FLUID POWER SYSTEMS

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 INTRODUCTION TO FLUID POWER
What is fluid power?
• It is a technology that deals with Generation, Control and
Transmission of power using pressurized fluids.
It is the muscle of industry. figs\fig.1.00.pptx
Examples of application : Fluid power steers and brakes
automobiles, launches spacecraft, harvests crops, mines
coal, drives machine tools, controls airplanes, processes
food, etc. figs\fig.1.0.pptx…….
video\Hydraulic_Cylinders_Push_Harder_Than_They_Pull(
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• Fluid power is called hydraulics when the fluid is a
liquid and is called Pneumatics when fluid is a gas.
• The fluid power is general term used for both hydraulics
and pneumatics.
Liquids used- petroleum oils, synthetic oils and water
First used was water; deficiencies-freezes, poor lubricant,
corrodes metals.
Pneumatics uses air because of abundance, can be
exhausted back to the atmosphere.
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Two different types of fluid systems: fluid transport and
fluid power
Fluid Transport- The delivery of fluid from one location to
another to accomplish some useful purpose.
Examples pumping system for water, cross country gas lines
etc.
Fluid Power Systems are designed specifically to perform
work; The work accomplished by a pressurized fluid
bearing directly on an operating fluid cylinders or fluid
motors.figs\fig.1.3.pptx 4
 History of fluid power
Fluid power is as old as civilization: water was used for
centuries to produce power by means of water wheels,
and air used to turn wind mills and propel ships.
Limited use: because of low pressure fluid requiring
large volume of fluid.
Fluid power actually began in 1650 with the discovery
of Pascal’s law: Pressure is transmitted undiminished in
a confined body of fluid.
 Pascal’s experiment on a jug completely full of wine.5
In 1750, Bernoulli developed his law of conservation
energy for a fluid flowing in a pipeline.
Pascal’ and Bernoulli’s law applied during the
industrial revolution of 1850 to industry. Why not before?
 No electricity to power the machines of industry

Fluid power (1870)was used to drive hydraulic

equipments such as cranes, presses, winches, extruding
machines, hydraulic jacks, shearing machines, etc. In
these systems, the pressure was developed by steam
engine driven pumps and distributed by pipes. 6
There were central fluid power generating stations from which
pressurized fluid was pumped to factories.
The early systems had a number of deficiencies such as the type
of fluid, sealing problems etc.
Then, late in the nineteenth century, electricity was found
superior to fluid power and it replaced fluid power.
Rebirth started in 1906-application on defense machines (to
replace electrical systems for elevating and controlling military
weapons) . For this application, the fluid power used hydraulic
oil than water and significant improvement in sealing problems.
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Today, fluid power is used extensively in every branch of
industry. For example, automobiles, tractors, airplanes,
boats, robots, machine tools etc.
In the automobile:

Hydraulic brake systems Lubrication

Automotive transmissions Gasoline pumping systems
Power steering
Power brakes

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Advantages of fluid power

Three basic methods of transmitting power: electrical,

mechanical and fluid power. figs\fig.1.5.pptx
• Most applications actually use a combination of the
three methods to obtain the most efficient overall
system. example
• Fluid system can transmit power more economically
over grater distance than can mechanical types.

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Automation in industry best by fluid power because
of advantages
• Ease and accuracy of control: use of simple
levers, and push buttons to stop, speed up or slow
down, and position forces with preciseness to
1/5000th-cmfigs\fig.1.1.pptx
• Multiplication of force: Can multiply forces
simplyfigs\fig.1.4.pptx and efficiently(no usage
of gears, pulleys, and levers).eg. Construction 10
• Simplicity, safety, economy: Minimum use of
moving parts (compared to mechanical and
electrical). Thus, they are simply maintain and
operate. Maximizes safety, compactness, and
reliability. .figs\fig.1.2.pptx System is fluid
linked, no need for linkages, universal joints,
bearings, reduction gears and so forth.
Little input torque required to produce the
steering control.

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Drawbacks of fluid power
In hydraulic systems, hydraulic oils are messy,
leakage is impossible to eliminate completely,
lines can burst resulting in injuries to people due
to high speed oil jets and flying pieces of metals.
Also, produce loud voice. Most hydraulic oils
can cause fires.
In pneumatic systems air tanks and
accumulators are potentially explosive if pressure
is not kept below design pressures.

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Applications of fluid power

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Examples:
1.Sky trams: Tram travelling on a stationary cable,
oil pump driven by a gasoline engine. The hydraulic
motor drives friction drive wheels. On steep inclines,
high driving torque is required for ascent and high
braking torque for descent.
2. Harvesting corn: Hydraulic motor driven
elevator conveyor system sends harvested, husked
ears of corn to a wagon trailer.
3. Industrial lift trucks: The hydraulic system
includes tilt and hoist cylinders. figs\fig.1.6.pptx

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 5. Excavators: A total of four hydraulic cylinders
are used to drive the three pin-connected members
called the boom, stick, and bucket . figs\fig.1.7.pptx
6. Robotic dexterous arm: Robotic arm and
fingers that can use human tools such as hammers,
electric drills, and can even pick up an egg shell.
figs\fig.1.8.pptx

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 Components of Fluid Power
Hydraulic System: There are six basic components
1. A tank (reservoir) to hold the oil
2. A pump to force the oil through the system
3. A power source to drive the pump (electric, others)
4. Valves to control oil direction, pressure, and flow
5. An actuator to convert the oil pressure into force
(cylinders) or torque (motors).
6. Piping, which carries the oil from one location to
another. figs\fig.1.9.pptx and fig

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 Pneumatic Systems
Again six basic components
1. An air tank for storing compressed air
2. A compressor to compress the air
3. Power source for the compressor (electric,
others)
4. Valves to control air direction, pressure, and
flow rate.
5. Actuators, similar in operation to hydraulic
actuators
6. Piping to carry the pressurized air from one
location to another figs\fig.1.10.pptx 20
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