FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, ARTCHITECTURE & BUILT

ENVIRONMENT

Lab Report 4
EK409, Mechatronic Lab VI, Fluid Power & Drives Lab
May - August 2020
Experiment 4: Sketch a fluid power circuit from the real application

Name ID Course
1) Wong Wei Hao 1001746444 B.Eng (Hons)
Mechatronic
2) Wong Wei Herng 1001746821
Engineering
3) Gabriel Wong Jung Yit 1001747052 (HYEK)
4) Choy Melvern 1001746771
5) How Cheng Yang 1001746720

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction 3

2. Objectives 4

3. Safety Measures and Precautions 5

4. Apparatus and Material 5

5. Methodology 6

6. Results and Discussion 7

7. Conclusion 11

8. Reference 11

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Introduction

Based on the question on sketching a circuit of this pair actuator to raise up the load(car), we

have decided to use hydraulic jack. Hydraulic jack is a device using a smaller force to lift a

heavier force(load). Not all hydraulic jacks function the same way. However, the primary

mechanism which force is applied will change depending on the type of jack used. Jacks can

be categorized either mechanical or hydraulic based on the type of force they employed. Well

for mechanical jacks, it lifts heavy equipment and functions based on lifting capacity. For

instance, the number of tons the jack can lift. Examples of mechanical jacks are car jacks and

house jacks.

Hydraulic jacks on the other hand, tend to be stronger which means able to lift loads that are

heavier. Examples of hydraulic jacks are bottle jacks and floor jacks. Hydraulic jack

functions on the principle of Pascal’s law, which stated that pressure change at any point in a

confined incompressible fluid is transmitted throughout the fluid such that the same change

occurs everywhere. The working principle of a hydraulic jack may be explained with the help

of Figure below.

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Hydraulic jacks depend on force generated by pressure. Essentially, if two areas (a large and

a small one) are connected and force is applied to one area, equal pressure is generated in

both locations. This is because one cylinder has a larger area, the force it produces will be

higher as well, although the pressure in the two locations will remain the same.

Therefore, hydraulic jacks depend on this basic principle to lift heavy loads. It uses pump

plungers to move oil through two cylinders.

The working mechanism is though the plunger is first drawn back which will open the

suction valve ball within and takes the oil into the pump chamber. As the plunger is pushed

forward, the oil moves through an external discharge check valve into the cylinder chamber.

Last but not least, by the time the suction valve closes, it will results in pressure building

within the cylinder.

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Objective of this experiment

1. Identify and understand the working principle of hydraulic car jack system.

2. Design a fluid power circuit to raise up the load(car).

3. To analyse the performance of hydraulic jack system.

Safety and Precaution

1. Behave in the laboratory by following the regulations, do not eat in the laboratory, do
not run and always wear a suitable attire with lab coats etc.
2. Make sure the computers used to conduct the laboratory works are fully functional
and installed with the applications required, such as MATLAB with sufficient
features.
3. Do not attempt to modify the source codes of MATLAB application.
4. Avoid using the counterfeit copy of MATLAB software found on random internet
source. It is illegal and could be sentenced to punishment.
5. Be familiar with the electrical hazards associated with your workplace.
6. You may enter the laboratory only when authorized to do so and only during
authorized hours of operation.
7. Equipment found to be faulty in any way should be reported to the laboratory
technician immediately and taken out of service until inspected and declared safe
8. Conduct experiments only when the lab assistant or lecturer is in supervision or
special cases.

Apparatus & Materials

1. MATLAB R2020a, the latest version of the MATLAB software available

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Methodology

1. The questions were analyzed carefully, and the objective of the lab is looked through
for the first part of the lab.
2. The video given by the lecturer is looked through several times by us.
3. The sketching design of the pair actuator to raise up the load is discussed throughout
with our group members.
4. The uses of the components, designing or the circuit, expected results and discussion

parts were researched from sources, such as textbooks and online websites.

5. The circuit is sketched and designed using MATLAB and SMCDraw software.

6. The overall circuit is checked and the components is studied.

Results & Discussion

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 Sketching of fluid power circuit to lift the load (car)

Type of fluid used

Hydraulic jack oil is a hydraulic fluid that is used for power generation, sealing, heat transfer,
lubrication and more. However, we differentiate these fluids on its properties. Therefore,
hydraulic fluid is broken down into the following main categories:

Water / oil emulsions - The water will turn to vapour which will be able to prevent a fire from
occurring when the fluid touches a hot surface. This mixture also offers good lubrication
properties as well.

Water glycol – Water glycol comprises of 40% water mixed with 60% glycol. The result is a
solution. This mixture has the function of being able to work at a lower temperature than an
emulsion while it is being able to produce an improved temperature viscosity trait.

Mineral oils – Mineral oils are created as result of refining crude oil and it is improving their
quality by adding certain substances. It is also insoluble in water which makes it a fit for
hydraulic fluid. The advantage of using mineral oil is that is can generally handle extreme
temperatures. However, these fluids can also suffer from having a low flash point, sometimes
between only 150° to 250°C. When there is a fire risk present, fire resistant fluids are
typically used.

In addition to that, it is extremely critical that hydraulic fluids are in consideration of

being taken care of when using it. This is of the fact that contamination accounts for up to
70% of faults in hydraulic system. Hence, it is crucial to avoid water, air and any solid matter
from going into the fluid. This means that strict cleanliness is required when assembling
units.

Finally, due to the high expense of oil, it is imperative to maintain it to provide a

maximum life. Its condition should be checked regularly with records taken for each
machine. Contamination should be avoided and filters used.

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Load of the vehicle

In our daily life, we will see various type of cars on the road. Cars greatly vary in size and
mass. This is because car is made out of various kinds of materials such as plastics, metal and
rubber. A car's mass may vary in the range of 990 to 2000 kg. The total mass of an average
car may be about 1500 kg. The system is designed based on the Pascal’s principle, which
state that pressure is equal to force divided by area. So, small amount of force is enough to
lift a heavy load.

Components of circuit

Components Function/Usage

Car Act as a load in the system

Check Valve To prevent back flow in the system

Flow control valve To regulate the flow and pressure of a fluid

Counterbalance valve To create back pressure to prevent losing control

over the load

Pressure relief valve To reduce the pressure to prevent exceed of

pressure

4-way valve To switch the way of valve

Double acting cylinder To retract the piston when there is no external

force

Motor To control the gear pump

Gear pump To increase the pressure of fluid

Tank Act as a reservoir for the fluid

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Safety component

In this circuit, pressure relief valve act as a safety component. It can limit the maximum
pressure in the hydraulic circuit by giving a path for fluid to flow when the pressure reaches a
particular level. The valve opens when the inlet pressure exceeds and it closes when the inlet
pressure drop to the particular level. It makes sure that the pressure will not be too high so
that the circuit will burst.

In addition to that, counterbalance valve acts as a safety component. Counterbalance

valve functions to maintain the control of a vertical hydraulic cylinder to prevent it from
descending (weight of its external load). In other words, it prevents the load from accelerating
uncontrollably. If it is accelerating uncontrollably, there might be a chance that it can damage
the load or even the cylinder itself. Hence to prevent it from happening, the pressure setting
must slightly higher than that the required to keep the load from free falling.

Type of pump and capacity of pump

The type of pump we will be using is

- Hydraulic flow rate source. The Hydraulic Flow Rate Source block represents an ideal
source of hydraulic energy that is powerful enough to maintain specified flow rate at
its outlet regardless of the pressure differential across the source. In our case we will
be using gear pump, specifically external gear pump. The main reason about using
external gear pump is because for its high-pressure applications like lubrication or
steering in heavy equipment.

Capacity of Pump

- External gear pumps have close tolerances and shaft support on both sides of the
gears. Hence, this allows the pump to run at up to 7250 psi (500 bar), making them
well suited for use in hydraulic power applications.

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Conclusion

In conclusion from this experiment 4 which is to sketch a pair actuator(circuit) to raise the
load(car) up, we have succeeded on designing it with much hard work and sweat. It was not
an easy job to complete it especially with the foreign components that we have not heard
before. Not to mention on choosing the suitable materials for it to run better. Cost of expenses
also play a part into consideration when selecting the right thing in designing. Much research
is needed to be done to produce the final work. Overall, the speed of the twofold acting
chamber at extraction can be controlled by adjusting the offset valve weight setting in the
meter-out circuit so that the speed of the chamber can be controlled. By doing so, we can set
the ideal speed of the chamber.

References

1. Comatrol. 2020. Counterbalance Valves Application Notes. [online] Available at:

<http://old.comatrol.com/application-notes> [Accessed 27 July 2020].

2. Encyclopaedia Britannica, T., 2020. Pascal’S Principle | Definition, Example, &

Facts. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at:
<https://www.britannica.com/science/Pascals-principle> [Accessed 27 July 2020].

3. Pinterest. 2020. APPLICATION OF FLUID POWER : HYDRAULIC JACK |

Mechanical Engineering, Hydraulic, Advanced Physics. [online] Available at:
<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/377035800032244321/> [Accessed 27 July 2020].

4. Machinerylubrication.com. 2020. Water Glycol - Fire-Resistant Hydraulic Fluids.

[online] Available at: <https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/332/water-
glycol> [Accessed 27 July 2020].

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5. Whyps.com. 2020. Hydraulic Jack Oil And Its Fluid Properties. [online] Available at:
<https://whyps.com/hydraulic-jack-oil-and-its-fluid-properties#:~:text=The
%20answer%20is%20clear%2C%20that,that%20are%20insoluble%20in%20water.>
[Accessed 27 July 2020].

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