Basic Hydraulic Systems

1. Hydraulic Systems and Energy

1.1 Hydraulic Systems
Hydraulic systems are used to transfer mechanical energy from one place to
another. Pressure energy is used to transfer the mechanical energy.

1.2 The Means of Converting Power

The original energy supplied to the hydraulic system is mechanical energy
from an engine, which drives a hydraulic pump. The pump uses this energy in
pumping out fluid, in which the mechanical energy becomes pressure energy and
kinetic energy. The fluid flows through the hydraulic systems and is directed to
actuators such as cylinders and motors. The pressure energy and the kinetic energy in
the fluid cause actuators to move. In this movement the energy once again converted
into mechanical energy.

1.3 How Does This Work in a Hydraulic Excavator?

In hydraulic excavators, the first mechanical energy comes from its engine,
driving the hydraulic pump. The pump keeps oil flowing out into the system. When
the oil reaches the actuators, it is again converted into mechanical energy in the
movement of the actuators. The excavator boom can be raised or lowered, the bucket
move and so on.

2. Hydraulic and Work

2.1 The Three Elements of Work.
When there is work to be done and in order to make that work possible,
 Find out how much force is required?
 How fast the work is to be done? And
 Which direction the work should go?
These three conditions of workforce, speed, and direction can be put in
hydraulic terms as follows.

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3. How a Hydraulic System Work?
Let’s build us a hydraulic system, piece by piece.
The basic hydraulic system has two parts:
1. The PUMP which moves the oil.
2. The CYLINDER which uses the moving oil to do work.

Cylinder
Pump

A Basic Hydraulic System

In the figure, if you apply force to the lever hand pump forces oil into the
cylinder. The pressure of this oil pushes up on the piston and lifts the weight. In
effect, the pump converts a mechanical force to hydraulic power, while the cylinder
converts the hydraulic power back to mechanical force to do work.
But for continued operation of the system, we must add some new features.
Air Vent

Reservoir

Check Valve Cylinder

Pump

Check Valve

Hydraulic System with Reservoir and Check Valves Added

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 3. CHECK VALVES to hold the oil in the cylinders between strokes and to
prevent it from returning to the reservoir during the pressure stroke. The ball-
type valves open when oil is flowing but closes when the flow stops.
4. A RESERVOIR to store the oil. If you keep on stroking the pump to raise the
weight, a supply of extra oil is needed. The reservoir has an air vent which
allows oil to be forced into the pump by gravity and atmospheric pressure
when the pump piston is retracted.
Notice that the pump is smaller than the cylinder. This means that each stroke of the
pump would only move enough oil to move the piston a small amount. However, the
load lifted by the cylinder is much greater than the force applied to the pump piston. If
you want to lift the weight faster, then you must work the pump faster, increasing the
volume of oil to the cylinder. To meet the hydraulic requirements in most
applications, we must provide a greater quantity of oil at a more consistent rate and
also have better control of the oil movement.
Let’s complete the circuit and add some new features as shown in Figures
below:
Air Vent

Reservoir Relief
Valve

Pump

Control Valve Cylinder

Hydraulic System with Relief Valve, Four-Way Control Valve, and Double-
Acting Cylinder Added
We have now added a gear-type pump instead of hand pump. This pump
transfers the rotary force of a motor or engine to hydraulic energy.

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 Air Vent
This oil returns to reservoir

Reservoir Relief
Valve

Pump

Valve is shifted, directing oil as shown

Cylinder
Pressure oil raises
piston and load

Hydraulic System in Operation –Raising a Load (Open-Center Type)

5. The CONTROL VALVE directs the oil. This allows the operator to control
the constant supply of oil from the pump to and from the hydraulic cylinder.
When the control valve is in the neutral position, the flow of oil from the
pump goes directly through the valve to a line which carries the oil back to the
reservoir. At the same time, the valve has trapped oil on both sides of the
hydraulic cylinders, thus preventing its movement in either direction.
When the control valve is moved down, the pump oil is directed to the cavity on the
bottom of the cylinder piston, pushing up on the piston and raising the weight. At the
same time, the line at the top of the cylinder is connected to the return passage, thus
allowing the oil forced from the top side of the piston to be returned to the reservoir.

6. The RELIEF VALVE protects the system from high pressures. If the pressure
required to lift the load is too high, this valve opens and relieves the pressure
by dumping the oil back to the reservoir. The relief valve is also required
when the piston reaches the end of the stroke. At this time, there is no other
path for the oil and it must be returned to the reservoir through the relief valve.

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To summarize:
 The pump = generating force
 The cylinder = working force
 The valve = oil control
 The reservoir = oil storage

4. Comparing Hydraulic Systems

Two major types of hydraulic systems are used:
 Open-center Systems
 Close-center Systems

PUMP OIL RETURNS TO

RESERVOIR

THE PUMP RUNS

CONSTANTLY
DURING NEUTRAL
OIL FLOWS
THROUGH THE
VALVE TRAPPED OIL HOLDS
CYLINDER PISTON IN PLACE
OPEN CENTER IN NEUTRAL

Open Center System in Hydraulic System

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 VALVE STOPS OIL BUT
OIL STAYS AT FULL
SYSTEM PRESSURE

THE PUMP CAN STOP

PUMPING DURING
NEUTRAL

TRAPPED OIL HOLDS

CYLINDER PISTON IN PLACE
CLOSED CENTER IN NEUTRAL

Closed Center System in Hydraulic System

4.1. OPEN-CENTER SYSTEM requires that the control valve spool be open in the
center to allow pump flow to pass through the valve and return to the reservoir. The
pump we have used supplied a constant flow of oil and the oil must have a path for
return when it is not required to operate a function.

4.2 In the CLOSE-CENTER SYSTEM, the pump is capable of “taking a break” when
oil is not required to operate a function. Therefore, the control valve is closed in the
center, which stops (dead ends) the flow of oil from the pump – the “closed center”
feature.

4.3 Summary
 Open-center system –pump runs constantly, with valve open in center to allow
oil to return to reservoir.
 Closed-center system –valve spool closed in center to dead end pump oil in
neutral.

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5. Hydraulics Facts
Here are some key facts that will help you understand hydraulics:
1. Hydraulics power is nearly always generated from mechanical power.
Example: A hydraulic pump driven by an engine crankshaft.
2. Hydraulic power output is nearly always achieved by converting back to
mechanical energy. Example: A cylinder which raises a heavy bucket.
3. There are three types of hydraulic energy:
 Potential or pressure energy
 Kinetic energy, the energy of moving liquids; and
 Heat energy, the energy of resistance to flow or friction.

4. Hydraulic energy is neither created nor destroyed; it’s only converted to

another form.
5. All energy put into a hydraulic system must come out either as work (gain) or
as heat (loss).
6. When a moving liquid is restricted, heat is created and there is a lost of
potential energy (pressure) for doing work. Example: A tube of hose that is too
small or restricted. Orifices and relief valves are also restrictions by they are
purposely designed into systems.
7. Flow through an orifice or restriction causes a pressure drop.
8. Oil must be confined to created pressure for work. A tightly sealed system is a
must in hydraulic.
9. Oil takes the course of least resistance.
10. Oil is normally pushed into a pump, not draw into it. (Atmospheric pressure
supplies this push. For this reason, an air vent is needed in the top of the
reservoir.)
11. A pump does not pump pressure; it creates flow. Pressure is caused by
resistance to flow.
12. Two hydraulic systems may produce the same power output –one at high
pressure and low flow, the other at low pressure and high flow.
13. A basic hydraulic system must include four components: a reservoir to store
the oil; a pump to push the oil through the system; valves to control oil

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 pressure and flow; and a cylinder (or motor) to convert the fluid movement
into work.
14. Compare the two major hydraulic systems:
Open-center system = pressure is varied but flow is constant
Closed-center system = flow is varied but pressure is constant
15. There are two types of hydraulics:
 Hydrodynamics is the use of fluids at high speeds “on impact” to
supply power. Example: a torque converter
 Hydrostatics is the use of fluids at relatively low speeds but at high
pressures to supply power. Example: most hydraulic systems, and all
those covered in this manual.