Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Hydraulics
Objectives (1 of 2)
Objectives (2 of 2)
Hydraulics
The term hydraulics is used to specifically describe
fluid power circuits that use liquidsespecially
formulated oilsin confined circuits to transmit
force or motion.
Hydraulic circuits:
Hydraulic brakes
Power steering systems
Automatic transmissions
Fuel systems
Wet-line kits for dump trucks
Torque converters
Lift gates
Pascals Law
Pressure applied to a confined liquid is
transmitted undiminished in all directions and
acts with equal force on all equal areas, at
right angles to those areas.
Fundamentals
Hydrostatics is the science of transmitting force by
pushing on a confined liquid.
In a hydrostatic system, transfer of energy takes place
because a confined liquid is subject to pressure.
Atmospheric Pressure
Force
Force is push or pull effort.
The weight of one object placed upon another exerts force on it
proportional to its weight.
If the objects were glued to each other and we lifted the upper
one, a pull force would be exerted by the lower object
proportional to its weight.
Force does not always result in any work done.
If you were to push on the rear of a parked transport truck, you
could apply a lot of force, but that effort would be unlikely to
result in any movement of the truck.
The formula for force (F) is calculated by multiplying pressure (P)
by the area (A) it acts on.
F=PxA
Pressure Scales
There are a number of different pressure scales used today but
all are based on atmospheric pressure. One unit of atmosphere
is the equivalent of atmospheric pressure and it can be
expressed in all these ways:
1 atm = 1 bar (European)
= 14.7 psia
= 29.920 Hg (inches of mercury)
= 101.3 kPa (metric)
However, each of the above values is not precisely equivalent to
the others:
1atm = 1.0192 bar
1 bar = 29.530 Hg = 14.503 psia
10 Hg = 13.60 H2O @ 60 F
Torricellis Tube
Evangelista Torricelli (1608
1647) discovered the concept
of atmospheric pressure.
He inverted a tube filled with
mercury into a bowl of the
liquid and then observed that
the column of mercury in the
tube fell until atmospheric
pressure acting on the surface
balanced against the vacuum
created in the tube.
At sea level, vacuum in the
column in Torricellis tube
would support 29.92 inches of
mercury.
Manometer
A manometer is a single
tube arranged in a U-shape
used to measure very small
pressure values.
It may be filled to the zero
on the calibration scale with
either water H2O) or
mercury (Hg), depending on
the pressure range desired.
A manometer can measure
either push or pull on the
fluid column. Examples:
Crankcase pressure
Exhaust backpressure
Air inlet restriction
Absolute Pressure
Absolute pressure uses a scale in which the zero
point is a complete absence of pressure.
Gauge pressure has as its zero point atmospheric
pressure.
A gauge therefore reads zero when exposed to the
atmosphere.
To avoid confusing absolute pressure with gauge
pressure
Absolute pressure is expressed as: psia.
Gauge pressure is usually expressed as: psi or psig.
Hydraulic Levers (1 of 2)
Hydraulic levers can be
used to demonstrate
Pascals law:
Pressure equals force
divided by the
sectional area on
which it acts.
(P=F\A)
Force equals pressure
multiplied by area.
( F = P x A)
Hydraulic Levers (2 of 2)
Flow
Flow is the term we use to describe the movement
of a hydraulic fluid through a circuit.
Flow occurs when there is a difference in pressure
between two points.
In a hydraulic circuit, flow is created by a device
such as a pump.
A pump exerts push effort on a fluid.
Pressure Drop
In a confined hydraulic circuit, whenever there is
flow, a pressure drop results.
Again, the opposite applies. Whenever there is a
difference in pressure, there must be flow.
Should the pressure difference be too great to
establish equilibrium, there would be continuous
flow.
In a flowing hydraulic circuit, pressure is always
highest upstream and lowest downstream. This is
why we use the term pressure drop.
A pressure drop always occurs downstream from a
restriction in a circuit.
Flow Restrictions
Pressure drop will occur whenever there is a
restriction to flow.
A restriction in a circuit may be unintended
(such as a collapsed line) or intended (such
as a restrictive orifice).
The smaller the line or passage through
which the hydraulic fluid is forced, the greater
the pressure drop.
The energy lost due to a pressure drop is
converted to heat energy.
Work
Work occurs when effort or force produces
an observable result.
In a hydraulic circuit, this means moving a
load.
To produce work in a hydraulic circuit, there
must be flow.
Work is measured in units of force multiplied
by distance, for example, in pound-feet.
Work = Force x Distance
Bernoullis Principle (1 of 2)
Bernoullis Principle states that if flow in a circuit is
constant, then the sum of the pressure and kinetic
energy must also be constant.
Pressure x Velocity IN = Pressure x Velocity OUT
Bernoullis Principle (2 of 2)
Laminar Flow
Flow of a hydraulic medium through a circuit
should be as streamlined as possible.
Streamlined flow is known as laminar flow.
Laminar flow is required to minimize friction.
Changes in section, sharp turns, and high
flow speeds can cause turbulence and crosscurrents in a hydraulic circuit, resulting in
friction losses and pressure drops.
Open-center Systems
In an open-center system,
the pump runs constantly
and oil circulates within the
system continuously.
An open-center valve
manages flow through the
circuit. When this valve is in
its neutral position, fluid
returns to the reservoir.
An example of an opencenter hydraulic system on
a truck is power-assisted
steering.
Closed-center Systems
In a closed-center system, the pump can be
rested during operation whenever flow is not
required to operate an actuator.
The control valve blocks flow from the pump when it
is in its closed or neutral position.
A closed-center system requires the use of either a
variable displacement pump or proportioning control
valves.
Closed-center systems have many uses on
agricultural and industrial equipment, but on trucks,
they would be used on garbage packers and front
bucket forks.
Calculating Force
In hydraulics, force is the product of pressure
multiplied by area.
Force = Pressure x Area
Hydraulic Components
Reservoirs
Accumulators
Pumps
Valves
Actuators
Hydraulic motors
Conductors and connectors
Hydraulic fluids
Reservoirs
A reservoir in a hydraulic system has the following roles:
Stores hydraulic oil
Helps keep oil clean and free of air
Acts as a heat exchanger to help cool the oil
A reservoir is typically equipped with:
Filler cap
Oil-level gauge or dipstick
Outlet and return lines
Baffle(s)
Intake filter
Oil filter
Drain plug
Gas-loaded Accumulators
The gas and hydraulic oil
occupy the same chamber but
are separated by a piston,
diaphragm, or bladder.
When circuit pressure rises,
incoming oil to the chamber
compresses the gas.
When circuit pressure drops
off, the gas in the chamber
expands, forcing oil out into
the circuit.
Most gas-loaded accumulators
are pre-charged with the
compressed gas that enables
their operation.
Fixed-Displacement Pumps
A fixed-displacement pump will move the same
amount of oil per revolution with the result that the
volume picked up by the pump at its inlet equals the
volume discharged to its outlet per revolution.
This means that pump speed determines how much
hydraulic oil is moved.
Fixed-displacement pumps are commonly used for
applications such as:
Lift pumps
Power steering pumps
Transmission pumps
Lube pumps
Variable-displacement Pumps
Variable-displacement pumps are positive
displacement pumps designed to vary the
volume of oil they move each cycle even
when they are run at the same speed.
They use an internal control mechanism to
vary the output of oil usually with the
objective of maintaining a constant pressure
value and reducing flow when demand for oil
is minimal.
Gear Pumps
Gear pumps are widely used in mobile
hydraulics because of their simplicity.
They are also widely used to move fuel
through diesel fuel subsystems and as
engine lube oil pumps.
Three types of gear pumps are used:
External gear
Internal gear
Rotor gear
External-gear Pumps
Two intermeshing gears are
close-fitted within a housing.
One of the gears is a drive
shaft and this drives the
second gear because they
are in mesh.
As the gears rotate, oil from
the inlet is trapped between
the teeth and the housing,
and is carried around the
housing and forced from the
outlet.
Internal-gear Pumps
A spur gear rotates within an
annular internal gear, meshing
on one side of it.
Both gears are divided on the
other side by a crescentshaped separator.
When an external gear is in
mesh with an internal gear,
they both turn in the same
direction of rotation.
As the gear teeth come out of
mesh, oil from the inlet is
trapped between the teeth and
the separator and is carried to
the outlet and expelled.
Rotor-gear Pumps
Vane Pumps
Vane pumps are also used extensively in
hydraulic circuits.
Truck power-assisted steering systems use
vane pumps.
Piston Pumps
There are a wide variety of piston pumps, beginning
with the most simple and including some of the
more complex pumps used in hydraulic circuits.
There are three general types of piston pump:
Plunger pumps
Axial piston
Radial piston
Plunger Pumps
A bicycle pump is an example of a plunger
pump as are the fuel hand-priming pumps
used on many diesel fuel systems.
A plunger reciprocates within a stationary
barrel. Fluid to be pumped is drawn into the
pump chamber formed in the barrel on the
outward stroke of the plunger.
This fluid is then discharged on the inboard
stroke of the plunger.
Valves
Valves are used to manage flow and
pressure in hydraulic circuits.
There are three basic types of valves used in
hydraulic circuits.
Pressure control
Directional control
Volume (flow) control
Actuators
Hydraulic actuators convert the fluid power
from the pump into mechanical work.
A hydraulic cylinder is a linear actuator.
A hydraulic motor is a rotary actuator.
Single-acting Cylinders
Hydraulic pressure is applied to only one side of the piston.
Single-acting cylinders may be either:
Outward-actuated: When an outward-actuated cylinder has
hydraulic pressure applied to it, the piston and rod are forced
outward to lift the load. When the oil pressure is relieved, the
weight of the load forces the piston and rod back into the
cylinder.
Inward-actuated: When an inward-actuated cylinder has
hydraulic pressure applied to it, the rod is pulled inward into the
cylinder.
One side of a single-acting cylinder is dry. The dry side must be
vented so that when oil pressure on the pressure side is relieved,
air is allowed to enter, preventing a vacuum.
A ram is a single-acting cylinder in which the rod serves as the
piston.
Double-acting Cylinders
Double-acting cylinders provide force in both directions.
Pressure is applied to one side of the piston to either extend or
retract the cylinder; the oil on the opposite side returns to the
reservoir.
Double-acting cylinders may be balanced or unbalanced.
Balanced double-acting cylinder
The piston rod extends through the piston head on both
sides, giving an equal surface area on which hydraulic
pressure can act.
Unbalanced double-acting cylinder
A piston rod is located on one side of the piston. There is
more surface area on the side without the rod because the
rod occupies part of the space on the other side.
Vane-type Cylinders
Vane-type cylinders may be found in some
much older hydraulic systems.
A vane-type cylinder provides rotary motion.
Double-acting vane-type cylinders can be
used in applications such as backhoes
because they enable a boom and bucket to
swing rapidly from trench to pile.
An alternative to one double-acting vane
cylinder for this application would be a pair of
opposing cylinders.
Hydraulic Motors (1 of 2)
The function of hydraulic motors is the
opposite of hydraulic pumps:
Pump
It draws in oil and displaces it, converting
mechanical force into fluid force.
Motor
Oil under pressure is forced in and spilled out,
converting fluid force into mechanical force.
Hydraulic Motors (2 of 2)
There are three categories of hydraulic
motors:
Gear motors
Vane motors
Piston motors
Gear Motors
External gear
An external-gear motor is
driven by pressurized
hydraulic oil forced into the
pump inlet, which acts on a
pair of intermeshing gears,
turning them away from
the inlet, with the oil
passing between the
external gear teeth and the
pump housing.
Internal gear
An internal-gear motor is
similar to an internal-gear
pump. The motor drive
shaft is connected to the
inner rotor.
Hydraulic Hoses (1 of 2)
The size of any hydraulic hose is determined by its inside
diameter.
This is sometimes indicated as dash size in 116-inch
increments.
Each dash number indicates 116 inch,
a #4 dash hose would be equivalent to 416 inch or 14 inch.
Dash size Nominal diameter
# 4 = 14 inch
# 6 = 38 inch
# 8 = 12 inch
# 10 = 58 inch
# 12 = 34 inch
A large-diameter internal hose has to be stronger to sustain the
working pressures of a hydraulic circuit.
Hydraulic Hoses (2 of 2)
Another consideration for hose selection is
that the hose must be compatible with the
hydraulic fluid used in the system.
There are four general types of hoses used in
hydraulic circuits:
Fabric braid
Single-wire braid
Multiple-wire braid (up to 6 wire braid)
Multiple-spiral wire (up to 6 wire spirals)
Couplers (Connectors)
Hydraulic hose couplers (also known as connectors
and fittings) are made of steel, stainless steel,
brass, or fiber composites.
Hose couplers or fittings can either be reusable or
permanent.
Hose fittings are installed at the hose ends and the
mating end consists of either a nipple (male fit) or
socket (female fit).
Adapters are separate from the hose and are used
to couple hoses to other components such as
valves, actuators, or pumps.
Caution
Separation of a fitting and hose at high
pressure can be dangerous!
Never reuse a suspect fitting and observe the
manufacturer assembly procedure to the
letter.
Coupling Guidelines
When making hydraulic connections, the following guidelines
should be observed:
Torque the fitting on the hose, not the hose on the fittings.
Couple male ends before female ends.
Ensure the sealing method of each fitting to be coupled is the
same.
Use 45- and 90-degree elbows to improve hose routing.
Use hydraulic pipe seal compound only on the male threads,
and on thread-seal unions.
Use two wrenches when tightening unions to avoid twisting
hose.
Never over-torque hydraulic fittings.
Shop Talk
When tightening the fittings on a pair of
hydraulic couplers, always use two wrenches
to avoid twisting hoses or damaging
adapters.
Flared Fittings
45 degrees (SAE standard -- Society of Automotive Engineers)
37 degrees (JIC standard -- Joint Industry Committee)
Inverted flare
A 45-degree flare is formed inside of the fitting.
Two-piece flare
A tapered nut aligns and seals the flared end of the tube.
Three-piece flare
A three-piece flare fitting consists of a body, sleeve, and nut
and fits over the tube. The sleeve free-floats, permitting
clearance between the nut and tube and aligning the fitting.
When tightened, the sleeve is locked without imparting twist to
the flared tube.
Self-flaring
These fittings use a wedge-type sleeve that, as the sleeve is
tightened, is forced into the tube end, spreading it into a flare.
Caution
Never attempt to cross-couple SAE and JIC
fittings.
The result will be to damage both.
Flareless Fittings
Ferrule fittings
Consist of a body, a compression nut, and a ferrule.
A wedge-shaped ferrule is compressed into the fitting body by
the compression nut, creating a seal between the tube and the
body.
Compression fittings
These are used with thin-walled tubing and are sealed by
crimping the end of the tube to form a seal.
O-ring fittings
The principle is similar to ferrule-type fittings except that a
compressible rubber compound O-ring replaces the ferrule.
As the fitting nut is torqued, the O-ring is compressed, forming a
seal between the tube and the fitting body.
Several different types of O-rings are used, including round
section, square section, D-section, and steel-backed.
Quick-release Couplers
When hydraulic lines have to be frequently
connected and disconnected, a quick release
coupler is used.
A quick coupler is a self-sealing device that shuts
off flow when disconnected.
Quick-release couplers consist of a male and
female coupler. There are four types:
Double poppet.
Sleeve and poppet
Sliding seal
Double rotating ball
Hydraulic Fluids (1 of 2)
Hydraulic fluids used in truck hydraulic systems
may be:
Specialty hydraulic oils
Engine oil
Transmission oil
Hydraulic Fluids (2 of 2)
Hydraulic oils must:
Act as hydraulic media to transmit force
Lubricate the moving components in a hydraulic
circuit
Resist breakdown over long periods of time
Protect circuit components against rust and corrosion
Resist foaming
Maintain a relatively constant viscosity over a wide
temperature range
Resist combining with contaminants such as air,
water, and particulates
Conduct heat
Safe Practice (1 of 2)
Truck hydraulic circuits are designed to run at high
pressures and support high loads. It is essential
that you work safely around chassis hydraulic
equipment. Some basic rules:
Never work under any device that is only supported
by hydraulics.
A raised dump box or chassis hoist must be
mechanically supported before you work under it.
Just as when using a floor jack, you must use some
means of mechanically supporting any raised
equipment or components.
Safe Practice (2 of 2)
Hydraulic circuit components can retain high
residual pressures.
The system does not have to be active for
this to be a hazard.
Ensure that pressures are relieved
throughout the circuit before opening it up.
Crack hydraulic line nuts slowly and be sure
to wear both safety glasses and gloves.
Summary (1 of 3)
Fundamental hydraulic principles include
Pascals Law, Bernoullis Principle, and how
force, pressure, and sectional area are used
in hydraulic circuits to produce outcomes.
A typical simple hydraulic circuit consists of a
reservoir, pump, valves, actuators,
conductors, and connectors.
Hydraulic pumps convert mechanical energy
into hydraulic potential.
Summary (2 of 3)
Valves manage flow and direction through a
hydraulic circuit.
Actuators such as hydraulic cylinders and
motors convert hydraulic potential into
mechanical movement.
Hydraulic oil is used to store and transmit
hydraulic energy through a hydraulic system.
ANSI and ISO graphic symbols are used to
represent hydraulic components and
connectors in hydraulic schematics.
Summary (3 of 3)
Maintenance procedures on truck hydraulic
systems begin with ensuring the system is clean
both inside and outside the circuit.
Routine replacement of hydraulic fluid, sometimes
accompanied by system flushing, is recommended
to minimize system malfunctions and downtime.
Hydraulic circuit testers are used to analyze
hydraulic circuit performance.
A hydraulic tester consists of flow gauge, pressure
gauge, temperature gauge, and gate valve.