MECH3015Y

Pneumatics & Hydraulics

LECTURE 1 SERIES
INTRODUCTION TO PNEUMATICS AND HYDRAULICS
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES & RELATED CALCULATIONS
SAFETY ASPECTS RELATED TO FLUID POWER SYSTEMS
Fluid Power
Fluid power is the technology that deals with the
generation, control, transmission of power using pressurized
fluids.

Fluid power is used to push, pull, regulate or drive virtually

all the machines of modern industry.

Think of applications in industry or in day-to-day operations

that make use of fluid power.
Fluid Power
Examples include:
Braking in automobiles
Power steering in automobiles
Machine tools
Earth moving equipment
Food processing

Fluid can be either a liquid or a gas, therefore fluid

power can be related to either pneumatics or hydraulics.
Fluid Power
Hydraulic systems use liquids such as petroleum oils,
water and synthetic oils.

Water was first used as a hydraulic fluid. Why? What

are the deficiencies?

Hydraulic oils are far superior and hence are used

instead of water.
Fluid Power

Pneumatic systems use air as the gas medium. It is readily

available and can be exhausted into the atmosphere after
use.

Fluid power vs. fluid transport systems

Fluid transport systems involves the delivery of a fluid from
one location to another, e.g. pumping station to pump water
to homes, gas lines, chemical processing to bring various
fluids together, district cooling systems.
Fluid Power

Fluid power systems are designed specifically to perform

work. The work can be linear (using a piston-cylinder) or
rotary (fluid motor), and the work is done by a pressurized
fluid.

Control components are needed between the source of

pressurized fluid and the actuating element (motor or
piston-cylinder device) to ensure that work is done
smoothly, efficiently and safely.
Fluid Power

For one of the applications you thought about

earlier, write down:
The positioning of the user with respect to the
equipment
The interface for the user to control operations: type
and number of inputs
The actuating element
Level of noise/dust produced and how it is controlled
Fluid Power

Pneumatics vs. Hydraulics

Discuss the ability to transmit power/scale of forces to
move loads and accuracy /precision of liquids and
gases.
Account for any difference.
Fluid Power

Fluid power can be used over a wide range of applications,

from huge hydraulic pressures to miniature components.

Fluid power allows a human operator to carry out work of

considerable high loads by the mere push of a button or
manipulation of a joystick.

??? What electrical device does that remind of?

Fluid Power: Laws

Pascals Law and Bernouillis law operate at the very heart of

all fluid power applications and are used for analysis purposes.

Pascals Law: Pressure is transmitted undiminished in a

confined body of fluid

Bernouillis Law: Law if conservation of energy for a fluid

flowing in a pipeline.
 Fluid Power: Evolution
During the industrial revolution (1850), electrical energy had not
developed to power machines of industry. Instead, fluid power
was used.

In these systems, steam engines drove hydraulic water pumps

which generated water at moderate pressures.

In late nineteenth century, electricity emerged as a dominant

technology and electrical power was found to be superior to
hydraulics for transmitting power over great distances. What do
you think led to renewed interest in hydraulic systems?
Fluid Power: Advantages

Fluid power offers advantages that can be grouped in

four main categories:
1. Ease and accuracy of control
Simple levers and push buttons can be used by the
operator to readily start, stop, speed up or slow down
and highly precise position forces can be provided at a
wide range of powers.
Fluid Power: Advantages

2. Multiplication of forces
A fluid power system (without using gears, pulleys and
levers) can multiply forces simply and efficiently from
small input to huge outputs.

3. Constant force or torque

Only fluid power systems are capable of providing
constant force/torque regardless of speed changes.
 Fluid Power: Advantages

4. Simplicity, safety and economy

Fluid power systems use fewer moving parts than comparable
mechanical or electrical systems. Thus they are simpler to
maintain and operate, maximize safety, compactness and
reliability.
 Fluid Power: Advantages

Additional benefits:
Instantly reversible motion
Automatic protection against overload
Infinitely variable speed control
Highest power per weight ratio of any known power source
 Fluid Power: Drawbacks
Hydraulic oils are messy
Leakage difficult to eliminate
Hydraulic lines can burst causing injuries
Hydraulic oils can cause fire

Each application must be designed properly to reduce, if not,

eliminate these drawbacks.
 Components of a fluid power
system

There are six basic components required in a hydraulic circuit:

1. A tank (reservoir) to hold the liquid
2. A pump to force the liquid through the system.
3. An electric motor or other power source to drive the pump
4. Valves to control liquid direction, pressure, and flow rate.
5. An actuator to convert the energy of the liquid into mechanical
force or torque to do useful work. Actuators can be cylinders
(linear motion) or motors (rotary motion).
6. Piping to carry the liquid from one location to another.
 Components of a fluid power
system

Pneumatic systems have similar components as those used in

hydraulics. The six basic components required for pneumatic
circuits are:
1. An air tank to store a given volume of compressed air. Why is a
tank needed for air?
2. A compressor
3. An electric motor to drive the compressor
4. Valves to control air direction, pressure, and flow rate
5. Actuators similar to hydraulics
6. Piping to carry pressurised air from one location to another.
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

Pascals Law: Pressure is transmitted undiminished in a

confined body of fluid.

P1 = P 2

F1/A1 =
F2/A2
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

Pascals Law: Pressure is transmitted undiminished in a

confined body of fluid.

If a force of 1 kN is
applied over an
area of 10 cm2,
what weight can
be raised if A2 =
50 cm2?
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

Pascals Law: Pressure is transmitted undiminished in a

confined body of fluid.

Bernouillis Law: Law of conservation of energy for a fluid

flowing in a pipeline.
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

Bernouillis Law: Law of conservation of energy for a fluid

flowing in a pipeline.

P: Pressure
v: Velocity
Z: elevation above a reference
: Density
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

Continuity Equation

Law of conservation of Mass

Q = flow rate
A = cross-sectional area
v: velocity
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

? How much torque is delivered by a 2 hp, 1800 rpm

hydraulic motor?

? The efficiency for a hydraulic system can be

calculated by dividing the output power by the input
power. The output power is usually computed from
force, distance and time data. The input power is
computed from parameters associated with the prime
mover, e.g. Voltage and Current for an electric motor.
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

? An elevator raises a 1.5 tonne load through a distance

of 15m in 10s. If the efficiency of the entire system is
80%, how much input power is required by the elevator
hoist motor?

? Oil of relative density 0.8 flows at the rate of 216 L/s

through a falling pipe which tapers gradually in the
direction of flow. The diameter at a point A is 0.6m and at
a point B, 3.6m vertically below A, is 0.3m. The gauge
pressure at A is 84 kN/m2. Calculate the pressure at B.
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

? The diameter of a pipe tapers gradually in the

direction of water flow as the level drops 9 m from
point A to point B. At A, the gauge pressure is 210
kN/m2 and the pipe diameter 200 mm; at B the
diameter is 100 mm. What is the pressure at B when
the flow rate is 72 L/s?
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

? A horizontal pipe tapers gradually from 150 mm

diameter to 300 mm diameter in the direction of flow.
At the narrow section, a pressure gauge reads 140
kN/m2. At the wide section the pressure is 280
kN/m2. Neglecting losses, calculate the flow rate of
water in cubic metre per second, litres per second
and tonnes/hour.
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

? Oil of relative density 0.9 flows through a

horizontal pipe which reduces smoothly from 75
mm to 50 mm diameter. If the gauge pressure at
these points is 70 kN/m2 and 49 kN/m2 respectively,
find the velocity at the larger diameter and the flow
rate in tonnes per minute.
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

Torricellis Theorem

Derive an expression for the

velocity of water ejecting at
the orifice.
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

If h = 15m and the diameter of the opening is 6 cm,

assuming an ideal fluid, find (a) jet velocity, (b) flow rate
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

Consider a piston-cylinder device:

 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

P x A = FLoad
P: Pump pressure
A: Area of piston
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

The required piston area can be calculated from a

given load and pump pressure.

The volumetric displacement of the cylinder is

calculated as follows:
VD = A x S
S: Stroke of the cylinder, A: Area of piston
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

From the volumetric displacement, the required

pump flow rate can be calculated based on the
time required for the piston to travel through its
stroke.

Pump flow rate = VD/t = A x S / t = Av

t: time required for piston to travel through its

 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

Energy delivered by the cylinder = F x S = P x A x

S

Power = Energy/time = P x A x S / t = P x A x v =
PxQ
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

A hydraulic cylinder is to compress a car body

down to bale size in 10s. The operation requires a
3m stroke and a 40 kN force. If a 70 bar pump is
used, find
a. The required piston area
b. Needed pump flow rate
c. Hydraulic power delivered by the cylinder
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

A cylinder with a piston surface area of 9 cm 2 and

a stroke of 15 cm is to extend in one minute. What
is the needed flow rate?
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

Head Loss in Pipes

Darcys Equation

F: friction factor v: average fluid velocity

L: Length of Pipe g: acceleration due to
gravity
D: Pipe inside diameter
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

Head Loss in Valves and Fittings

K-factor defined for each valve or fitting

 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

Head Loss in Valves and Fittings

Valve K-
Factor
Globe valve (wide 10.0
open)
Globe valve (1/2 12.5
open)
Gate valve (wide 0.19
open)
Gate valve (3/4 0.90
open)
Gate valve (1/2 4.5
open)
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

Head Loss in Valves and Fittings

Fitting K-
Factor
Standard tee 1.8
Standard elbow 0.9
45 elbow 0.42
90 elbow 0.75
Ball check valve 4.0
 Fundamental Principles and Related Calculations

What is the head loss across a 50 mm wide open

gate valve when oil of specific density 0.9 flows
through it at a rate of 0.02 m3/s
Oil of kinematic viscosity 0.001 m2/s flows in a
50mm diameter pipe at a velocity of 5 m/s. What is
the Reynolds number?
What is the head loss due to friction in the
previous example for a 50m length pipe with oil of
specific density 0.85?(f = 64/NR for laminar flow)
 Safety with Fluid Power Systems

Think of the safety aspects that need to be taken in designing

fluid power systems.

Several of these safety aspects are covered in OSHA

standards. Review these and make a list of relevant measures.