparatus to measure this is called a Pensky-Martens
apparatus.
 Hydraulic Fluids
The primary purpose of hydraulic fluid is to transmit force from one
place to another. However, hydraulic fluids are also required to:

 Lubricate contact surfaces within

the system.
 Provide sealing of components,
where tight clearances are
involved.
 Remove heat generated within the
system.
 Protect system components against rust, oxidation and
corrosion.
 Prevent foaming when subjected to turbulence.
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 Hydraulic Fluids
When selecting a hydraulic fluid for an application, consideration must
be given to the pressure, temperature and materials of the system.

Improper selection can lead to:

 Inadequate system
performance.
 Premature failure of
components.
 The potential for fire.
 Environmental pollution in
the event of loss of
containment.
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Hydraulic Fluids
The main types of hydraulic fluid are:

Petroleum based fluids:

Most common type of fluid.

Synthetic fire resistant fluids:

Used where fire hazards or
environmental pollution are a concern.
Water based fire resistant fluids:
Used where fire hazards or
environmental pollution are a concern.

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Hydraulic Fluid Safety
Generally, hydraulic fluid:
 Can cause skin and eye irritation.

 Can cause medical problems. If

ingested; seek medical attention
immediately.
 May cause medical problems, if
repeatedly inhaled.
 May be corrosive.
 Must be disposed of according
to Environmental regulations.

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 Fluid Selection
A hydraulic fluid has the following 4 primary
functions:-
1. Transmit power
2. Lubricate moving parts
3. Seal clearance between mating parts
4. Dissipate heat
In addition a hydraulic fluid must be inexpensive and readily
available. A hydraulic fluid should have the following
properties:-
1. Good lubricity
2. Ideal viscosity
3. Chemical stability
4. Fire resistance
5. Low density
6. Foam resistance
7. Non toxicity
8. Low volatility 44