10 fluid power lessons you don't learn in school

Completing engineering school doesn't make you an expert - at least in fluid power. Here's
some of the most common fluid power mistakes most courses never cover, and how to
avoid them.
By Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor
Reprinted from DESIGN NEWS
Face it: I you !ere educated in a our"year #echanical en$ineerin$ curriculu#, you %ro&a&ly
didn't learn #uch a&out luid %o!er. (#erican uni)ersities ty%ically teach luid #echanics, luid
dyna#ics, and ther#odyna#ics. But they seldo# del)e dee%ly into the su&*ects o hydraulics or
%neu#atics as a %o!er #ediu#.
That's !hy #ost desi$n en$ineers in this country learn their luid %o!er on the *o&. (nd it's !hy
they so#eti#es #a+e #ista+es they could easily a)oid i the theoretical under%innin$s o the
su&*ect !ere #ore readily a)aila&le.
,-ou #ay ha)e let school !ith a #echanical en$ineerin$ de$ree, &ut that does not #ean you
ha)e a $ood $ras% o luid %o!er,, notes an en$ineer ro# a #a*or luid %o!er su%%ly co#%any.
Fortunately, #any hydraulic and %neu#atic co#%onent su%%liers oer trainin$ classes or desi$n
en$ineers. .ar+er /anniin, 0ic+ers, Mannes#ann 1e2roth, Festo and others teach the &asics o
hydraulics and %neu#atics. ,Most o these classes oer 345 o the #aterial that desi$n
en$ineers need,, notes Don Ca%uto, #ar+etin$ #an$er or .ar+er /anniin's /ydraulic 0al)e
Di)ision. ,We !ant to $et the !ord out to custo#ers, #any o !ho# are en$ineers, !ho ne)er
had this #aterial in school.,
For those !ho can't i##ediately attend such %ro$ra#s, Desi$n Ne!s oers a co#%ilation o
so#e o the #ost co##on #ista+es in luid %o!er desi$n. The #ista+es co)er a &road ran$e,
ro# %ro&le#s !ith %neu#atic tu&in$ to errors in hydraulic orce calculation. So#e #ay see#
ele#entary. But su%%liers a$ree on one %oint: ()oidin$ the# in your %ro*ects !ill not only cut ti#e
and sa)e #oney, it !ill eli#inate countless headaches.
H!"#$%&C'
(istake )1* Failure to recognize maximum flow
-ou're desi$nin$ a hydraulic actuator that !ill o%erate at a %rescri&ed s%eed. To acco#%lish that,
you calculate that the cylinder needs a lo! rate o 67 $allons %er #inute 8$%#9. So you si:e your
hydraulic syste# or 67 $%#, ri$ht;
Not necessarily. Many a%%lications call or the return stro+e to &e aster than the %o!er stro+e. In
the a%%lication descri&ed a&o)e, it's not unco##on or the return stro+e to need a lo! rate o <7
$%#.
I, ho!e)er, the return lines and ilters are si:ed or 67 $%#, then the user has a %ro&le#. The
syste# &uilds u% heat. =ndersi:ed ilters ail to %ro%erly clean the hydraulic luid. >ea+s result.
"emedy* Consider the return rate
1e#e#&er, the lo! rate needed or cylinder e2tension is not al!ays the syste#'s astest lo!
rate. ,Ty%ically, the user !ants to e2tend the cylinder !ith a $reat deal o control,, Ca%uto says.
,But on the !ay &ac+, they're not doin$ any !or+, so they !ant the cylinder to $et &ac+ as ast as
it can., In #ost a%%lications, Ca%uto says, the return rate is t!ice that o the e2tension lo! rate.
(istake )+* Undersized piping
(ter selectin$ a hydraulic #otor, en$ineers oten loo+ at the #otor's %ort si:es &eore choosin$
their %i%in$. I the #otor's %ort si:es are, say, three"?uarters o an inch, then they choose three"
?uarter"inch ittin$s and three"?uarter"inch outer dia#eter %i%in$.
!etermining pressure drop in a length of pipe
. @
hA
6B,C77dD
Where . @ %ressure dro%Et o %i%e
h @ )iscosity 8ss)9
A @ lo!
d @ ID o %i%e
That's a #ista+e. Too oten, such sna% decisions result in undersi:ed %i%in$. (nd undersi:ed
%i%in$, in turn, causes lar$er %ressure dro%s and #ore heat $eneration than the syste# is
desi$ned or.
"emedy* Check ID, flow velocity, pressure drop
( desi$ner !ho ?uic+ly si:es %i%in$ si#%ly &y loo+in$ at the #otor's %ort ris+s #a+in$ se)eral
#ista+es. First, a three"?uarter"inch outer dia#eter is too s#all. Why; Because a three"?uarter"
inch FD #ay ha)e an inner dia#eter o as little as hal an inch. Second, selection o %i%in$
re?uires #ore thou$htul consideration. Desi$ners #ust consider )elocity o lo! throu$h the %i%e
and %ressure dro% %er oot o %i%e 8see e?uations a&o)e and &elo!9. E2%erts say that %ressure
dro% can &e i#%ortant, es%ecially in syste#s usin$ lon$ sections o %i%in$. They also reco##end
that desi$ners #aintain lo! )elocities !ith certain %ara#eters. E2ceedin$ those %ara#eters #ay
cause tur&ulence in the lo!, !hich can aect the 1eynolds nu#&er o the luid.
!etermining velocity of flow through a pipe
0 @
7.C<7B8G.M9
A
Where 0 @ lo! )elocity
G.M @ $allons %er #inute o lo! into the syste#
( @ area inside the %i%e 8in
<
9
(istake ),* Reservoir size too small
By dissi%atin$ heat, reser)oirs in any hydraulic syste# %lay an i#%ortant role. I the reser)oir is
undersi:ed, ho!e)er, it can't %ro%erly dissi%ate the heat. (s a result, %eror#ance suers and
co#%onents !ear out earlier. ,( lot o users assu#e their reser)oir is &i$ enou$h !ithout sittin$
do!n to calculate the heat dissi%ation,, Ca%uto says. ,I they !ould do so#e si#%le calculations,
they #i$ht ind that their syste# needs a &i$$er reser)oir or e)en a heat e2chan$er.,
"emedy* Calculate dissipation capailities of the reservoir in horsepower
In $eneral, a G7"$allon tan+ !ill dissi%ate hal a horse%o!er, $i)en a 47H te#%erature dierential
&et!een the oil in the reser)oir and the air outside it. Co#%are that to your syste#'s horse%o!er.
=se a &i$$er reser)oir or a heat e2chan$er, i necessary, de%endin$ on your %ac+a$in$
constraints.
!etermining heat dissipation of a reservoir
Where /. @ horse%o!er dissi%ated
( @ surace area o reser)oir 8t<9
te#%erature dierence &et!een oil in tan+ and air outside 8de$ F9
86/. @ <4DD BT=Ehr9
(istake )-* !roportional valves too ig
When selectin$ a directional )al)e, desi$ners usually chec+ their syste#'s lo! rate, o%en a
catalo$, and loo+ or a )al)e !ith a corres%ondin$ ratin$.
So !hat's !ron$ !ith that; Nothin$ I i you're %ic+in$ a directional )al)e. .ro%ortional )al)es,
ho!e)er, are dierent. ,.ro%ortional and ser)o )al)es e2hi&it their control throu$h a hi$h %ressure
dro%,, notes >arry Schrader, director o #otion control trainin$ or .ar+er /anniin. The )al)e's
lo! ratin$, he says, is usually &ased on a s%eciic %ressure dro%. Thereore, i your a%%lication's
%ressure dro% is si$niicantly dierent than the rated %ressure dro% o the )al)e, you'll %ro&a&ly
select the !ron$ )al)e. =sually, Schrader says, en$ineers end u% !ith an o)ersi:ed %ro%ortional
)al)e.
'i.ing a proportional valve /y flow rate
Where A1 @ )al)e's rated lo! or your a%%lication
AF=T @ out%ut lo! needed or a%%lication
rated %ressure dro% o %ro%ortional )al)e
actual %ressure dro% needed or a%%lication
I they do select an o)ersi:ed )al)e, users are unli+ely to $et true %ro%ortional %eror#ance. In
#ost cases, the )al)e !ill o%en all the !ay &eore it's su%%osed to, denyin$ users the resolution
that they see+.
"emedy* Use pressure drop to determine flow rate
E2%erts reco##end that desi$ners use this #ethod to chec+ the lo! ratin$ o their )al)e. In #ost
cases, they say, the lo! ratin$ they o&tain &y this #ethod !ill dier ro# the lo! ratin$s in the
catalo$.
(istake )0* "pecific gravity prolems In #any cases, users !ant to re%lace con)entional
hydraulic oil !ith %hos%hate esters o !ater $lycol luids. That's ine, say e2%erts, as lon$ as you
understand that hydraulic %u#%s can't lit those luids as easily as they lit hydraulic oil. The
reason: Con)entional hydraulic oil has a s%eciic $ra)ity o a&out 7.B4, !hile !ater $lycol ty%ically
is a&out 6.7. .hos%hate ester is e)en hea)ier at 6.6.
I desi$n en$ineers don't #a+e s%ecial acco##odations or those hea)ier luids, users soon
notice that %u#%s #a+e too #uch noise. =lti#ately, ca)itation o the %u#% occurs.
"emedy* !ut the reservoir higher than the pump
Manuacturers call this ,looded suction., The %u#% doesn't need to !or+ as hard to #o)e the
hea)ier luid. I you're not sure a&out the s%eciic $ra)ity o the luid you're usin$, call the %u#%'s
#anuacturer to see i they re?uire a looded suction or that luid.
123$(#4&C'
(istake )5* Force miscalculation
I you +no! the loads, si:in$ a cylinder is easy. =nortunately, +no!in$ the loads can so#eti#es
&e diicult. Forces caused &y riction and acceleration are #ore diicult to calculate, and are oten
o)erloo+ed. Worse, desi$ners can't al!ays oresee ho! the #achine !ill &e used. ,For the desi$n
en$ineer, it's not al!ays as easy as, 'I need to lit 47 %ounds,', says Jerry Scher:in$er, senior
su%%ort en$ineer or Bi#&a Manuacturin$. ,( lot o ti#es the desi$ner is co#in$ u% !ith a &est
esti#ate, and there are #any actors in)ol)ed in esti#ation that orce., Too oten, Scher:in$er
says, the desi$ner underesti#ates the orce re?uire#ent, rather than o)eresti#ates it. (s a result,
the syste# doesn't #o)e the load ast enou$h, or doesn't #o)e it at all.
"emedy* #versize y $%&
That's !hat Scher:in$er reco##ends to account or rictional loads. I you sus%ect that the
cylinder !ill &e su&*ected to $reater loads later on, you #i$ht e)en consider e2ceedin$ that <45
rule o thu#&. The only do!nside to doin$ that is cost: Initial costs and o%eratin$ costs can rise.
In the lon$ run, ho!e)er, users usually ind that a lar$er cylinder %ro)ides $reater &eneits. ,Don't
hesitate to o)ersi:e the cylinder,, he says. ,The ad)anta$es o o)ersi:in$ out!ei$h the
disad)anta$es.,
(istake )6* 'rong valve for ()stop
E#er$ency"sto% situations de#and that a %neu#atic syste# co#e to a co#%lete halt.
So#eti#es, ho!e)er, a %neu#atic )al)e is already shited !hen %o!er is cut o. (ter!ards, that
)al)e shits &ac+ and the associated %neu#atic cylinder #o)es. That scenario can ta+e %lace
!hen certain i)e"!ay )al)es are used !ith dou&le"actin$ cylinders. (nd the results, in so#e
cases, can &e da#a$in$ or e)en dan$erous or %ersonnel.
"emedy* Check with valve manufacturer first
In #ost cases, users notice the %ro&le# &eore da#a$e occurs. By that ti#e, ho!e)er, the )al)e
has already &een s%eciied and installed. (s a result, chan$in$ to the ri$ht )al)e can &e ti#e"
consu#in$ and costly. For that reason, e2%erts say that en$ineers #ust &e )i$ilant early in the
desi$n %rocess. ,They ha)e to understand their #achine and as+ all o the '!hat i;' ?uestions,,
notes Daniel Sando)al, didactic trainin$ #ana$er or Festo. ,What i %o!er is cut"o; What i the
.>C $oes &ad; What i so#eone hits the E"sto%; The solutions to these %ro&le#s ha)e to &e
dealt !ith in hard!are. It's not %er#issi&le to re#edy those %ro&le#s in sot!are., Because there
are #any dierent ty%es and &rands o )al)es, Sando)al says desi$ners #ust consult !ith the
)al)e #anuacturer to learn ho! the )al)e !ill &eha)e !hen %o!er is cut o.
(istake )7* *igh)speed undersizing
/i$h")elocity %neu#atic a%%lications re?uire suicient orce and hi$h lo! rates. =nortunately,
syste# desi$ners don't al!ays %ro)ide &oth o those eatures. Too oten, air cylinders are too
s#all to %ro)ide the orce needed or ?uic+ acceleration. (nd )al)es don't ha)e the necessary
lo! rates to achie)e hi$h s%eed.
"emedy* Doule the ore diameter of the chosen cylinder
For s%eeds a&o)e 6G inchesEsecond, i you're %lannin$ on selectin$ a one"inch cylinder, select a
t!o"inch #odel instead. (lso, %neu#atics #anuacturers say that desi$ners #ust loo+ careully at
the lo! ratin$s o the )al)es they %lan to use in hi$h s%eed a%%lications. Catalo$ ratin$s are
usually suicient, they say, &ut are too oten i$nored or #isinter%reted.
(istake )8* Failure to specify tough)enough construction
.neu#atic"co#%onent #anuacturers say they see the# all the ti#e: cylinders, !or+in$ in tou$h,
corrosi)e en)iron#ents, una&le to stand u% to e)ery day !ear"and"tear. Beore lon$, the cylinders
dra! in dirt, then ail to %eror# %ro%erly. In #ost cases, they say, the %ro&le# occurs &ecause
desi$ners ne)er oresee the &readth o a%%lication or their technolo$y. ,So#eti#es a desi$ner
!ill desi$n a syste# that's so $ood, three or our industries can use it,, Scher:in$er says. ,(ll o a
sudden, their e?ui%#ent is in an a%%lication !here they ne)er e2%ected it.,
"emedy* +etter materials
I you sus%ect that your #achine !ill &e used in such a%%lications as ood or %har#aceutical
%rocessin$, &e %re%ared to i#%ro)e the #aterials o construction o your cylinders. Stainless steel
or anodi:ed alu#inu# &odies resist corrosion #ore eecti)ely, %articularly in !ash do!n
en)iron#ents. (lso consider use o %lastic end ca%s, !i%ers, scra%ers or rod &oots as a #eans o
%re)entin$ in$ress o dirt into the cylinder.
(istake )10* Insufficient tuing Most desi$ners are trained to thin+ o a %neu#atic syste# as a
collection o %u#%s, cylinders, and )al)es. So#e!here in &et!een those %u#%s, cylinders, and
)al)es, ho!e)er, lies an e?ually i#%ortant co#%onent: tu&in$. I#%ro%erly desi$ned tu&in$ can
cause distur&ances in lo! and %ressure. Too oten, it &eco#es the li#itin$ actor in a %neu#atic
syste#.
"emedy* !ay attention
E2%erts say that tu&in$ #ista+es all into t!o cate$ories: too lon$ or too s+inny. >on$ sections o
tu&in$ create un!anted %ressure dro%s and s+inny tu&es cause )al)es to !or+ i#%ro%erly.
=nortunately, they say, desi$ners can only re#ind the#sel)es to &e a!are o the %ro&le#s
caused &y i#%ro%erly desi$ned tu&in$. ,When you loo+ at a dra!in$, the tu&in$ loo+s li+e a
&unch o insi$niicant lines,, Sando)al says. ,But i you don't %ay attention to it, it can cause a lot
o trou&le or you.,
'lime/usters* 1lastic end caps and stainless steel /odies, like those shown here, keep
fluid power e9uipment operating even in aggressive environment applications.