Addis Ababa Science and Technology

University
Fluid
FluidPower
PowerSystems
Systems
CHAPTER
CHAPTER11
Introduction
Introductionto
toFluid
FluidPower
Power
By:
By:Nebyat
NebyatY.
Y.
NNovember
ovember2021
2021

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 What is this?

Presses Construction machinery Steering system

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Industrial
Hydraulics/Pneumatics

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What is this?

Truck
hydraulics/
pneumatics Bottle Jack

Lifting
devices
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 Contents
1. What is fluid power

2. History of fluid power

3. Advantages of fluid power

4. Applications of fluid power

5. Components of a fluid power system

6. The fluid power industry

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Introduction
⁂ The Three Methods for Transmitting Power from One Point to Another

⸸ Mechanical transmission is through shafts, gears, chains, belts, etc.

⸸ Electrical transmission is through wires, transformers, etc.
⸸ Fluid power is through liquids or gas in a confined space.
1. What is fluid power?
It is a technology that deals with
• Generation
• Control
• Transmission
of power using pressurized fluids. It is the muscle of industry.
Examples of application : Fluid power steers and brakes automobiles,
launches spacecraft, moves earth, harvests crops, mines coal, drives
machine tools, controls airplanes, processes food, etc.
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Fluid power – called hydraulics –fluid is liquid.
Pneumatics when fluid is a gas.
Liquids used- petroleum oils, synthetic oils and water
First used was water; deficiencies-freezes, poor lubricant,
corrodes metals.
Pneumatics uses air because of abundance, can be exhausted
back to the atmosphere.
Two different types of fluid systems:
fluid transport and fluid power
Fluid transport-pumping system for water, cross country gas
lines etc.
Fluid power system-performs work; fluid cylinders

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or motors. Cylinders and motors are also called
actuators.
Liquids easily transmit power – used for high
pressure systems- high accuracy and precision.
Because of compressibility effect, pneumatic
systems limited to low pressure system.

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2 History of fluid power
Fluid power is as old as civilization: water was
used for centuries to produce power by means of
water wheels, and air used to turn wind mills and
propel ships.
Limited use: because of low pressure fluid
requiring large volume of fluid.
Fluid power actually began in 1650 with the
discovery of Pascal’s law: Pressure is transmitted
undiminished in a confined body of fluid.
 Pascal’s experiment on a jug completely full of
wine.
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 In 1750, Bernoulli developed his law of
conservation energy for a fluid flowing in a pipeline.
Pascal’ and Bernoulli’s law applied during the
industrial revolution of 1850 to industry. Why not
before?
 No electricity to power the machines of industry
Fluid power (1870)was used to drive hydraulic
equipments such as cranes, presses, winches, extruding
machines, hydraulic jacks, shearing machines, etc. In
these systems, the pressure was developed by steam
engine driven pumps and distributed by pipes. There
were central fluid power generating stations from
which pressurized fluid was pumped to factories.
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 The early systems had a number of deficiencies
such as the type of fluid, sealing problems etc.
Then, late in the nineteenth century, electricity
was found superior to fluid power and it replaced
fluid power.
Rebirth started in 1906-application on defense
machines (to replace electrical systems for
elevating and controlling military weapons) .
For this application, the fluid power used hydraulic
oil than water and significant improvement in
sealing problems.

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 Today, fluid power is used extensively in every
branch of industry. For example, automobiles,
tractors, airplanes, boats, robots, machine tools etc.
In the automobile:
Hydraulic brake systems
Automotive transmissions
Power steering
Power brakes
Air conditioning
Lubrication
Water coolant
Gasoline pumping systems 12
 What is the role of modern technology?
 To improve the performance of fluid power using
modern technology such as :
1. Electro-hydraulic systems,
2. Microprocessor
3. Improved materials for component construction

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3 Advantages of fluid power
Among the three basic methods of transmitting
power: electrical, mechanical and fluid power, the
combination of two or three are common.
For example, longest distance of transmission;
electricity followed by fluid and then mechanical.
Most applications actually use a combination of the
three methods to obtain the most efficient overall system
Fluid power’s success and widespread use its
versatility and manageability:
Not hindered by geometry as mechanical.
 Power can be transmitted in almost limitless quantities
(unlike electrical systems) 14
 Automation in industry best by fluid power
because of advantages:
• Ease and accuracy of control: use of simple levers,
and push buttons to stop, speed up or slow down, and
position forces with preciseness to 1/5000 th-cm
• Multiplication of force: Can multiply forces simply
and efficiently(no usage of gears, pulleys, and
levers). eg. Construction machineries
• Constant force or torque: Only fluid powers
capable of providing force or torque regardless of
speed changes. E.g. Robots grabbing with a constant
force.
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• Simplicity, safety, economy: Minimum use of
moving parts (compared to mechanical and
electrical). Maximizes safety, compactness, and
reliability. No need for linkages, universal joints,
bearings, reduction gears and so forth.
Little input torque required to produce the
steering control.

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Drawbacks of fluid power
In hydraulic systems, hydraulic oils are messy,
leakage is impossible to eliminate completely, lines
can burst resulting in injuries to people due to high
speed oil jets and flying pieces of metals. Also,
produce loud voice. Most hydraulic oils can cause
fires.
In pneumatic systems air tanks and accumulators
are potentially explosive if pressure is not kept below
design pressures.

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4. Applications of fluid power

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⁂ Applications of Hydraulics
⸸Manufacturing
⸸Industrial robots powered by hydraulics.
⸸Industrial machines use hydraulics as a power source.
⸸Plastic injection molding machines use hydraulics
⸸Lifting devices, such as fork lifts and jacks.

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⁂ Applications of Hydraulics
⸸Construction
⸸Backhoes, Bulldozers, dump trucks all use hydraulics

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⁂ Applications of Hydraulics
⸸Transportation
⸸Airplanes use hydraulics to control landing gear
⸸Shock absorbers on cars and trucks
⸸Brakes for cars and trucks

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⁂ Applications of Pneumatics
⸸ Construction : Such tools as air drills, hammers, wrenches, and even air
cushion supported structures, vehicles using air suspension, braking and
pneumatic tires.

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⁂ Applications of Pneumatics
⸸Harvests
Transportation : Inflate tire, Pneumatic Chain Hoist,
crop.

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Examples:
1.Sky trams: Tram travelling on a stationary cable,
oil pump driven by a gasoline engine. The hydraulic
motor drives friction drive wheels. On steep inclines,
high driving torque is required for ascent and high
braking torque for descent.
2. Harvesting corn: Hydraulic motor driven elevator
conveyor system sends harvested, husked ears of corn to
a wagon trailer.
3. Brush drives: fluid power is used as a brush drive
for cleaning roads, floors, and so forth.
4. Industrial lift trucks: The hydraulic system
includes tilt and hoist cylinders. 24
 5. Excavators: A total of four hydraulic cylinders
are used to drive the three pin-connected members
called the boom, stick, and bucket .
As much as 4 m3 and a lifting capacity of about
20000kg is achievable.
6. Robotic dexterous arm: Robotic arm and
fingers that can use human tools such as hammers,
electric drills, and can even pick up an egg shell .

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5 Components of fluid power
Hydraulic System: There are six basic components
1. A tank (reservoir) to hold the oil
2. A pump to force the oil through the system
3. A power source to drive the pump (electric, others)
4. Valves to control oil direction, pressure, and flow
5. An actuator to convert the oil pressure into force
(cylinders) or torque (motors).
6. Piping, which carries the oil from one location to
another.

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Pneumatic Systems
Again six basic components
1. An air tank for storing compressed air
2. A compressor to compress the air
3. Power source for the compressor (electric, others)
4. Valves to control air direction, pressure, and flow
rate.
5. Actuators, similar in operation to hydraulic
actuators
6. Piping to carry the pressurized air from one
location to another
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 6. The fluid power industry
The fluid power industry is huge and truly a
global industry.
Annual sales world wide has exceeded $35
billion. Over half of all US industrial products have
fluid power systems or components as part of their
basic design. About 75% sales are hydraulic while
the remaining 25% are pneumatic.

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COMPARISON BETWEEN HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS

HYDRAULIC SYSTEM PNEUMATIC SYSTEM

It employs a pressurized liquid as a fluid It employs a compressed gas, usually
air, as a fluid
Oil hydraulic system operates at A pneumatic system usually operates at
pressures up to 5–10 bar
700 bar
Generally designed as closed system Usually designed as open system
The system slows down when leakage Leakage does not affect the system
occurs much
Valve operations are difficult Valve operations are easy
Heavier in weight Lighter in weight
Pumps are used to provide pressurized Compressors are used to provide
liquids compressed gases
The system is unsafe to fire hazards The system is free from fire hazards
Automatic lubrication is provided Special arrangements for lubrication
are needed
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