FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF.

AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

Module 1
Introduction to Fluid Power Systems (FPS)

Topics:
1. About hydraulics
2. Components of hydraulic system
3. Structure of a hydraulic system
4. Advantages and disadvantages
5. Applications
6. Pascal’s law and its applications
7. Fluids for hydraulic system
8. Additives
9. Effect of temperature and pressure on hydraulic fluid
10. Seals
11. Pipes, hoses, and quick acting couplings
12. Fluid conditioning through filters and strainers
13. Sources of contamination and contamination control

About hydraulics:
1. The word hydraulics is a derivative of Greek words hydro (meaning water) and aulis
(meaning tube or pipe). Originally, the science of hydraulics covered the physical
behaviour of water at rest and in motion. This dates back several thousand years to when
water wheels, dams and sluice gates were first used to control the flow of water for
domestic use and irrigation.
2. Hydraulics can be defined as the engineering science that pertains to liquid pressure and
flow. This study includes the way liquids act in tanks and pipes, dealing with their
properties and with ways of utilizing these properties.
3. Hydraulics includes the laws of floating bodies and the behaviour of liquids under various
conditions, and ways of directing this flow to useful ends.
4. Fluid power systems use fluids to transmit power and motion. Both liquids and gases are
called fluids.
5. Under liquids, mostly mineral oil is used instead of water and under gases usually
atmospheric air is used after cleaning it suitably.

Components of hydraulic system:

1. Reservoir
2. Pump (P)
3. Electric motor (M)
4. Regulator
5. Valve
6. Cylinder (Actuator)

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 FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

Structure of a hydraulic system:

1. Reservoir: Hydraulic liquid is held in this part. The reservoir also transfers heat into the
hydraulic system and helps remove air and different types of moisture from the stored fluid.
2. Pump: It is responsible for moving mechanical energy into the system. It does so by moving
the fluid in the reservoir. However, all pumps work on the same basic principle of moving
fluids through pressure.
3. Valves: They are used to start and stop the system and direct where the fluid moves. Valves
contain many spools or poppets. They may be actuated through electrical, manual, hydraulic,
pneumatic, or mechanical methods.
4. Actuators: They take the generated hydraulic energy and change it back to mechanical energy
for use. The system may use a hydraulic motor to generate rotary motion, or it could be done
using a hydraulic cylinder to create linear motion.

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 FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

Advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages Disadvantages
1. Large load capacities 1. Highly flammable
2. Smooth movement 2. Leakage issues
3. Lubrication (self-lubricating) 3. Chemical degradation of hydraulic oils
4. Equal pressure distribution 4. Temperature dependent
5. Power transmission over long distances 5. High degree of precision
6. No/fewer mechanical parts needed

Applications:
Common applications in industries:
1. Metal cutting machine tools and metal forming machinery
2. Conveyor systems
3. Foundries and primary metals plants
4. Presses, including cushions, clutches and brakes
5. Automated assembly systems, material handling, and robotic systems
6. Power steering and car washes
7. Packaging systems
8. Grinding and honing applications
9. Plastic injection

Applications of fluid power in automotive sectors:

1. Brakes
2. Spoilers
3. Steering mechanism
4. Convertible vehicles
5. Hoist mining machines
6. Landing gears in aerospace applications

Pascal’s law and its applications:

1. The controlled movement of parts or a controlled application of force is a common
requirement in the industries. These operations are performed mainly by using electrical
machines or diesel, petrol and steam engines as a prime mover. These prime movers can
provide various movements to the objects by using some mechanical attachments like
screw jack, lever, rack and pinions etc.
2. The hydraulic system works on the principle of Pascal’s law which says that the pressure
in an enclosed fluid is uniform in all the directions.
3. The force given by fluid is given by the multiplication of pressure and area of cross section.
As the pressure is same in all the direction, the smaller piston feels a smaller force and a
large piston feels a large force. Therefore, a large force can be generated with smaller force
input by using hydraulic systems.
4. Pascal’s law is applied directly in the applications where there is a need to lift heavy objects
(vehicles) using a small (minimum) force.
5. Pascal’s law is used in hydraulic brakes that are installed in vehicles
(earthmoving/commercial/passengers).

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FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

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 FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

Fluids for hydraulic system:

Definition:
A hydraulic fluid/oil is the medium by which power is transferred in hydraulic machineries.
Commonly used hydraulic fluids are based on mineral oil or water. Examples of equipment that
might use hydraulic fluids are excavators, hydraulic brakes, power steering systems, transmissions,
and flight systems. Hydraulic fluid should have zero compressibility.

Types:
There are varieties of hydraulic oils and their properties are given below:
1. Mineral hydraulic oil or petroleum based
a. Low cost
b. Low fire resistance
c. Toxic
d. Low biodegradability
2. Phosphate ester based synthetic hydraulic fluids
a. Produced by reaction of phosphoric acid with aromatic alcohols
b. Fire resistant
c. Toxic
3. Polyol ester based synthetic hydraulic fluids
a. Produced by reaction of long-chain fatty acids and synthesized alcohols
b. Fire resistant
c. Very good lubrication properties
d. Environmentally friendly
e. High cost
4. Water glycol synthetic hydraulic fluids
a. Contains 35-60% of water in form of solution
b. Fire resistant
c. Nontoxic
d. Biodegradable
e. Water causes deterioration of the hydraulic fluids
5. Vegetable hydraulic oils
a. Very good lubrication properties
b. High viscosity index
c. Nontoxic
d. Biodegradable

Properties:
Hydraulic oils require the most attention towards maintaining and changing in regular intervals for
the proper functioning of the hydraulic system. So, hydraulic systems should use hydraulic fluids
which should possess some desirable properties as given below:
1. Thermal stability 7. Low cost
2. Constant viscosity 8. Low compressibility
3. Low corrosiveness 9. Good lubrication
4. High anti-wear characteristics 10. Filterability
5. Long life 11. Low flash point
6. Total water rejection 12. Low foaming

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 FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

Selection:
Stability, viscosity and corrosion protection are key considerations when selecting hydraulic fluids.
Hydraulic fluid has many roles in the smooth operation of a well-balanced and designed system.
These roles range from a heat transfer medium, power transfer medium and a lubrication medium.
The chemical makeup of a hydraulic fluid can take many forms when selecting it for specific
applications. It can range from full synthetic (to handle drastic temperature and pressure swings
and reduce the rate of oxidation) to water-based fluids used in applications where there is a risk of
fire and are desired for their high-water content.

Two important considerations in the hydraulic system have a great influence on total cost:
1. Fluid life
14. Disposability

Fluids that have long operating lives bring added savings through reduced maintenance and
replacement costs. Part life should also be longer with higher-quality, longer-life fluid. Longer
fluid life also reduces disposal problems. Demand for environmentally friendly and non-toxic
fluids increases disposability issues. Review local environmental laws to determine potential
problems.

Additives:
Additives have these roles:
1. Enhance the properties of existing hydraulic oil (also called as base oil) with:
a. Antioxidants
b. Corrosion lowers (inhibitors)
c. Anti-foam agents
d. Demulsifying agents
e. Alkaline agents
2. Suppress undesirable base oil properties
3. Viscosity improving.

Hydraulic oil is subjected to:

1. Shear
2. Wear
3. Oxidation by air and combustion gases

Antioxidant additives:
1. Long chain of molecules
15. Reduced surface roughness
16. Reduces the voids
17. Reduces friction
18. Reduced kinetic energy and friction

Antioxidant additives retard the degradation of the oil stock by oxidation. Using this additive, the
voids gets decreased and hence there won’t be molecules that cannot move.

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 FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

Antioxidant additives Load-carrying additives

Load-carrying additives:
1. It’s a film of oil between the oil and the metal disc (pistons).
2. It reduces wear and tear.
19. Provides lubrication when almost hydraulic oil gets squeezed under heavy load conditions.

Corrosion and oxidation inhibitor additives:

1. Due to sudden operation and application change, fluid should not contain any water droplet,
else can cause corrosive effects.
20. A thin film under the metal piston protects the liquid to get reacted to piston.
21. Chemical stability is maintained.

Corrosion additives Defoaming additives

Defoaming additives:
1. Bubble formation takes place in hydraulic system under high/varying pressure.
22. System becomes hot and cause system overheating.
23. Foam usually forms in the reservoir and, if drawn into the pump suction, can cause noisy pump
operation and may even damage pump parts.

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 FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

Effect of temperature and pressure on hydraulic fluid:

Heat is a form of energy associated with the motion of atoms or molecules in solids and capable
of being transmitted through solid and fluid media by conduction, through fluid media by
convection and through empty space by radiation.

Causes of heat generation:

1. Flow restriction
2. Excessive flow velocities
3. Internal leakage in valves
4. Slippage in pumps
5. Bad design of hydraulic components
6. Bad selection of hydraulic oil
7. Hydraulic oil not supplied according to the flow rate (choking of hydraulic oil in the pump)

Effects of heat on the system:

Heat has many detrimental effects on the hydraulic system components.
1. At high temperatures, oxidation of the oil is accelerated.
2. This oxidation shortens the fluid’s useful life by producing acids and sludge, which corrode
metal parts.
3. These acids and sludge clog valve orifices and cause rapid deterioration of moving
components.
4. The chemical properties of many hydraulic fluids can change dramatically by repeated
heating/cooling cycles to extreme temperatures.
5. This change or breakdown of the hydraulic media can be extremely detrimental to hydraulic
components, especially pumping equipment.
6. Another effect of heat is the lowering of the oil’s viscosity and its ability to lubricate the
moving parts of the pump and related hydraulic equipment effectively.

Prevention/solution for temperature deterioration:

1. Use the largest reservoir that is practical for your application.
2. Place the tank in a location that will give it access to the greatest amount of fluid flow/air flow.
3. Install or design heat exchangers into the system will help remove excess heat.
4. Unload the pump during intervals when pressure is not required.

Seals:
Definition:
A hydraulic seal is a soft, non-metallic ring, captured in a groove or fixed in a combination of rings
to block or separate fluid. Materials depends on the operating conditions due to fluid type, pressure,
fluid chemical compatibility and temperature.

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 FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

Types:
1. Static hydraulic seal is placed in grooves of hydraulic cylinders, so that there will be no
movement.
2. Dynamic hydraulic seal (rod seal) is exposed to movement on its inner diameter along the rod
of a hydraulic cylinder.
3. Positive seals do not allow any leakage whatsoever (external or internal).
4. Non-positive seals permit a small amount of internal leakage.
5. Wiper seals maintain sealing contact to the piston rod when the equipment is stationary and in
use (dynamic reciprocating rod). Without a wiper seal, the retracting piston rod could transport
contaminants into the cylinder.
6. O-rings maintain sealing contact force by radial or axial deformation in the seal housing
between two machine components.
7. Piston seals are used in hydraulic cylinders for internal sealing, preventing the fluid from
flowing across the cylinder head.
8. V- and U-shaped seals.

Piston rings O-rings

Types of seals in a hydraulic cylinder

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 FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

Sealing materials:
1. Leather – This material is rugged and inexpensive but cannot operate above 90°C. Leather can
only operate well at cold temperatures.
2. Buna N – This material is rugged and inexpensive. It has a rather wide operating temperature
range (10°C to 110°C).
3. Buna S
4. Polyurethane
5. Silicone – This material has an extremely wide temperature range. Hence, it is widely used for
rotating shaft seals and static seals where a wide operating temperature is expected.
6. Neoprene – This material has a temperature range of -55°C to 120°C. Above that temperature,
the material tends to vulcanize.
7. Tetrafluoroethylene – This material is the most widely used plastic for seals of hydraulic
systems. It is a tough, chemically inert, waxy solid.

Compatibility of seals with fluids:

The chemical compatibility of a seal with fluids in a system is critical to obtaining a reliable, long-
lasting seal. Unfortunately, the selection process can be extremely challenging, especially if based
solely on chemical compatibility charts. Chemical composition is the composition of the seal itself,
so what type of rubber, essentially, it’s made from. In olden days, fluid power seals were made of
things like leather and natural rubber, which had poor composition and compatibility, that could
not resist extreme temperatures and adverse conditions.

For example, any O-ring is circular (rubber) turns into rubber jelly at high pressures. It turns to
almost liquid if seen under a microscope. They tend to take the shape of whatever they are, almost
like a liquid, of course still sealing and the hardness of that rubber dictates how much it resists that
change in shape. There are applications say high pressure hydraulic, you need to have a higher
shore hardness.

Pipes, hoses, and quick acting couplings:

Pipes:
1. Poor plumbing/priming can permanently cripple fluid power systems even if it was designed
with the most up-to-date components.
2. Undersized pipelines, incorrect component placement, and long piping runs are a few of the
items that strangle fluid flow.
3. Other problems, such as using tapered pipes requires daily attention.
4. Piping between the valve and actuator should be as short as possible and of the minimum
diameter to carry the required flow.
5. Fluid systems contain a black iron pipe. Galvanized pipe is not recommended because some
galvanizing material may flake off and get into moving parts. Some portions of the system use
plastic pipe. But lubricants can attack plastic and cause to lose strength. This type of damage
weakens the plastic until it can burst, sending shards of plastic flying everywhere in the plant.
It is important to never use plastic pipes if quality is poor.

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 FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

Pipes (metallic)
Hoses:
1. There are places on many hydraulic systems where rigid pipe or tubing cannot be used
because of their inflexibility.
2. Rigid lines can cause problems at cylinders with pivot mountings, pumps on noise-isolation
mounts, or connections between separate units.
3. Hose is expensive, must be replaced on a regular basis.
4. It is never recommended to use hose in actuators that need precise control.
5. Hose is specified by its inside diameter (ID).
6. Thicker walls for higher pressures make the outside diameter (OD) of hose greater.
7. Working pressure should always be equal to or higher than maximum system operating
pressure.
8. Flow rates of hose are slightly higher than pipe.

Hoses
Quick acting couplings:
1. Quick-acting couplings provide a fast, convenient way to repeatedly connect and disconnect
fluid lines.
2. If a hose or tube in a fluid power system will be connected and disconnected more frequently
than once a week, then chances are a quick-acting coupling will pay for itself rapidly by
improving productivity.
3. One common application is in assembly workstations, where a worker may have to rapidly
switch from one operation like drilling to another operation like riveter. With one quick-
acting coupling, tool changing is accomplished in seconds.

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 FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

4. Without the couplings, separate air lines would be needed for each tool. This would clutter
the workstation and could slow down production. Types of quick acting couplings are ball-
lock, roller-lock, and pin-lock.

Ball-lock quick acting couplings:

1. A group of balls is positioned in holes located around the inner diameter (ID) of the
socket body.
2. These holes normally are tapered to reduce the diameter at the socket body ID, so the
balls do not fall into cavity when the coupling is disconnected.

Ball-lock
Roller-lock
1. As the external plug is inserted, a ramp on the plug outer diameter (OD) pushes the
rollers outward.
2. Once the plug is inserted the prescribed distance, the rollers slip into a retention groove
on the plug's OD.
3. Retracting the locking sleeve, which allows the ramp on the plug OD to move the rollers
outward, releases the plug.

Roller-lock

Fluid conditioning through filters and strainers:

Following are the reasons which raises problems of dust or foreign particles:
1. While manufacturing, metal chips, dirt, seal material bits, pipe dope, etc. may go inside the
system.
2. During the operation of hydraulic system, dust particles can go inside.
3. Moisture may go where abundant water flow is there or due to climatic changes.
4. Tools that get dirty may cause the dirt to go into the hydraulic system.

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 FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

FILTERS STRAINERS
Filters remove particulates that are Strainers remove particulates that are larger than 40
smaller than 40 microns. microns.

Filter is a device to retain by some Strainers is a coarse filter. Lower the mesh number,
porous medium insoluble contaminants the coarser the screen. Strainers have low pressure
from a fluid. Filters are rated by two drops. They are usually installed in the pump
methods: suction line to remove contaminants large,
1. Nominal method – this method otherwise it can damage the pump.
is used for filtering 90% to 95%
particles; sizing is 10 microns.
2. Absolute method – this method
is used to determine the largest
particle which could pass
through the filter.
Mechanical filter: A drop-in pressure indicates that the strainer is
This type normally contains a metal or becoming clogged. This can starve the pump,
cloth screen separated by thin spacers. resulting in cavitation and increased pump noise.
They can remove only relatively coarse
particles from the fluid.

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 FLUID POWER SYSTEMS – PROF. AKSHAYA SIMHA – AIT, BANGALORE

Sources of contamination and contamination control:

Description of the hydraulic fluid based on its cleanliness is given below:
1. Having a best filter does not ensure clean fluid. If the filter is by-passing or in the wrong
location, it will not protect the components. The only way to be sure of the contamination
level of the fluid is to take a sample of the hydraulic fluid as it moves through the system.
2. Clean oil greatly extends the life of bearings and hydraulic equipment. Sometimes, they
don’t look dirty, but they are full of small dirt and can cause failure of hydraulic
components. Metal particles in the 2 to 30-micron range can degrade the efficiency of the
system.
3. ISO codes are used to quantify levels of contamination present per millilitre of fluid at 3
different micron sizes. They are:
a. 4 microns
b. 6 microns
c. 14 microns

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