LECTURE 20 – FLOW CONTROL VAVLES

SELF EVALUATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1: A cylinder has to exert a forward thrust of 150 kN and a reverse thrust of 15 kN. The
effects of using various methods of regulating the extend speed will be considered. In all the
cases, the retract speed should be approximately 5m/min utilizing full pump flow. Assume
that the maximum pump pressure is 160 bar and the pressure drops over the following
components and their associated pipe work (where they are used):
Filter = 3 bar
Directional control valve (DCV) = 2 bar
Flow control valve (controlled flow) = 10 bar
Flow control valve (check valve) = 3 bar
Determine:
(a) The cylinder size (assume 2:1 ratio piston area to rod area)
(b) Pump size, and
(c) Circuit efficiency when using:
Case 1: No flow controls (calculate extend speed)
Case 2: Meter-in flow control for extend speed 0.5 m/min
Case 3: Meter-out flow control for extend speed 0.05 m/min

2: A flow control valve is used to control the speed of the actuator as shown in the figure 1
and the characteristics of the system are given in the following table. Determine the
cylinder force Fp, and the cylinder piston velocity, that is developed in the system when
cylinder flow, Q2, is equal to 80% of the pump flow Q.
 Figure 1

Parameters Value
Orifice discharge constant ( 0.6
Length of flow area ), h 6 mm
Width of the flow area( ), b 1.5 mm
Fixed orifice flow area ( 5 mm2
Valve face area 130 mm2
Piston diameter , d 38 mm
Spring preload, F 255 N
Spring constant 65.7 kN/m
Drain side pressure ( 0
System pressure ( 13.97 MPa
Fluid density 830
Pump flow 0.32 LPS

3: Determine the flow – rate through a flow control valve that has a capacity coefficient of
√ and a pressure drop of 897 kPa. The fluid is hydraulic oil with a specific
gravity of 0.95.

4: A 60 mm diameter sharp edged orifice is placed in a pipe line to measure flow rate. If the
measured pressure drop is 500 kPa and the fluid specific gravity is 0.92, find the flow rate
in units of
5: The speed control circuit shown in figure 2 has the following data:
Component A: Capacity 120 ml/rev. Shaft speed 1000 rev/min. Volumetric efficiency = 95
% . Component B: set at 70 bar. No pressure over ride. Component C: Flow equation Q c =
80 × a × √ , where Qc = ml/min area(a)=200mm2.Component D: Capacity 160 ml/rev.
Volumetric efficiency = 95 %. Mechanical efficiency =80 %. Load = constant torque (60
Nm).Determine the flow through the valve C under the conditions and maximum speed of
motor.

B
A

Figure 2 : Speed control of hydraulic motor

6: The system shown below (Figure 3) has a hydraulic cylinder with a suspended load W.
The cylinder piston and rod diameter are 60 mm and 30 mm respectively. The pressure
relief valve setting is 5000 kPa. Determine the pressure for a constant cylinder speed,

(a) W = 10000 N
(b) W= 0 ( load is removed)
(c) Determine the cylinder speeds for parts (a) and (b) if the flow control valve has a
capacity coefficient of √ . The fluid is hydraulic oil with a specific
gravity of 0.90
 W

Figure 3 : Hydraulic cylinder with suspended weight

Q1 Solution:

Case 1: No flow controls

Figure 1 : Hydraulic cylinder with no control

Maximum available pressure at full bore end of cylinder is =160-3-2=155bar

Back pressure at annulus side of cylinder = 2 bar. This is equivalent to 1 bar at the full bore end
because of 2:1 area ratio. Therefore, maximum pressure available to overcome load at full bore
end is 155-1 = 154 bar

Full bore area = Load/Pressure= =0.00974 m2

Piston Diameter = ( )

Select a standard cylinder; say with 125 mm bore and 90 mm rod diameter.

Full bore area = 12.27 × 10-3 m2

Annulus Area = 6.36 × 10-3 m2

This is approximately a 2:1 ratio

Flow rate for a return speed of 5 m/min =Annular Area x velocity

= (12.27-6.36 )× 10-3 ×5 m3/min=29.55 LPM

Extend speed = = 2.41 m/min

Pressure to overcome load on e×tend is= = 12.223 MPa = 122.3 bar

Pressure to overcome load on retract is = 2.538 MPa = 25.38 bar

i) Pressure at pump on extend (working back from DCV tank port)

Pressure drop over DCV B to T 2×½ 1

Load induced pressure 122.23
Pressure drop over DCV P to A 2
Pressure drop over filter 3

Therefore, pressure drop required at pump during e×tend stroke = 128.33 bar

Relief valve setting = 128.23 + 10%= 141.05 bar

ii) Pressure required at the pump on retract (working from DCV port as before)
= (2 × 2) + 25.38 + 2 + 3 = 34.38 bar
Note: The relief valve will not be working other than at the extremities of the cylinder stroke.
Also, when movement is not required, pump flow can be discharged to tank at low pressure
through the centre condition of the DCV.
iii) System efficiency

Efficiency on extend stroke = × 100 = 86.66 %

Efficiency on retract stroke = × 100 = 73.822 %

Case 2: Meter-in flow control for extend speed of 0.5 m/min

From Case 1,
Cylinder 125 mm bore diameter × 90 mm rod diameter
Full bore area = 12.27 × 10-3 m2
Annulus area = 7.525 × 10-3 m2
Load induced pressure on extend = 122.23 bar
Load induced pressure on retract = 25.38 bar
Pump flow rate = 29.55 l/min
Flow rate required for extend speed of 0.5 m/min is = 12.27 × 10-3 × 0.5
= 6.136 × 10-3 m3/min
= 6.136 l/min
Working back from DCV tank port:
Pressure required at pump on retract is 2 × 2) + (2 × 3) + 25.38 + 2 + 3 = 40.38 bar
Pressure required on pump at extend is (2 × ½) + 122.23 + 10 + 2 + 3 = 138.23 bar
Relief valve setting = 138.23 + 10 % = 152 bar
This is close to the maximum working pressure of the pump (160 bar). In practice, it would be
advisable to select either a pump with a higher working pressure (210 bar) or use the next
standard size of the cylinder. In the latter case, the working pressure would be lower but a higher
flow rate pump would be necessary to meet the speed requirements.

Now that a flow control valve has been introduced when the cylinder is on the extend stroke, the
excess fluid will be discharged over the relief valve.

System efficiency on extend is = × 100 = 18.877 %

System efficiency on retract is= = 62.853 %

 Figure E4 : Hydraulic cylinder with meter in control

Case 3 : Meter-out flow control for extend speed of 0.5 m/min

Cylinder, load, flow rate and pump details are as before. Working back from DCV tank port:
Pressure required at pump on retract is= (2 × 2) + 25.38 + 3 + 2 + 3 = 37.38 bar
Pressure required at pump on extend is =(2 × ½) + (10 × ½) + 122.23 + 2 +3 =133.23 bar
Relief valve setting is 133.33 + 10 % = 146.55 bar
 Figure E5 : Hydraulic cylinder with meter out control

System efficiency on extend is= × 100 =19.05 %

System efficiency on retract is= × 100 = 67.897 %

As can be seen, meter-out is marginally more efficient then meter-in owing to the ratio of piston
area to piston rod area. Both systems are equally efficient when used with through rod cylinders
or hydraulic motors. It must be remembered that meter-out should prevent any tendency of the
load to run away.
Q2 Solution
Flow from pump divides as and . The pressure drop occurs acoss office Ao This make valve
to move to right against the spring force F. the area of orifice A v then adjusts to control the flow to the
motor.

√ √

Q3 Solution
For a sharp edged orifice we can write,

√ √

Q4 Solution

For a sharp edged orifice we can write,

√
Where Q= volume flow rate in LPM
= capacity coefficient = 0.80 for sharp edges orifice, c= 0.6 for square edged orifice.
A = area of orifice opening in mm2
= pressure drop across the orifice ( kPa.
SG= specific gravity of flowing fluid = 0.92

( )

√ = 4487.35 LPM

Q5 Solution
HP = 2;
mMt = 9 × p × m
Mt =

Torque exerted by the motor = = 75 Nm

Mt = = 160 × p/2

p = 75 × 2 × π × 10/5160
= 30 bar
ΔP = 40 bar
Qc = 80 × 200 × 401/2 = 102000 ml/min = 102 l/min
Actual flow to the motor = 96.9 l/min
Motor speed = 96.9 × 10 / 160 = 605 rpm
Q6 Solution
For constant cylinder speed, the summation of the forces on the hydraulic cylinder must be
equal to zero. Thus we have.

( )

( )

For a sharp edged orifice we can write,

√ √
Where since the flow control valve discharges directly to the oil tank. This is the flow
rate through the flow control valve and thus the flow rate of the fluid leaving the hydraulic
cylinder. Thus we have

√ √