CHAPTER 3

HYDRAULIC PUMPS

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 Contents
3.1. Introduction

3.2. Pump Classifications

3.3. Pump Performance

3.4. Pump Noise

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3.1 Introduction
A pump is the heart of the hydraulic system and
converts mechanical energy into hydraulic energy. It
is driven by electricity or combustion engines or
other sources.
Two broad classifications:
1. Dynamic (non-positive displacement) pumps
2. Positive displacement pumps

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1. Dynamic (non-positive displacement) pumps
In the dynamic group are the centrifugal, axial or
mixed flow pumps.
Normally suited for low pressure and high
discharge. They are of little use in the fluid power
system. Pressure rise is due to acceleration of fluid
inside the impeller (due to dynamic effect).
2. Positive displacement pumps
The positive displacement type is universally used
for fluid power systems. Here a fixed amount of fluid
is forced (pushed) through the system per revolution
of pump shaft.
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 Advantages over dynamic pumps:
• High pressure capability (up to 800 bar)
• Small, compact size
• High volumetric efficiency
• Small changes in efficiency throughout the design
pressure range
• Great flexibility of performance
Three main types of positive displacement pumps:
 Gear
 Vane and
 piston
Vane and piston can be of variable displacement types.
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 Pumps do not pump pressure. Instead they produce
fluid flow.
The resistance to this flow, produced by the hydraulic
system, is what determines the pressure. For example,
if a positive displacement pump has its discharge line
open to the atmosphere, there will be flow, but there
will be no discharge pressure above the atmospheric
because there is essentially no resistance to flow.
Some pumps are made with variable displacement,
pressure compensation capability. Such pumps are
designed so that as system pressure builds up, they
produce less flow. Pressure relief valves are not needed
when pressure-compensated pumps are used.
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3.2. Pump classifications
Classification of pumps is shown in fig-
chp3\fig3.1.pptx..\..\ch 3\fig-chp3\fig3.1.pptx
Positive Displacement Pumps
Pump ejects a fixed quantity of fluid per revolution
of the pump shaft. All such pumps have pressure
relief valves for diverting the flow back to the tank in
case of high pressure.
Essentially there are three basic types:
1. Gear pumps
2. Vane pumps
3. Piston pumps 7
Gear pumps (fixed displacement)
a. External gear pumps
b. Internal gear pumps
c. Lobe pumps
d. Screw pumps
Vane pumps
a. Unbalanced vane pumps (fixed or variable
displacement)
b. Balanced vane pump (fixed displacement)
Piston pumps (fixed or variable displacement)
a. Axial design
b. Radial design
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3.2.1 Gear Pumps
A) External Gear Pump
Fluid flow is developed by carrying fluid between
the teeth. fig-chp3\fig3.2.pptx..\..\ch 3\fig-
chp3\fig3.2.pptx Suction side is where teeth come
out of mesh (volume expansion)
And discharge side where teeth go into mesh (volume decreases)
Displacement volume of pump is given by

VD  ( Do2  Di2 ) L ( m 3 / rev)
4
Where: Do and Di are tip and root diameter of the gears.
Theoretical flow rate for N (rev/min)
 V N
Q (m3 / min )
t D
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 As there is clearance at the tip of the gear teeth oil
can leak back towards the suction line, thus reducing
the actual volume flow rate. This internal leakage
called pump slippage is identified by volumetric
efficiency ηv defined as: Q
  a
v 
Q t
.
Where Qa  Actual flow rate and
.
Q t  Theoretical flow rate

Higher discharge pressure will result in more

leakage thus making the volumetric efficiency lower.
Performance curves are shown in fig-
chp3\fig3.3.pptx
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 Too high pressure can also damage the pump parts.
Such pressures can be due to high resistance to flow
or a closed valve in the pump outlet line. This again
emphasizes the need for relief valves.
Spur gears are noisy and helical gears are less
noisy.
But since they introduce high thrust they are
limited to low pressures (below 15 bars).
Herringbone gear pumps eliminate the thrust and run
smoothly.

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B) Internal Gear Pumps
This is shown in fig-chp3\fig3.4.pptx . Power is
applied to any one of the gears. The motion of the
gears forces the fluid around both sides of the
crescent seal which acts as a seal between the suction
and discharge ports.
Industrial gear pumps can run at 1500-2500rpm
with pressures to 200 bars. Flow rates up to about
400l/min

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C) Lobe Pump
It operates in a fashion similar to the external gear
pump. But both lobes are driven externally so that
there is no direct contact of the surfaces. It is
quieter and has a larger volume flow rate than the
other gear pump typesfig-chp3\fig3.5.pptx .
3.2.4 Gerotor Pump (Gear rotor)
fig-chp3\fig3.6.pptx
It is a form of internal gear pump. Inner gear has one
tooth less than the outer. The inner gear is placed
eccentrically with respect to the outer and this gives
rise to an alternative increase and decrease of the
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 volumes of the pockets as the gears rotate. Operating
pressure range 70-140 bars and for flows up to 240
l/min.
3.2.5 Screw Pump
 This is an axial flow positive displacement unit.
The central rotor is the only one driven and the two
idler rotors that are in rolling contact act as rotating
seals.
• Non-pulsating, continuous flowfig-
chp3\fig3.7.pptx.
• Flow rates up to 2000 l/min and pressure ranges
up to 250 bars.
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D) Vane pumps
This is shown in fig-chp3\fig3.8.pptx Freely
moving (radial)vanes are located on the slots of the
cylinder. Centrifugal force keeps the vanes out
against the housing serving as a seal. Because of
eccentricity (housing forms a cam ring) the
compartments between the slots expand and contract.
The expansion assists the intake and the contraction
assists the discharge.
The eccentricity is given by
Dc  D r
e
2
Where: Dc and Dr are cam ring and rotor diameters.
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Volumetric displacement per revolution
 
Q (D  D )L 
2
c
2
r (D c  D r )(D c  D r )L
4 4
L is width of rotor.
Q can also be expressed as a function of the
eccentricity as:

Q ( Dc  D r )eL
2

Vane pumps are classified as fixed or variable

displacement and unbalanced or balanced design.
The following combinations are available:
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• Fixed displacement, unbalanced design
• Fixed displacement, balanced design
• Variable displacement, unbalanced design
The vane pump shown earlier is a fixed
displacement, unbalanced design. There is
unbalanced force on the rotor which results as a side
thrust to be taken up by the bearings.
The balanced design uses two inlet (diametrically
opposed) and similarly two outlets fig-
chp3\fig3.9.pptx . This will eliminate the side thrust.
The cam ring will have an elliptical shape

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 The volume flow rate can be varied by varying the
eccentricity and such a design is called variable
displacement pump fig-chp3\fig3.10.pptx .
System pressure via a hydraulic piston acts on the
cam ring on the right side (not shown). This forces the
cam ring against the compensator spring-loaded piston
(adjustable). If the discharge pressure is large enough, it
overcomes the compensator spring force and shifts the
cam ring to the left thus reducing the eccentricity, which
is maximum when discharge is zero.
At pcutoff – hydraulic piston force=compensator spring
force. Further increase in pressure compresses the
compensator spring until zero eccentricity is achieved
(no flow). pmax =pdeadband. 18
E) Piston pumps
It is the reciprocating motion that gives rise to the
pumping process. A series of reciprocating pistons
are involved in this. Normally used for pressures in
excess of 200 bar.
Two basic types of piston pumps, fixed displacement:
• Axial design, pistons parallel to the cylinder block
• Radial design, pistons around the pump drive shaft
at right angles

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Axial Design
In the axial design (in-line piston pump or swash
plate design), two possible arrangements are there
fig-chp3\fig3.11.pptx and fig-chp3\fig3.12.pptx
• Fixing the swash plate and rotating the cylinder
block (piston revolves (also reciprocating) with the
rotor)
• Rotating the swash plate and fixing the cylinder
barrel (piston only reciprocating)
The swash plate type can also be of variable
displacement by changing the offset angle by some
control system. fig-chp3\fig3.13.pptx
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 The volumetric displacement and the theoretical
volume flow rate can be determined as follows.
Using fig-chp3\fig3.16.pptx
tan θ = S/D
S=D tan θ
Where: S-stroke, D-piston circle diameter
Total displacement volume for Y pistons of area A
each and for one cycle
Vd=YAS = YAD tan θ
And for piston speed of N rpm:

Qd  Vd N  DANY tan  (m / min)
3

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 A bent axis pump fig-chp3\fig3.14.pptx and fig-
chp3\fig3.15.pptx reciprocates the pistons in the
rotating cylinder block through a bevel gear
mechanism (fixed displacement) or a universal joint
(variable displacement) that changes the offset angle.
fig-chp3\fig3.16.pptx

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Radial Design
The operation and construction of a radial piston pump
is shown in fig-chp3\fig3.17.pptx. The pistons are
in constant contact due to the centrifugal force. The
pumping action is due to the eccentricity of the rotor
with respect to the reaction ring.
In some models, the displacement can be made
variable by moving the reaction ring to change the
piston stroke.

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3.3 Pump performance
Two types of efficiencies will be considered.
Volumetric Efficiency, ηv
This indicates the amount of leakage that takes place
within the pump and given by
actual flow ( rate produced by pump ) 
Q
v   a

theoretical flow( rate pump should produce) Q t

Typical values
Gear pumps: 80% to 90%
Vane pumps: 82% to 92%
Piston pumps: 90% to 98%
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Mechanical Efficiency
This indicates the amount of energy losses that occur
for reasons other than leakage (friction and fluid
turbulence). Typically runs between 90% and 98%.
pump output power no leakage pQ t
m  
actual power deliveredto pump Ta

p= pressure rise across pump (Pa)≈pdischarge

  pump theoretical flow rate (m3/s)
Qt

Ta=actual torque delivered to pump (N m)

ω=pump speed (rad/s)
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In terms of torques fig-chp3\fig3.18.pptx
theoretical torqueinput Tt
m  
actual torquedeliverded Ta

Q Vd p
Ttω= pQ t Tt  p ; For one cycle Tt 
 2
actual power delivered(W )
Ta 


Q VD
The term  volume / radian or displacement per cycle
2
is a characteristic of a specific motor or pump.

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Overall Efficiency, ηo
Overall efficiency considers all energy losses and
hence is defined as
actual power delivered by pump
o 
actual power delivered to pump
Mathematically it can be represented as
o  v  m
Substituting the values
Q a pQ t pQ a
O    
Qt Ta Ta
which agrees with the definition.
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Pump Performance Curves
Pump manufacturers specify pump performance
from actual test data. Typical are shown for variable
displacement piston pump and radial piston pumps.
fig-chp3\fig3.19a.pptx
fig-chp3\fig3.19b.pptx
fig-chp3\fig3.20.pptx

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Pump Performance Comparison Factors
fig-chp3\fig3.21.pptx compares various performance
factors for hydraulic pumps
Gear pumps- least expensive; lowest level of
performance; simple in design and compact in size-
makes them the most common type of pump used in
fluid power systems.
Vane pumps-efficiencies and cost fall between gear
and piston pumps-last for long time; needs clean oil
with good lubricity
Piston pumps-most expensive; provide the highest
level of overall performance.
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3.4 Pump noise
• Noise is sound that people find undesirable.
• Prolonged exposure- loss of hearing
• Noise can also mask sounds that people want to hear
such as warning signals.
• Sounds are pressure waves that posses amplitude
and frequency. The ear converts them to electrical
signals which the brain translates into the sensation
of sound.
• The strength of sound also called intensity
(dependent on pressure amplitude) is defined in terms
of energy per unit area (W/m2). However it is
general practice
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to express this energy transfer rate in units of decibels
(dB) defined as
I I
I( B)  log I(dB)  10 log
I( hear .thrsh.) I( hear .thrsh.)

I in W/m2
Common sound levels(dB) are given in fig-
chp3\fig3.22.pptx From the figure moderate sound
has a value of 50 dB and is actually 100000
(equals105) times the smallest intensity that can be
detected by the human ear (0 dB)-the need for the
usage of log.
Ifinal
dB increase  10 log
Iinitial 31
Cavitation is also another source of noise. Need to
keep lowest suction pressure > saturation
temperature of oil at the given operating
temperature. Suction velocity<1.2 m/s
Pump Selection
• Select actuator (cylinder or motor) based on the load
• Determine flow-rate requirement
• Select system pressure
• Determine pump speed and select prime mover
• Select the pump type
Finally optimization may be required for the
system to operate at minimum cost while satisfying
the design requirements.
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 Finally optimization may be required for the
system to operate at minimum cost while satisfying
the design requirements.

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