In a hydraulic system, energy is converted.

First, mechanical, electrical or thermal energy is converted into hydraulic energy. The energy is then
transported in this form, controlled and regulated as required and finally converted into mechanical
energy.
The picture shows a tunnel boring machine. A hydraulic system provides the enormous amount of
energy required by the drill bit.

By illustrating the energy conversion process in a diagram, you can recognize the basic functional
groups in a hydraulic system.
On the input side, energy is provided by a motor, for example. This is generally an electric motor or
internal combustion engine. However, a manual drive, i.e. with a crank, is also possible. The input
side is supplied with electrical or thermal energy and provides mechanical energy.
The working element, such as the enormous drill bit of the tunnel boring machine, is found on the
output side. The working element requires mechanical energy.
The hydraulic system lies between the input and the output sides. It's task is to transport energy as
needed from the input to the output side.
A hydraulic pump converts energy from the input into hydraulic energy. The hydraulic pump is
therefore an energy converter.
The energy must then be regulated according to the requirements of the output side. The hydraulic
system contains controls. Hydraulic control valves fulfill these roles.
The correctly regulated energy is then converted into mechanical energy in yet another energy
converter,
The energy must then be regulated according to the requirements of the output side. The hydraulic
system contains controls. Hydraulic control valves fulfill these roles.
The correctly regulated energy is then converted into mechanical energy in yet another energy
converter, which is then supplied to the working element.
This task is carried out by the hydraulic cylinders or hydraulic motors.

Hydraulic Jack:
The basic functionality of a hydraulic system can be illustrated in this example using a simple jack:
Force is exerted on the piston of a hand pump. The force divided by the piston area results in the
attainable pressure p = F(1) / A(1).

The harder the piston is pressed, i.e. the greater the force exerted on the piston, the greater the
pressure rises. The pressure applied to the piston surface in the lifting cylinder continues to increase
until it is able to lift the load. Pressure multiplied by the piston surface area of the lifting cylinder
equals the lifting power F = p x A(2).
If load remains constant, the pressure does not increase further. It is subsequently applied to the
resistance working against the flow of the fluid.
The load can be moved when the required pressure can be built-up. How fast the load can be moved
depends on the flow rate supplied to the lifting cylinder. In our example this means: the faster the
hand pump piston is lowered, the more fluid per unit of time is supplied to the lifting cylinder and
therefore the faster the load is lifted.
2nd Example:
Our second example shows another simple hydraulic system, this time illustrated with graphical
symbols.
In contrast to our previous example, the hydraulic pump is now driven by a motor.
When the motor is running, the hydraulic pump draws the hydraulic fluid from the tank. Without
resistance, the fluid will simply continue to flow through the circuit. A hydraulic cylinder is loaded
with force F. This constitutes a resistance to the fluid, which increases the pressure. The hydraulic
pump continues to work until this resistance is overcome, i.e. the piston in the hydraulic cylinder
moves.
However, when the motor is switched off, the force F may push the hydraulic cylinder back to its end
position; the piston retracts. The fluid flows back into the tank and the system is drained.
Further elements will be added to the hydraulic system step by step in order to:
- prevent the system at stand still from being completely drained via the hydraulic pump
- prevent the loaded cylinder from retracting when the hydraulic pump is at standstill
- limit the load of the cylinder
- control the direction of movement of the cylinder and
- regulate the speed of the cylinder.
CHECK VALVE:
By installing a suitable valve at the pressure output of the pump, we can prevent system drainage
and the retraction of the hydraulic cylinder. The valve must block the flow rate in one direction and
allow it to flow in the opposite direction. This type of valve is called a check valve or non-return
valve.
After this addition to our hydraulic system design, we can stop the hydraulic cylinder at any point by
switching off the motor.

However, if the piston were fully extended, i.e. reach its end position, the pressure may increase to a
point that results in the destruction of the hydraulic system.

PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE:

To protect the hydraulic system from excessive pressure and subsequent overload, the maximum
allowable pressure must be limited by pressure relief valve.
In a pressure relief valve, a spring normally presses a poppet on to the seat of the valve. The
pressure in the line acts on the surface of the seat. The poppet is lifted from its seat as soon as the
force from the system pressure multiplied by seat area exceeds the spring force. The pressure relief
valve then opens.
According to valve design, the pressure does not increase further. The flow rate supplied by the
hydraulic pump flows via pressure relief valve directly back to the tank.
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE:
Now our set-up is at the point where we can safely extend the hydraulic cylinder.
The purpose of directional control valves is to ensure that the hydraulic cylinder can also be
retracted. The term "directional control valves" comprise all valves that control the start, stop and
change the direction of flow rate in a hydraulic system.
FLOW CONTROL VALVE:
In order to change the speed of the hydraulic cylinder piston, the amount of flow rate supplied must
be controlled. In order to achieve this, a flow control valve must be added. The cross-sectional area
of a pipe may be changed using flow control valve. By reducing the cross-sectional area, the flow of
fluid accumulates before the flow control valve, which results in increased pressure in front of this
valve. As soon as the pressure relief valve is activated, i.e. opened, part of the flow rate is diverted.
Part of the flow rate supplied by the pump then flows through the pressure relief valve, and the rest
to the cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder therefore moves slower. The cylinder stops as soon as the
flow control valve is completely closed and all of the flow rate supplied by the pump is diverted by
the pressure relief valve. With such controls, one must remember that the force F as well as the
viscosity of the pressure fluid influence the speed of the piston.
The following pressures occur with a flow control valve in a hydraulic system when extending the
hydraulic cylinder, depending on the position of the flow control valve, i.e. if the flow cross-sectional
area is correspondingly large or small: between the hydraulic pump and the flow control valve, we
obtain approximately the pressure regulated by the pressure relief valve, as soon as it has opened;
between the pressure relief valve and the hydraulic cylinder, we obtain an approximate pressure
which corresponds to load F.
FUNCTIONS OF HYD SYSTEM COMPONENTS:

Here we have a diagram of our simple hydraulic system with cross-sections in place of the graphical
symbols.
Also shown is the symbolic representation for comparison.
Do you recognize the individual components?
Lets start at the bottom: the hydraulic pump draws the hydraulic fluid from the tank and supplies to
the hydraulic system.
The check valve prevents the fluid from draining into the hydraulic pump.
The directional control valve controls the flow rate.
The flow control valve, together with a pressure relief valve, influences the extension and retraction
speed of the hydraulic cylinder.
The hydraulic cylinder is our consumer.
The pressure relief valve prevents excess pressure in the system and diverts excess flow rate into the
tank.

Recall the diagram "Functional groups of a hydraulic system."

The hydraulic pump is driven mechanically. It produces hydraulic energy by drawing fluid from the
tank and generating flow rate.
It is an energy converter. The task of this functional group is therefore energy supply and processing
.
Valves control motion sequences, regulate fluid volume and protect against excess system pressure.
These components are responsible for controlling and regulating hydraulic energy. We therefore
refer to this functional group as energy control.
The hydraulic cylinder as the consumer finally converts hydraulic energy into mechanical energy and
is therefore also an energy converter.
Hyd System Overview:
Aside from the components in the functional groups Energy supply and processing", "Energy
control and "Energy conversion, there are also components that do not fall under any particular
functional group. We classify these components into a category called "Other accessories."
Naturally, there are many more components in a hydraulic system than those we've discussed thus
far. Here are a few of the most important components and their corresponding functional groups.
OPEN VS CLOSED HYD CKT:

We generally differentiate between two types of circuits: open hydraulic circuits and closed
hydraulic circuits.
In an open circuit, the hydraulic pumps draw fluid from the tank and feed it to the consumer via the
control elements. In this example, the hydraulic motor is the consumer.
The fluid then flows from the consumer back into the tank.
We speak of a closed hydraulic circuit when the fluid flowing back from the consumer is fed directly
back into the hydraulic pump. In this example, the consumer is also a hydraulic motor. The return
line to the pump is secured by an additional pressure relief valve. The leakage, i.e. the flow rate lost
from the pump and motor is fed into a fluid tank and must be fed back into the hydraulic circuit. This
necessitates an additional but smaller hydraulic pump. Two check valves regulate the infeed of
pressure fluid supplied by the auxiliary pump. An additional pressure relief valve secures the infeed
circuit.
Since leakage fluid cannot adequately cool off in the small tank before being fed back into the
system, a cooler must be added in the return line.
OPEN VS CLOSED HYD CKT:
In open hydraulic circuit is standard in many applications, from stationary machine tools to winch
and hoist transmissions. It is distinguished by its simple construction. The return flow of pressure
fluid from the consumer into the tank is considered an advantage. The fluid can therefore cool off
before being drawn back into the pump. Contaminants can also settle in the tank and are not
reintroduced into the circuit.
The small tank allows a compact construction for closed hydraulic circuits. The fixed pressure fluid
also ensures a quiet operation. Other advantages of closed systems are good control properties and
favorable volumetric efficiency. You will learn more about volumetric efficiency in the next chapter
of this module.
Advantages & Disadvantages:
In engineering, there are no advantages without disadvantages.
In an open hydraulic circuit, there is a large volume of fluid that must be circulated and handled,
necessitating a larger tank along with sufficient installation space. The volumetric efficiency is also
less than in closed systems.
A closed circuit requires a more complex construction. For example, an additional feed pump is
necessary. Since the pressure fluid is supplied directly from the consumer back to the pump, it has
little opportunity to cool. This leads to strong operational demands on the pressure fluid.
Furthermore, there is also the risk that contaminants taken up by the pressure fluid may enter the
hydraulic pump.