CHAPTER 8:

HYDRAULIC
VALVES
SEMM4323 - SECTION 01
Group Members:
Muhammad Khalis Bin Noor Hisham
Indok Zarith Syuhada Binti Dzolkepli
Umar Qayyum Bin Mohd Farid
Wan Muhammad Akid Bin Wan Abd Samad
 8.1 INTRODUCTION

One of the most important considerations in any fluid power

system is control.
If control components are not properly selected, the entire
system will not function as required.
Fluid power is controlled primarily through the use of control
devices called valves.
There are three basic types of valves;
(1) Directional control valves
(2) Pressure control valves
(3) Flow control valves
 8.2 DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE
Function: Use to control the direction of flow in a hydraulic circuit
Any valve contains ports and the number of ports on a DCV is identified
using the term way. (e.g: a valve with four ports is a four-way valve)

Types of DCV:

1. Check Valve 7. Pilot-Actuated Valves

2. Pilot-Operated Check Valve 8. Solenoid-Actuated Valves
3. Three-Way Valves 9. Center Flow Path Configurations for
4. Four-Way Valves Three-Position, Four-Way Valves
5. Manually Actuated Valves 10. Shuttle Valves
6. Mechanically Actuated Valves
1. CHECK VALVE

The simplest type of DCV

Two-way valve because it has two ports
Function: To permit free flow in one direction and prevent any flow in
the opposite direction

Check valve
INTERNAL OPERATION OF POPPET Schematic Drawing

CHECK VALVE
A poppet is a specially shaped plug element held
onto a seat (a surface surrounding the flow path
opening inside the valve body) by a spring.

Fluid flows through the valve in the space between

the seat and poppet. As shown, a light spring holds
the poppet in the closed position.

Free-flow direction: The fluid pressure overcomes

the spring force at about 5 psi Graphic Symbol

Opposite direction (no flow): The fluid pressure

pushes the poppet (along with the spring force) in
the closed position. Therefore, no flow is permitted
Check valve
2. PILOT-OPERATED CHECK VALVE
Schematic Drawing

Function: always permits free flow in one

direction but permits flow in the normally
blocked opposite direction only if pilot
pressure is applied at the pilot pressure port
of the valve

Frequently used for locking hydraulic cylinders

in position Graphic Symbol

Pilot-operated check valve

3. THREE-WAYS VALVE

Three-way DCV, which contain three ports,

are typically of the spool design rather than
poppet design
SPOOL
A spool is a circular shaft containing lands
that are large diameter sections machined to
slide in a very close fitting bore of the valve
body

These valves are designed to operate with

two or three unique positions of the spool
 Schematic Drawing
FLOW PATHS THROUGH A
THREE-WAY VALVE THAT USES
TWO POSITIONS OF THE SPOOL
Spool Position 1:
Flow can go from pump port P (the port
connected to the pump discharge pipe) to
outlet port A as shown by the straight line and
arrow in the left envelope. In this spool
position, tank port T (the port connected to the
pipe leading to the oil tank) is blocked

Spool Position 2: Graphic Symbol

Flow can go from port A to port T. Port P is
blocked by the spool.
The rectangles are called "envelopes"
Three-way valve, two-position DCV
 Retract Extent
(Piston to the left) (Piston to the left)
Function: Three-way valve is used to control
the flow directions to and from single-
acting cylinders

As shown, the cylinder extends under

hydraulic pressure (left envelope) and
retracts under spring force as oil flows to
the oil tank (right envelope).

Observe that fluid entering the pump port

of a three-way valve can be directed to only Three-way DCV controlling
a single outlet port (in this case port A) flow directions to and from a
single-acting cylinder
4. FOUR-WAYS VALVE
Schematic Drawing

Fluid entering the valve at the

pump port can be directed to either
outlet port A or B

Spool Position 1:
Flow can go from P to A and B to T

Spool Position 2:
Flow can go from P to B and A to T Graphic Symbol
 Retract Extent
(Piston to the left) (Piston to the left)

Function: Four-way valve is typically

used to control the flow directions
to and from double-acting cylinder

As shown in the figure, a four-way

valve permits the cylinder to both
extend (left envelope) and retract
(right envelope) under hydraulic
pressure

Four-way DCV controlling flow directions

to and from a double-acting cylinder
5. MANUALLY ACTUATED VALVES Cutaway View

The DCV is manually actuated by the use of a lever

Figure shows a spring-centered three-position DCV

since the spool is spring-loaded at both ends

Thus, when the valve is unactuated (no hand force

on lever), the valve will assume its center position
due to the balancing opposing spring forces

Three-position valve is used when it is necessary to

stop or hold a hydraulic actuator at some Graphic Symbol
intermediate position within its entire stroke range
Manually actuated, spring-centered,
three-position, four-way valve
 Cutaway View

In this case, the lever shifts the spool,

and the spring returns the spool to its
original position when the lever is
released

As indicated by the graphic symbol,

there are only two unique operating
positions

Graphic Symbol Note that the ports are labelled at the

envelope representing the neutral
(spring offset or return) or unactuated
position of the spool

Manually actuated, two-position, four-way

valve that is spring offset
6. MECHANICALLY ACTUATED VALVES

The valve is mechanically actuated rather than manually actuated.

Cutaway View Graphic Symbol

This is depicted in the

cutaway view, with the
spool end containing a The circle represents the
roller that is typically cam-driven roller.
actuated by a cam-type
mechanism.

Mechanically actuated, springg-offsett,

two-position, four-way valve
7. PILOT-ACTUATED VALVES Cutaway View

Apply air pressure against a piston at either

end of the valve spool

As shown, springs (located at both ends of

the spool) push against centering washers
to center the spool when no air is applied

When air is introduced through the left end

passage, its pressure pushes against the pilot pressure lines
piston to shift the spool to the right
Graphic Symbol
Removal of this left end air supply and
introduction of air through the right end
Air pilot-actuated, three-position,
passage causes the spool to shift to the left
spring-centered, four-way valve
8. SOLENOID-ACTUATED VALVES

Solenoids are actuators that are bolted

to the valve housing

As shown, when the electric coil

(solenoid) is energized, it creates a
magnetic force that pulls the armature
into the coil.

This causes the armature to push on

the push pin to move the spool of the
valve
Operation of solenoid to shift spool of valve
TYPES OF SOLENOID DESIGNS
There are two types of solenoid designs used to dissipate the heat created by the
electric current flowing in the wire of the coil.

1. Air gap solenoid

Simply dissipates the heat to the surrounding air

2. Wet pin solenoid

The push pin contains an internal passageway that allows tank port oil to
communicate between the housing of the valve and the housing of the solenoid.
Wet pin solenoids do a better job in dissipating heat because the cool oil
represents a good heat sink to absorb the heat from the solenoid.
 9. CENTER FLOW PATH CONFIGURATIONS
FOR THREE-POSITION, FOUR-WAY VALVES

Three-position valves - a variety of possible flow path configurations.

Four-way valve: has an identical flow path configuration in the
actuated position but - different spring-centered flow path

Closed center Tandem center

VARIOUS CENTER FLOW PATH FOR THRE-POSITION

01 OPEN CENTER

02 CLOSED CENTER
VARIOUS CENTER FLOW PATH FOR THRE-POSITION

03 FLOAT CENTER

04 TANDEM CENTER
VARIOUS CENTER FLOW PATH FOR THRE-POSITION
10. SHUTTLE VALVE

It permits a system to operate

from either of two fluid power
sources
Shuttle valve consists of a floating
piston that can be shuttled to one
side or the other of the valve
depending on which side of the
piston has the greater pressure
SHUTTLE VALVE
 8.3 PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE
Function: Use as a safety device that is designed to protect equipment,
pipelines, and other components from damage caused by excessive
pressure.

Types of PCV:

1. Simple Pressure Relief Valves

2. Compound Pressure Relief Valves
3. Pressure Reducing Valves
4. Unloading Valves
5. Sequence Valves
6. Counterbalance Valves
1. SIMPLE PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES

Normally a closed valve

Function: Limit the pressure to a specified maximum value by diverting
pump flow back to the tank.
A poppet is held seated inside the valve by the force of a stiff
compression spring
When the system pressure reaches a high enough value - the resulting
hydraulic force (acting on the piston-shaped poppet) exceeds the spring
force - the poppet is forced off its seat
This permits flow through the outlet to the tank as long as this high
pressure level is maintained.
PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE
PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE
EXAMPLE
2. COMPOUND PRESSURE RELIEF

Pressure relief valve that

combines the features of a
pilot-operated relief valve and a
direct-acting relief valve.
The valve has two sections: the
pilot section and the main
section. The pilot section is a
small valve that controls the
flow of fluid to the main section.
COMPOUND RELIEF VALVE
In the main section, the fluid flows
through a nozzle and creates a pressure
drop, which causes the valve to open
further.
The amount of flow through the valve is
controlled by the pilot valve, which
adjusts the pressure in the main section.
The compound pressure relief valve can
handle a wider range of pressures and
flows than either a pilot-operated relief
valve or a direct-acting relief valve
alone.
COMPOUND RELIEF VALVE
3. PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE
Reduce the pressure of a fluid in a
pipeline to a lower manageable level.
Regulating the flow of fluid through the
valve to maintain a set pressure on the
downstream side.
When the upstream pressure exceeds
the set pressure, the normally open
valve allows fluid to flow through and
reduce the pressure on the downstream
side.
As the downstream pressure
approaches the set pressure, the valve
starts to close, reducing the flow of fluid
and maintaining the desired pressure.
PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE
PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE VS PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE
4. UNLOADING VALVE

Designed to relieve excess

pressure from a hydraulic
system while also allowing the
system to maintain a certain
level of pressure.
The valve works by unloading
the pressure in the system to a
low-pressure reservoir, which
allows the system to operate at
a lower pressure when it is not
in use.
UNLOADING VALVE

When the hydraulic system is not in use, the unloading valve

closes, and pressure builds up in the system.
As the pressure in the system reaches the set pressure of the
unloading valve, the valve opens and allows fluid to flow from the
high-pressure side of the system to a low-pressure reservoir.
This reduces the pressure in the system to a safe level, while also
allowing the system to maintain a certain level of pressure for
quick startup when needed.
When the system is restarted, the unloading valve closes, and
pressure builds up again until it reaches the set pressure of the
valve.
5. SEQUENCE VALVE
A sequence valve is a type of pressure control valve that is used to ensure that a
certain sequence of operations occurs in a hydraulic system.
It works by allowing fluid to flow through the valve and into the downstream circuit
when a specific pressure is reached.
SEQUENCE VALVE

When the main system pressure

overcomes the spring setting.
Once the pressure overcomes, the valve
spool would be moved.
Thus the outlet of the sequence valve
will remain closed till the upstream
pressure builds up to a predetermined
value. After this, the valve will open and
allow the transfer of air from the inlet to
the outlet
6. COUNTERBALANCE VALVE

Counterbalance valves are also

known as load holding valves
because of its ability to safely
hold heavy loads.
The load holding capacity is
achieved by allowing free flow
into the cylinder/actuator and
by blocking the reverse flow
until a pilot pressure inversely
proportional to the load is
applied.
COUNTERBALANCE VALVE
In the closed position, the discharge
port(8) will be blocked by the spool
valve(4) and the fluid will enter freely
through the inlet port(5).
Direct flow from inlet port(5) to the
discharge port(8) is not possible
because of the spool valve(4).
So, the fluid will pass through the pilot
passage(6) towards the small pilot
piston.
The force applied by the pilot piston
will move the spool upwards and the
fluid will pass from inlet port(5) to the
discharge port(8) directly as indicated
in the figure.
 8.4 FLOW CONTROL VALVES

Orifice Needle Non-Pressure Pressure

Valve Compensated Compensated
Valve Valve
WHAT IS ORIFICE?

An orifice is a small opening in a pipe that is designed to regulate or

restrict the flow of fluid or gas passing through it.
Orifices can be used to control the flow rate of the fluid or gas through
the pipe

Orifice Plate
FORMULA RELATED TO ORIFICE

English Unit Metric Unit

Where :
Q = flow rate (gpm, Lpm),
C = flow coefficient (C = 0.80 for sharp-edged orifice, C = 0.60 for
square-edged orifice),
A = area of orifice opening (in2, mm2),
Δp = p1  p2 = pressure drop across orifice (psi, kPa),
SG = specific gravity of flowing fluid.
 EXAMPLE QUESTION

The smaller the orifice area,

the smaller will be the flow rate and vice versa for a given pressure drop
WHAT IS NEEDLE VALVES?

Needle valves are designed to give fine control of flow in small-

diameter piping
Needle valves can be manual or automatic, and can be operated with
a handwheel, lever, or actuator.

Needle Part
FORMULA RELATED TO NEEDLE VALVE
EXAMPLE QUESTION
EXAMPLE QUESTION - CONT
NON-PRESSURE-COMPENSATED
VALVES

The flow rate through a non-pressure-compensated valve is dependent on

the pressure differential across the valve.
As the pressure differential across the valve changes, the flow rate through
the valve will also change.
PRESSURE-COMPENSATED
VALVES

The flow rate through a non-pressure-compensated valve is dependent on

the pressure differential across the valve.
As the pressure differential across the valve changes, the flow rate through
the valve will also change.
 SO WHAT IS ACTUALLY THE DIFFERENT BETWEEN PRESSURE
COMPENSATED VALVE AND THE NON-PRESSURE COMPENSATED
VALVE?

IMAGINE YOU HAVE A WATER HOSE WITH A NOZZLE ATTACHED TO IT. WHEN YOU OPEN THE NOZZLE, WATER FLOWS
OUT. IF YOU SQUEEZE THE NOZZLE A LITTLE, THE WATER FLOW IS LESS, AND IF YOU SQUEEZE IT HARD, THE WATER
FLOW IS MORE.

NON-PRESSURE-COMPENSATED VALVES ARE LIKE THAT NOZZLE. THEY LET WATER FLOW BASED ON HOW MUCH
PRESSURE IS BEING APPLIED TO THEM. IF THE PRESSURE CHANGES, THE WATER FLOW CHANGES AS WELL.

PRESSURE-COMPENSATED VALVES ARE DIFFERENT. THEY HAVE MECHANISMS THAT ADJUST THE SIZE OF THE
OPENING IN RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN PRESSURE. THIS MEANS THAT NO MATTER HOW HARD OR SOFT THE WATER IS
FLOWING, THE VALVE WILL ALWAYS LET THE SAME AMOUNT OF WATER THROUGH. THIS MAKES THEM BETTER FOR
SITUATIONS WHERE YOU NEED A CONSTANT FLOW OF WATER, EVEN IF THE PRESSURE CHANGES.
 8.5 SERVO VALVES Mechanical-type servo valve
Electrohydraulic servo valve

The mechanical-type servo valve is a force amplifier used for positioning control.
A small input force shifts the spool of the servo valve to the right by a specified amount.
The oil flows through port p1, retracting the hydraulic cylinder to the right.
The feedback link shifts the sliding sleeve to the right until it blocks off the flow to the
hydraulic cylinder.
The closed-loop system, where the output is fed back to modify the input, allows for
precise and controlled output motion based on a given input motion.

High accuracy and

repeatability
 Applicatons:
ELECTROHYDRAULIC SERVO VALVES aircraft control
systems, industrial
automation, and
motion control
1. Uses an electrical signal to control the flow of hydraulic
fluid in a hydraulic system.
2. The valve consists of a spool inside a cylinder, with two or
more ports for hydraulic fluid to enter and exit the cylinder.
3. The spool is typically spring-loaded to a central or neutral
position, where it blocks flow to both output ports.
4. When an electrical signal is applied to the valve, it activates
an electromagnetic coil, which generates a magnetic field
that moves the spool from its neutral position.
5. As the spool moves, it opens one of the output ports and
closes the other, allowing hydraulic fluid to flow through the
valve and control the position, velocity, or pressure of a
hydraulic actuator.
6. The amount of fluid that flows through the valve is
proportional to the strength of the electrical signal applied
to the valve.
ELECTROHYDRAULIC SERVO VALVES

min 3.00
 8.6 PROPORTIONAL CONTROL VALVES
What is a proportional control valve?
Proportional control valves, which are also called electrohydraulic proportional valves,
are similar to electrohydraulic servo valves in that they both are electrically controlled.
A proportional control valve is a type of valve that uses a variable signal to control the
flow rate of a fluid in a system
 8.6 PROPORTIONAL CONTROL VALVES

The difference between electrohydraulic servo valves and proportional control valves:

Servo valves are used in closed-loop systems whereas proportional valves are used in
open-loop systems.
In servo valves, electrical current in a torque motor coil causes either clockwise or
counterclockwise torque on an armature to control the movement of the valve spool.
On the other hand, a proportional valve uses a solenoid that produces a force
proportional to the current in its coils. Thus, by controlling the current in the solenoid
coil, the position of the spring-loaded spool can also be controlled.
Servo valves have higher accuracy and repeatability compared to proportional control
valves.
PROPORTIONAL CONTROL VALVES

min 0.53
 8.7 CATRIDGE VALVES

What is a catridge valve?

A cartridge valve is designed to be
assembled into a cavity of a ported
manifold block (alone or along with other
cartridge valves and hydraulic
components) in order to perform the
valve’s intended function.
The cartridge valve is assembled into the
manifold block either by screw threads
(threaded design) or by a bolted cover
(slip-in design).
ADVANTAGES OF CATRIDGE VALVES
1. Reduced number of fittings to connect hydraulic lines between various components in
a system
2. Reduced oil leakages and contamination due to fewer fittings
3. Lower system installation time and costs
4. Reduced service time since faulty cartridge valves can be easily changed without
disconnecting fittings
5. Smaller space requirements of overall system

VARIOUS VALVE FUNCTIONS

A variety of different valve functions can be provided using cartridge valves. These include
directional control, pressure relief, pressure reduction, unloading, counterbalance, and
sequence and flow control capability
SOLENOID-OPERATED DIRECTIONAL CONTROL CARTRIDGE VALVES

1. Two-way, spool-type, N.C. or N.O.

2. Two-position, three-way, spool-type
3. Two position, four-way, spool-type
4. Two-way, poppet-type, N.C. or N.O.
5. Three-position, four-way, spool-type
CARTRIDGE PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE

A cartridge pressure relief valve is a type of

hydraulic valve that is designed to protect a
hydraulic system from overpressure by
controlling the pressure within the system.

No fluid flow flow of fluid is restricted

 8.8 HYDRAULIC FUSES
A hydraulic fuse is a safety device that is designed to protect a hydraulic system from damage
or failure due to excessive pressure or flow. It works by automatically shutting off the flow of
hydraulic fluid when the pressure or flow rate exceeds a predetermined limit in order to
protect circuit components from damage. A hydraulic pressure relief valve protects against
overpressure in a hydraulic system, while a hydraulic fuse shuts off the flow of hydraulic fluid
in the event of a catastrophic failure

When the hydraulic pressure exceeds a design

value, the thin metal disk ruptures to relieve the
pressure as oil is drained back to the oil tank.
After rupture, a new metal disk must be
inserted before operation can be started again.
A hydraulic fuse is a one-shot device. On the
other hand, a pressure relief valve is a
resettable devices.
8.9 KEY EQUATIONS
THANK YOU