Fluid Power System

Module 6: Hydraulic Circuit Design

Introduction
A hydraulic circuit is a group of components such as pumps, actuators, control valves, conductors
and fittings arranged to perform useful work.
There are three important considerations in designing a hydraulic circuit:
1. Safety of machine and personnel in the event of power failures.
2. Performance of given operation with minimum losses.
3. Cost of the component used in the circuit.

1. Control of a Single-Acting Hydraulic Cylinder Circuit

Components:
1.Fluid Tank
2. Filter
3. Pump
4. Motor
5. Pressure Relief Valve
6. Pressure Gauge
7. DCV (2/3 or 3/2)
8. Flow Control Valve
9. Single Acting Hydraulic Cylinder

Mr. Somashekar D, Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering, Samara University, Samara 1

Fluid Power System

Figure shows that the control of a single-acting, spring return cylinder using a three-way two-
position manually actuated, spring offset direction-control valve (DCV). In the spring offset mode,
full pump flow goes to the tank through the pressure-relief valve (PRV). The spring in the rod end
of the cylinder retracts the piston as the oil from the blank end drains back into the tank. When the
valve is manually actuated into its next position, pump flow extends the cylinder.
After full extension, pump flow goes through the relief valve. Deactivation of the DCV allows the
cylinder to retract as the DCV shifts into its spring offset mode.
2. Control of a Double-Acting Hydraulic Cylinder Circuit

Components:
1.Fluid Tank
2. Filter
3. Pump
4. Motor
5. Pressure Relief Valve
6. Pressure Gauge
7. DCV (2/3 or 3/2)
8. Flow Control Valve
9. Single Acting Hydraulic Cylinder

Mr. Somashekar D, Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering, Samara University, Samara 2

Fluid Power System

The circuit diagram to control double-acting cylinder is shown in Fig. The control of a double-
acting hydraulic cylinder is described as follows:
1. When the 4/3 valve is in its neutral position (tandem design), the cylinder is hydraulically locked
and the pump is unloaded back to the tank.
2. When the 4/3 valve is actuated into the flow path, the cylinder is extended against its load as oil
flows from port P through port A. Oil in the rod end of the cylinder is free to flow back to the tank
through the four-way valve from port B through port T.
3. When the 4/3 valve is actuated into the right-envelope configuration, the cylinder retracts as oil
flows from port P through port B. Oil in the blank end is returned to the tank via the flow path
from port A to port T.
At the ends of the stroke, there is no system demand for oil. Thus, the pump flow goes through the
relief valve at its pressure level setting unless the four-way valve is deactivated.
3. Regenerative Cylinder Hydraulic Circuit

Components:
1.Fluid Tank
2. Filter
3. Pump
4. Motor
5. Pressure Relief Valve
6. Pressure Gauge
7. DCV (2/3 or 3/2)
8. Flow Control Valve
9. Single Acting Hydraulic Cylinder

Mr. Somashekar D, Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering, Samara University, Samara 3

Fluid Power System

Figure shows a regenerative circuit that is used to speed up the extending speed of a double-acting
cylinder. The pipelines to both ends of the hydraulic cylinder are connected in parallel and one of
the ports of the 4/3 valve is blocked by simply screwing a thread plug into the port opening. During
retraction stroke, the 4/3 valve is configured to the right envelope. During this stroke, the pump
flow bypasses the DCV and enters the rod end of the cylinder. Oil from the blank end then drains
back to the tank through the DCV.
When the DCV is shifted in to its left-envelope configuration, the cylinder extends as shown in
Fig. The speed of extension is greater than that for a regular double-acting cylinder because
the flow from the rod end regenerates with the pump flow to provide a total flow rate .
4. Double-Pump Hydraulic System Circuit

Figure shows an application for an unloading valve. It is a circuit that uses a high-pressure, low-
flow pump in conjunction with a low-pressure, high-flow pump. A typical application is a sheet
metal punch press in which the hydraulic cylinder must extend rapidly over a great distance with
low-pressure but high-flow requirements. This occurs under no load. However during the punching
operation for short motion, the pressure requirements are high, but the cylinder travel is small and
thus the flow requirements are low. The circuit in Fig. eliminates the necessity of having a very
expensive high-pressure, high-flow pump.

Mr. Somashekar D, Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering, Samara University, Samara 4

Fluid Power System

When the punching operation begins, the increased pressure opens the unloading valve to unload
the low-pressure pump. The purpose of relief valve is to protect the high-pressure pump from over
pressure at the end of cylinder stroke and when the DCV is in its spring-centered mode. The check
valve protects the low-pressure pump from high pressure, which occurs during punching operation,
at the ends of the cylinder stroke and when the DCV is in its spring-centered mode.
5. Hydraulic Cylinder Sequencing Circuits

Components:
1.Fluid Tank
2. Pump
3. Motor
4. Pressure Relief Valve
5. DCV (2/3 or 3/2)
6. Pressure Gauge

Hydraulic cylinders can be operated sequentially using a sequence valve. Figure shows that two
sequence valves are used to sequence the operation of two double-acting cylinders. When the DCV
is actuated to its right-envelope mode, the bending cylinder (B) retracts fully and then the clamp
cylinder (A) retracts.
This sequence of cylinder operation is controlled by sequence valves. This hydraulic circuit can
be used in a production operation such as drilling. Cylinder A is used as a clamp cylinder and
cylinder B as a drill cylinder. Cylinder A extends and clamps a work piece. Then cylinder B

Mr. Somashekar D, Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering, Samara University, Samara 5

Fluid Power System

extends to drive a spindle to drill a hole. Cylinder B retracts the drill spindle and then cylinder A
retracts to release the work piece for removal.
6. Automatic Cylinder Reciprocating System Circuit

Components:
1.Fluid Tank
2. Pump
3. Motor
4. Pressure Relief Valve
5. Pressure Gauge
6. DCV (2/3 or 3/2)
7. Sequence valve – 1
8. Sequence valve – 2
9. Double Acting Cylinder

The hydraulic circuit shown in Fig. Produces continuous reciprocation of a double-acting cylinder
using two sequence valves. Each sequence valve senses the completion of stroke by the
corresponding build-up pressure. Each check valve and the corresponding pilot line prevent the
shifting of the four-way valve until the particular stroke of the cylinder is completed.
The check valves are needed to allow pilot oil to leave either end of the DCV while the pilot
pressure is applied to the opposite end. This permits the spool of the DCV to shift as required.

Mr. Somashekar D, Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering, Samara University, Samara 6

Fluid Power System

7. Cylinder Synchronizing Circuits (Cylinders in Parallel)

Components:
1.Fluid Tank
2. Pump
3. Motor
4. Pressure Relief Valve
5. Pressure Gauge
6. DCV (2/3 or 3/2)
7. Double Acting Cylinder – 1
8. Double Acting Cylinder - 2

Figure shows a hydraulic circuit in which two cylinders are arranged in parallel. When the two
cylinders are identical, the loads on the cylinders are identical, and then extension and retraction
are synchronized. If the loads are not identical, the cylinder with smaller load extends first. Thus,
the two cylinders are not synchronized. Practically, no two cylinders are identical, because of
packing (seals) friction differences. This prevents cylinder synchronization for this circuit.

Mr. Somashekar D, Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering, Samara University, Samara 7

Fluid Power System

8. Cylinder Synchronizing Circuits (Cylinders in Series)

Components:
1.Fluid Tank
2. Pump
3. Motor
4. Pressure Relief Valve
5. Pressure Gauge
6. DCV (2/3 or 3/2)
7. Double Acting Cylinder – 1
8. Double Acting Cylinder - 2

During the extending stroke of cylinders, fluid from the pump is delivered to the blank end of
cylinder 1. As cylinder 1 extends, fluid from its rod end is delivered to the blank end of cylinder 2
causing the extension of cylinder 2. As cylinder 2 extends, fluid from its rod end reaches the tank.

Mr. Somashekar D, Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering, Samara University, Samara 8

Fluid Power System

9. Speed Control of a Hydraulic Cylinder

The speed control of a hydraulic cylinder circuit can be done during the extension stroke using a
flow control valve (FCV). This is done on a meter-in circuit and meter-out circuit.
The FCV is placed in the line leading to the inlet port of the cylinder. Thus, it is called the meter-
in control of speed. Meter-in flow controls the oil flow rate into the cylinder.
A meter-out flow control system is one in which the FCV is placed in the outlet line of the
hydraulic cylinder. Thus, a meter-out flow control system controls the oil flow rate out of the
cylinder.

When the DCV is actuated towards left (Fig a), oil flows through the FCV to extend the cylinder.
The extending speed of the cylinder depends on the FCV setting. When the DCV is deactivated,
the cylinder retracts as oil from the cylinder passes through the check valve. Thus, the retraction
speed of a cylinder is not controlled. Figure (b) shows meter-out circuit; when DCV is actuated
towards right, oil flows through the rod end to retract the cylinder.

Mr. Somashekar D, Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering, Samara University, Samara 9

Fluid Power System

10. Accumulator as an auxiliary power source

The purpose of accumulator in this application is to store the oil delivered by the pump during a
portion of the work cycle. The accumulator then releases the stored oil on demand to complete the
cycle, thereby serving as a secondary power source.
The schematic diagram is shown in Fig. When the four-way valve is manually activated, oil flows from
the accumulator to the blank end of the cylinder. This extends the piston until it reaches the end of the
stroke. When the cylinder is in its fully extended position, the accumulator is being charged. The four-way
valve is then deactivated for retraction of the cylinder oil flows from both the pump and accumulator to
retract the cylinder rapidly.

Mr. Somashekar D, Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering, Samara University, Samara 10