PNEUMATIC AND HYDRAULIC CIRCUITS

The word pneumatics is referred to the physical behavior of the air, usually compressed. Pneumatics is a section of technology that deals with the study and application of pressurized gas to produce mechanical motion. The word hydraulics is based on the Greek word for water and originally meant the study of the physical behavior of water at rest and in motion. Today, the meaning has been expanded to include the physical behavior of all liquids, including hydraulic fluid. Both pneumatics and hydraulics are applications of fluid power. Pneumatics uses an easily compressible gas such as air (or a suitable pure gas), while hydraulics uses relatively incompressible liquid such as mineral oil. Most industrial pneumatic applications use pressures of about 550 to 690 kPa. Hydraulics applications commonly use from 6.9 to 34 MPa, but specialized applications may exceed 70 MPa. Advantages of pneumatics Simplicity of design and control: Machines are easily designed using standard cylinders and other components, and operate via simple on-off control. Reliability: Pneumatic systems generally have long operating lives and require little maintenance. Because gas is compressible, it absorbs excessive force, whereas fluid in hydraulics directly transfers force. Compressed gas can be stored, so machines still run for a while if electrical power is lost. Safety: There is a very low chance of fire compared to hydraulic oil. Advantages of hydraulics Liquid does not absorb any of the supplied energy. Hydraulic circuits are capable of moving higher loads and providing higher forces due to the incompressibility of the oil.

1. PRESURE Pressure (symbol: P or p) is the ratio of force to the area over which that force is distributed. P = F/A The SI unit of pressure is the Newton per square meter, which is called the Pascal (Pa) after the seventeenth-century philosopher and scientist Blaise Pascal. As a Pascal is a very small unit, similar to the pressure exerted by a 5 euros note over a table, some other units are commonly used: The standard atmosphere (atm) is an established constant. It is approximately equal to typical air pressure at sea level and is defined as follows: 1 atmosphere = 101,325 Pa The bar is a non-SI unit of pressure, defined as exactly equal to 100,000 Pa Other units as the psi (pounds per square inch), millimeters of mercury (torr)

Usually 1 MPa = 1 bar 1 atm = 14,696 psi

We called absolute pressure to the total pressure of a fluid or gas. We called relative pressure or gauge pressure to the difference between the absolute pressure and the atmospheric pressure. Relative pressure is the one producing work in pneumatic circuits and it is usually the given pressure.

EXERCISE 1: Calculate the force exerted by a pneumatic cyilinder working with 5500 KPa if the area is 20 mm2. EXERCISE 2: A cylinder has a piston of 5 cm of radius. If the applied pressure is 7 atm, calculate the force exerted by the cylinder. EXERCISE 3: We want to lift a weight of 5000 kg using a cylinder that works with 8 bars of relative pressure. Calculate the minimum diameter of the cylinder.

2. PNEUMATIC CIRCUITS

Pneumatic systems are power systems using compressed air as a working medium for the power transmission. An air compressor converts the mechanical energy of the prime mover (electrical energy, fuel) into pressure energy of the compressed air. After compression, the compressed air should be prepared for use. The air preparation includes filtration, cooling, water separation, drying, and adding lubricant.

2.1 PARTS OF A PNEUMATIC SYSTEM

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Energy producing elements: compressors Transmission elements: pipes Flow control elements: valves Maintenance and security elements: filters, lubricants, safety valves... Actuators: cylinders and pneumatic motors

2.2 COMPRESSORS

A compressor can compress air to the required pressures. It can convert the mechanical energy from motors and engines into the potential energy in compressed air. Compressors can be divided into two classes: reciprocatory and rotary.

All pneumatic compressors are represented by the following symbol:

Reciprocating compressors: reciprocating compressors use pistons driven by a crankshaft. They can be either stationary or portable, can be single or multi-staged, and can be driven by electric motors or internal combustion engines. Household, home

workshop, and smaller job site compressors are typically reciprocating compressors. These compressors are simple and cheap, but noisy. Rotary compressors: there are a wide variety of rotatory compressors, for example: o Axial-flow compressors are dynamic rotating compressors that use arrays of fan-like airfoils to progressively compress the working fluid. Axial compressors can have high efficiencies; around 90%. However, they are relatively expensive. Axial-flow compressors can be found in medium to large gas turbine engines, in natural gas pumping stations, and within certain chemical plants.

o Screw compressors they are expensive and very quiet. Two helicoidal screws spin and compress the air.

2.3 AIR TANK After being compressed, the air flows into an air tank, where the air is stored until it is used by the system ant it helps to cool the air. The tank also has a pressure relief valve that allows the air to flow out in case of very high pressures; a manometer to measure the pressure at all times; and a drain to evacuate the condensed water.

2.4 AIR TREATMENT UNIT

Also known as conditioning unit, it has an air filter, a pressure relief valve and a lubricator.

2.5 ACTUATORS Pneumatic actuators may be of two different kinds: rotary and linear. Linear actuators: Cylinders: The most common linear actuators are cylinders, which are mechanical devices which use the power of compressed air to produce a force in a reciprocating linear motion.

Cylinders may be a single acting cylinder or a double acting cylinder. Single-acting cylinders apply pneumatic air pressure to one end of the piston to extend or retract it. Thus, they perform work in only one direction of movement. To return the piston to its nonpressurized or rest position, single-acting cylinders can use either opposing springs or the opposing force or load of the application itself. For example, cylinders used in car jacks use

the weight of the jacked vehicle to return the cylinder to its rest position. The force exerted by the cylinder may be calculated as: Fforward = P A Fspring P: airs pressure A: pistons area

Double-acting cylinders apply pneumatic pressure to both sides of the piston alternately for back-and-forth actuation in such devices as reciprocating pumps, reciprocating saws or presses. They perform work in both directions of movement. These cylinders do not require a return spring. The force exerted by the cylinder may be calculated as: Fforward = P A P: airs pressure A: pistons area Finward = P A P: airs pressure A: pistons area minus rods area Or: r1: radius of the piston r2: radius of the rod

Rotary actuators: these actuators are used to spin objects or machines, like a dentist drill, a pneumatic screwdriver

2.6 VALVES Valves are used to control the flow of compressed air in the circuit. They are usually made of a fixed body that has the connectors, or ports, to attach the pipes and, inside, a moving part that switch the connections. The switching of the valve state is done by an actuator that may be mechanic, pneumatic, electric

3/2 Valve: One of his main functions is to control the flow of air to a simple-acting cylinder. When the button is not pressed, the air flows from port 3 to port 2. Whenever the button is pressed, the valve switches and the air flows from 1 to 2 until the button is released, in that moment, the spring switches back the valve.

Control of a simple-acting cylinder:

Representing a valve, step by step: 1. Draw as many blocks as different positions the valve has

2. Draw the ports in the rest position

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3. Connect the ports (in all the blocks) to describe the valve function

4. Draw the actuator and the return systems

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Examples of valves: 5/2 Valve: Most commonly used for controlling double-acting cylinders

Non-return valve: This valve lets the air flow freely in one direction and blocks the air in the other direction.

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Shuttle valve: it provides an OR function, the air may flow if there is air in one of the two entry ports. We can use this valve to open a door from different places (both sides of the door).

Dual pressure valve: this valve lets the air flow only when there is air in both entrances. This is very useful for safety controls, where you must push two different buttons to activate the circuit.

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Flow control valve: with this valve we have two options. The air flows freely from 2 to 1, at maximum speed, while the air flows in a controlled way, usually slowly, from 1 to 2, because it must pass through the screwed channel. With this valve we can control the movement speed of the cylinders and other actuators.

Exercises: 1. Name the following valves:

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2. Name the following valves including the control systems:

3. Explain how the following pneumatic circuits work:

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