Fluid Power Systems
• Characteristics of fluid power systems
• Basic FP modeling assumption
– power transmission by fluid
• Basic FP physical effects
– resistance, compliance, inertia
• Typical FP components
• Some FP system examples
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 1
Characteristics of FP systems
Some characteristics of fluid power, relative
to mechanical and electrical power:
• high speed of response for large force
transmission
• controllable at high power levels
• good heat dissipation qualities
• safe to use, but leakage, bursts a problem
• moderately good for power transmission
over moderate distances
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 2
Fluid power transmission
• Power head in a flowing stream:
p + ρv2/2 + ρgz
• Fluid power assumption:
p >> ρv2/2
• Fluid assumed “incompressible”
• Two distinct areas
– Hydraulics (hydrostatics): high p, low vol flow
– Pneumatics (acoustics): low p, high vol flow
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 3
Fluid power transmission
• Fluid power bond:
Power = p*Q,
where p denotes pressure
and Q denotes volume flow.
p
Q
Units: p, N/m2 ; Q, m3/s. (Scale factors.)
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 4
Some Basic Physical Effects
• Power losses (line friction, valving)
• Compliance (stiffness) effects
• Inertia effects
• Drivers and loading effects
• Transducer effects
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 5
Some loss effects -
Porous plug: linear resistance
pa pb Q
Q
pa - pb
Laminar flow
(Hagen-Poiseuille law):
pa − pb = (128µL / πD ) * Q 4
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 6
Some loss effects (cont.) -
Turbulent flow:
pa − pb = f *(L*µ 0.25
* ρ 0.75 4.75
/ D ) *Q 1.75
Orifice flow (turbulent):
Q
Q = Cd * Ad * [Pa − Pb ]
1/ 2
pa - pb
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 7
Some compliance effects
• fluid compressibility
• compliance of hydraulic lines
• accumulators
• changes in elevation in gravity field
• entrainment of gas
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 8
Gravity-induced compliance effects
p0 p
Q
p
p = (1/C)*V + p0 V
dV/dt = Q
p
C*dp/dt = Q C=?
Q
C
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 9
Fluid compressibility effects
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 10
Line compliance effects
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 11
Fluid inertia effects
a b
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 12
Driver and loading effects
• atmospheric pressure
• valve: fully closed
• hydraulic (pneumatic) pumps
• hydraulic (pneumatic) motors
pressure source flow source
p
Se Sf
Q
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 13
Some typical fluid power components
• filters
• cylinders
• valves
– flow control, check, logic, pressure relief
cylinders
• pumps
• motors
• lines
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 14
Hydraulic cylinder, single-sided
v
p
F Q
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 15
Hydraulic cylinder: loss effects
Efficiency?
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 16
Hydraulic cylinder: dynamic (and loss) effects
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 17
Hydraulic Pump Modeling
High p
T
w
Shaft
input Low p
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 18
Typical positive displacement (PD) pump
Examples: gear pump, vane pump, piston pump.
Basic operation of a PD pump:
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 19
Loss effects in a PD pump:
Power efficiency?
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 20
Dynamic (and loss) effects in a PD pump:
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 21
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 22
Multiport model.
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 23
Fluid power system modeling.
• Label each distinct pressure point or region.
– Write a 0-junction for each point.
• Add components; identify their ports; assign
power directions.
• For each component, build a model.
– e.g., add compliance, resistance, and inertia
effects, using C’s, R’s, and I’s, respectively.
• Select reference pressure (gauge or atmospheric).
Eliminate the corresponding 0-junction(s).
• Simplify the model.
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 24
Hydraulic line modeling
p1 p2
Q1 Q2
L
Properties (distributed over line length):
• losses, due to wall friction
• inertia
• compliance, due to fluid and line
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 25
Hydraulic line: composite model 1
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 26
Hydraulic line: composite model 2
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 27
Hydraulic Line: model comparison
• Mode information
– number of eigenvalues
(what is their distribution?)
– number of eigenvectors
(what are the “mode shapes”?)
• Steady-state for constant inputs
– Let pa = Pac and Qb = Qbc
(what is the steady-state response?)
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 28
Hydraulic line: improving model accuracy
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 29
Matching boundary conditions
Se LINE Se
Inputs: Pa and Pb
Sf LINE Sf
Inputs: Qa and Qb
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 30
Matching boundary conditions
Se LINE Sf
Inputs: Pa and Qb
Sf LINE Se
Inputs: Qa and Pb
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 31
Matching boundary conditions: options
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 32
Valves
• Pressure relief valves
• Spool valves for logic
• Check valves
• Servo valves
Mechatronic Systems Modeling - fluid power Slide 33
