Physical Properties of Hydraulic

and Pneumatic Fluids

HW 1 Output speed of a Hydraulic Jack

The hydraulic jack has an input area of 10 mm2
and an output area of 40 mm2, and is used to
move the output piston against a constant 2kN
load with different output speed values. The
input cylinder is connected to the output
cylinder with a 4 mm2 pipe of length L. The
density of the hydraulic fluid used in the jack is
900 kg/m3 and its viscosity is 0.3 kg.m/s2.

Plot the force F needed on the input piston

as a function of the steady output piston
speed. Generate three different curves on
the same plot corresponding to (i) L = 5 m,
(ii) L = 10 m and (iii) L = 20 m. Identify all
the critical inflection points on the plot.

2 kN

For F = 1 kN and L = 20 m, derive an

expression for the transient output speed,
v, as a function of time, t, and find the time
needed for the piston to reach 95% of the
steady speed. Plot v(t) using appropriate
scale.
2

HW 1 Output speed of a Hydraulic Jack

The hydraulic jack has an input area of
10 mm2 and an output area of 40 mm2,
and is used to move the output piston
against a constant 2kN load with
different output speed values. The
input cylinder is connected to the
output cylinder with a 4 mm2 pipe of
length L. The density of the hydraulic
fluid used in the jack is 900 kg/m3 and
its viscosity is 1.1 x 10-7 kg.m/s2.

Plot the force F needed on the

input piston as a function of the
steady output piston speed.
Generate three different curves
on the same plot corresponding
to (i) L = 5 m, (ii) L = 10 m and (iii)
L = 20 m. Identify all the critical
inflection points on the plot.
F

Under steady operating conditions,

the weight of the 2kN load is
balanced by the force of the oil
pressure
F = 0

W pA = 0,
p = W A = 2 103 40 106 = 50 MPa

For laminar flow in the connecting

pips, Re = 2300

Re = vD = 2300
v = Re D

v = (0.3 2300) (900 4 106 )

v = 7.03 102 m/s

2 kN

L
3

Introduction

The single most important material in a fluid

power system is the working fluid itself. In
pneumatic applications, air is the common
working fluid. In hydraulic applications different
types of hydraulic fluids are available.
Hydraulic fluid characteristics have a crucial
effect on equipment performance and life. It is
important to use clean, high-quality fluid in order
to achieve efficient hydraulic system operation.
Most modern hydraulic fluids are complex
compounds that have been carefully prepared to
meet their demanding tasks. In addition to
having a base fluid, hydraulic fluids contain
special additives to provide desired
characteristics.

Function of Hydraulic Fluids

A hydraulic fluid has four

primary functions:

Transmit power
Lubricate moving parts
Seal clearances
Dissipate heat

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids

To accomplish its primary functions, a hydraulic fluid should have the

following properties

Good lubricity
Chemical and environmental stability
Fire resistant
Foam resistant
Low density
High degree of incompressibility
Compatibility with system material
Suitable viscosity
Good heat transfer capability
Nontoxicity
Low volatility
Inexpensive
Readily available

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids

No single hydraulic fluid

possesses all the desirable
characteristics. The system
designer must select the fluid
that comes closest to being ideal
overall for a particular
application.

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Good Lubricity

A lubricant is a substance that

reduces friction by creating a
slippery film between two
surfaces in relative motion.
Lubricants permit one surface to
move easily over the other
surface with low frictional force.
When a lubricant is present
between two rolling and/or
sliding surfaces, a pressurized
film can be generated by the
movement of the surfaces . The
viscosity and non-compressibility
properties of this film separates
the surfaces resulting in no metal
to metal contact.

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Good Lubricity

Hydraulic fluids must have good

lubricity to prevent wear to the
closely fitted working parts.
Direct metal-to-metal contact is
avoided by the film strength of
fluids having adequate viscosity
and incompressibility.
Wear is the actual physical
removal of surface material due
to rubbing action resulting from
the frictional forces between
mating parts. Parts that are
affected by wear include pump
internals, valve spools, pistons,
cylinders, rings and rod
bearings.

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Good Lubricity

The condition in which surfaces are

completely separated by a continuous
film of lubricating fluid is commonly
referred to as hydrodynamic or full fluid
film lubrication.
Under full film lubrication, the lubricant
immediately adjacent to each surface
travels at the same speed and direction
of each surface. Fluid speed gradually
changes across the film as it changes
from the speed of the upper plate to
the that of the lower plate.

Moving plate

Stationary plate

Full film lubrication may fail due to low

lubricant viscosity, or high oil
compressibility. An increase in speed or
viscosity increases oil film thickness. An
increase in load decreases oil film
thickness.
10

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Chemical Stability

A substance is said to be chemically stable if it is

not particularly reactive with its environment
during normal use, and retains its useful
properties on the timescale of its expected
usefulness.
Hydraulic fluids are exposed to air, moisture,
metals and other surfaces. Hydraulic fluid may
oxidize, decompose, polymerize, burn or explode
under the conditions of anticipated use or normal
environmental conditions.
Oxidation, which is caused by a chemical reaction
with oxygen from the air with the oil particles, can
seriously reduce the service life of the hydraulic
fluid. Most oxidation products are soluble in oil
and are acidic in nature, which can cause
corrosion to parts throughout the system.

11

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Fire Resistance

Most hydraulic fluids will burn under certain conditions.

Flammability is defined as the ease of ignition and ability to
propagate a flame. Determination of a fluids flammability
depends on the following:

Flash point: The temperature at which the oil surface

gives off sufficient vapors to ignite when a flame is passed
over the surface.
Fire point: The temperature at which the oil will release
sufficient vapor to support combustion continuously for
five seconds when a flame is passed over the surface.
Autogenous ignition temperature: The temperature at
which ignition occurs spontaneously.

Hydraulic fluids should not initiate or support fire. A fire

resistant fluid is one that can be ignited, but will not support
combustion when the ignition source is removed.

12

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Foam Resistance

Air can become dissolved or entrained in

hydraulic fluids forming air bubbles. For example,
the air at the liquid-air surface of the reservoir
can be dissolved with oil. Similarly, a small leak in
the suction line can cause the entrainment of
large quantities of air from the atmosphere.
Air bubbles will greatly reduce the bulk modulus
of the hydraulic fluid and affect its viscosity. If air
bubbles rise to the surface too slowly, they will be
drawn to the pump intake causing pump damage
due to cavitation.
The amount of dissolved air can be greatly
reduced by proper design of the reservoir, since
this is where the vast majority of air is picked up.
Foam-resistant fluids have chemical additives
which break out entrained air to separate quickly
the air from the oil while it is in the reservoir.
13

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Low Density

Hydraulic fluid density influences the overall weight of the

system and the amount of frictional losses in turbulent
flow, which in turn reflects on the cost of pumping. High
density also increases the possibility of cavitation.
Weight density =

Mass density =

weight
W
,=
volume
V

mass
m
,=
volume
V

Specific gravity =

weight density of the fluid

, Sg =
weight density of water
water

Specific gravity =

mass density of the fluid

, Sg =
mass density of water
water

14

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Incompressibility

The highly favorable stiffness and

power-to-weight ratio of hydraulic
systems make them the frequent
choice of most high-power
applications. This stiffness of a
hydraulic system is directly related
to the incompressibility of the oil.
Bulk modulus is a measure of this
incompressibility. The higher the
bulk modulus, the less
compressible, or stiffer the fluids. A
compressible fluid has a low bulk
modulus and causes sluggish
operation. It can not be used in
applications where accurate
positioning or rigid holding is
required.

15

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Incompressibility

Mathematically, the bulk modulus is defines by the

following equation.
Where

P
=
V V

P
V
V

= bulk modulus (kPa)

= change in pressure (kPa)
= change in volume (m3)
= original volume (m3)

The bulk modulus of an oil changes with pressure and

temperature. But within the operating ranges in most fluid
power systems. This factor can be neglected. A typical value
for for hydraulic oils is 1.72 x 106 kPa (250,000 psi). Note
that the atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi.
16

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Viscosity

Viscosity is probably the single most

important property of a hydraulic
fluid. It is a measure of the
sluggishness with which fluid moves.
When the viscosity is low, the fluid
flows easily and is thin in
appearance. A fluid that flows with
difficulty has a high viscosity and is
thick in appearance.
The viscosity of a given hydraulic
fluid must be selected carefully. Too
high viscosity results in high
resistance to flow, sluggish
operation, increased power
consumption, increased pressure
drop through valves and lines and
high temperature rise.

17

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Viscosity

On the other hand, too low

viscosity results in increased
leakage losses past seals,
excessive wear due to the
breakdown of the oil film
between mating moving parts.
These mating parts.
For example, a typical sliding
valve spool moves back and
forth inside its body on a thin
film of oil. If this passage is
under pressure, the fluid film
seals it from adjacent passage. If
this film breaks, sealing will fail
and metal parts will start to rub
against each other.

18

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Viscosity

The concept of viscosity can be understood by

examining two parallel plates separated by an
oil film of thickness y.
The lower plate is stationary, whereas the
upper plate moves with a velocity v as it is being
pushed by a force F.

Moving plate

y
Stationary plate

19

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Viscosity

Because of viscosity, the oil adheres to both

surfaces. Thus the velocity of the layer of fluid
in contact with the lower plate is zero, and the
velocity of the layer in contact with the top
plate is v.
The consequence is a linearly varying velocity
profile, whose slope is v/y.

Moving plate

y
Stationary plate

20

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Viscosity

The absolute viscosity of the oil is represented mathematically by

F A
=
v y v y

Where

F
A

= shear stress in the fluid (N/m2, Pa)

= velocity of the moving plate (m/s)
= oil film thickness (m)
= the absolute viscosity of the oil (N.s/m2)
= Force applied to the moving plate (N)
= area of the moving plate surface in contact with oil (m2)

Moving plate

Stationary plate

21

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Viscosity

Calculations in hydraulic systems often involve the use of

kinematic viscosity rather than absolute viscosity. Kinematic
viscosity, , is defined as the absolute viscosity divided by the mass
density.

The SI units of is m2/s. Another common method of

measurement is the stoke, which is 1 cm2/s.

Moving plate

Stationary plate

22

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Viscosity

The viscosity of a fluid can be measured by a

Saybolt viscometer, which measures viscosity
of a liquid sample based on the time it takes to
flow form a test chamber to a container
through a standard orifice.
Basically, this device consists of an inner
chamber containing the sample of oil to be
tested. An outer compartment which
completely surrounds the inner chamber
contains a quantity of oil whose temperature is
controlled by a heater and an electrical
thermostat.
When the oil sample is at the desired
temperature, the time it takes to fill a 60- cm3
container through the metering orifice is
recorded. The time (t) measured in seconds is
the viscosity of the oil in official units called
Saybolt Universal Seconds (SUS).
23

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Viscosity

In rotary drum method, an outer

drum is caused to rotate at a
constant angular velocity, while the
inner drum is held constant.
Because of fluid viscosity, a drag
force exists on the surface of the
surface of the inner drum, causing a
torque to be developed, which can
be measured using a sensitive
torquemeter.
The magnitude of the measured
torque is a measure of the shear
stress acting on the surface of the
stationary drum. Thus the viscosity
can be calculated from the relation

v y
24

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Viscosity

A capillary tube viscometer consists o

two reservoirs connected by a long,
small diameter tube called a capillary
tube.
As fluid flows through the tube with
constant velocity, some energy is lost
from the system, causing a pressure
drop that can be measured by a
manometer.
The magnitude of the pressure drop is
related to the fluid viscosity by the
following equation

pD
=
32vL

25

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Viscosity

Oil becomes thicker as the temperature

decreases and thins when heated.
Hence the viscosity of a given oil must
be expressed at a specified
temperature.
For most hydraulic applications, the
viscosity normally equals about 150 SUS
at 30 degree centigrade. As a rule of
thumb, the viscosity should never fall
below 50 SUS, or rise above 4000 SUS
regardless of the temperature.
Viscosity index (VI) is a measure of an
oils viscosity change with respect to
temperature change. An oil with low VI
exhibits a large change in viscosity with
temperature change. A high-VI oil is
one that has a relatively stable viscosity,
which does not change appreciably with
temperature change
26

Required Properties of Hydraulic Fluids: Viscosity

27

Changing Hydraulic Fluids

No single hydraulic fluid possesses all the desirable

characteristics. The system designer must select the
fluid that comes closest to being ideal overall for a
particular application.
Hydraulic fluids must be changed periodically, with a
frequency that depends on operating conditions.
Laboratory analysis is the best method for
determining when a fluid should be changed.
Generally speaking, a fluid should be changed when
its viscosity and acidity increase due to fluid
breakdown and contamination.
Preferably, the fluid should be changed while the
system is at its operating temperature. In this way,
most of the impurities are in suspension and will be
drained off.

28

Changing Hydraulic Fluids

Much hydraulic fluid have been

discarded due to the possibility that
contamination existed it costs more
to test the fluid than to replace it.
This situation has changed as the
need to conserve hydraulic fluids has
developed.
Fluid test kits that provide a quick and
easy method to test hydraulic system
contamination were developed.
These kits may be used on the spot to
determine whether fluid quality
permits continued use. Three key
quality indicators can be evaluated:
viscosity, water content and foreign
particle contamination level.

29

Properties of Pneumatic Fluids (Air)

In pneumatic applications, air is the only gas commonly used. It has the
following advantages:

It is inexpensive and readily available.

It is fire resistant.

It is not messy.

It can be exhausted back to the atmosphere.

Air, however, has the following disadvantages:

Due to its compressibility, it tends to be sluggish and can not be

used in applications where accurate positioning or rigid holding is
required.
It can be corrosive as it contains oxygen and water.
A lubricant must be added to lubricate valves and actuators.
Pressures of greater than 250 psi are typically not used due to the
explosion dangers involved if components such as air tanks should
rupture. This is because air, due to its compressibility, can store a
large amount of energy as it is compressed, in a manner similar to a
mechanical spring.
30