BASIC HYDRAULIC

SYSTEM
What is hydraulics? • Is the transmission of force by
fluid pressure.
Hydromechanics:
• A hydraulic system allows for
basic principles forces to be applied,
multiplied,
and transmitted from one location to
another through an incompressible
fluid medium
 the conservation of energy to
A hydraulic system transmit a force and displacement
operates on the from one point to another in the
principles of Pascal’s system.
Law and
Pascal’s Law
“If a force is applied to a liquid in a
confined space, then this force will
be felt equally in all directions”.
 Application of
hydraulic system landing gear, flaps, flight controls,
wheel brakes, windshield wipers
Hydraulic systems and other systems that require high
provide the power for power, accurate control and rapid
the operation of response rates.
components such as
 Hydraulic systems
Hydraulic fluids: types, What are the ideal properties of a
characteristics, hydraulic fluid are?
limitations
 Low viscosity
• The fluid should be free-
 Be relatively flowing and not create much
incompressible friction between itself and the
components of hydraulic
system.
 Fire and Flash Point
• A good hydraulic fluid has a high
 Non corrosive
fire and flash point and will not
 chemically inert release much vapor through the
 Coloured usual operating temperature range.
 Low freezing point
 Types of hydraulic Mineral Based Fluids
fluid
• These fluids are petroleum based
o Minerals and are dyed red for easy
identification.
o Polyalphaolefins
o Phosphate • Mineral based fluids are
commonly used on light aircraft.
esters(Skydrol)
 Polyalphaolefins
• The viscosity of these fluids
• This is a fire- increase significantly at low
resistant fluid. temperatures compared to mineral
based fluids.
  SKYDROL - a
phosphate ester
based oil. Colour - Type 500A purple,
Type 700 green……
Predominantly used in
larger transport category • Is fire resistant and less prone to
aircraft cavitation because of its higher
boiling point.
 • On no account should fluid types
be mixed, as their combination my
• Each type is results in jelling or coagulation,
approached for a leading to possible hydraulic
particular function or system failure.
aircraft type.
 Seals
Seals perform a very important
What is the function of function in a hydraulic system, in
seals? preventing leakage of fluid.
 Types of seals Static seal
o Static seals • Static seals, gaskets and packing
are used in many locations, and
o Dynamic seals these effect a seal by being
squeezed between two surfaces.
  Dynamic seal
may be of many different shapes,
Fitted between sliding depending on their use and on the
surfaces, fluid pressures involved.
“U” and “V” ring seals
are effective in one
direction only,
O” rings and square section seals are
often used where pressure is applied in
either direction.
 or a slight seepage from the seals, is
normally acceptable.
• Where high pressures are used, an
Dynamic seals require “O” ring is normally fitted with a
lubrication to remain stiff backing ring,
effective, which retains the shape of the seal
and wetting of the and prevents it from being squeezed
bearing surface, between the two moving surfaces.
 and a wiper ring is often installed
Seals are easily on actuators to prevent any grit that
damaged by grit, may be deposited on the piston rod
from contaminating the seals.
 Basic system
There are six main
components common to
all hydraulic systems:
 a pump (could be a piston actuated
by a foot force) to drive the system,
valves to control the direction,
Regardless of the speed and pressure of fluid flow,
complexity,
a filter to remove impurities,
all hydraulic systems
and an actuator to apply a force on
comprise of a reservoir
the output.
to store fluid,
 What is the difference between
Hydraulic systems are open-center and closed-centre
classified as either system?
 open-center or
 closed-center.
Hydraulic System
Components
 Reservoirs
o Storage unit for
hydraulic fluid.
o Provides a steady o Ensures the supply of fluids
replacement should charging the system accumulator
some fluid loss due
leakage
 connections for suction pipes to the
o reservoir also contains pumps, and
a relief valve, return pipes from the system;
to prevent over
pressurisation;
 o Baffles & fins to prevent surging
of fluids.
o How?
o It has a screened
Reduce the motion of the fluid
filter to prevent
during flight,
foreign matter from
entering the tank, and to keep the formation of
bubbles to a minimum.
 o A contents in some cases, a temperature
transmitter unit and sensing probe.
a filler cap;
and,
 • This ensures that,
if fluid is lost from that part of the
system supplying the main pumps,
• In systems which are
fitted with a hand or supplied solely by the main
pump, pumps, a reserve of fluid for the
hand pump would still be
the main pumps draw available.
fluid through a stack
pipe in the reservoir.
 Filters They remove foreign particles from
the fluid,
What is the purpose of a and protect the seals
filter?
and working surfaces in the
components.
 other components cause tiny particles
of metal to break off and go into
suspension in the fluid.
During normal a suction filter to protect the pump,
operation, wear and tear and
of the valves, pumps
o a pressure filter to ensure the
and cleanliness of fluid during use.
 Pumps • Pumps may be:
o Draw oil from the hand operated
reservoir and deliver  engine driven
a supply of fluid to electric motor driven
the system.
 Ram air turbine
(HYDRAT or RAT)
 Pneumatically  Hydraulically
(air turbine motor) (Hyd. motor driving a hyd. pump)
(ATM) Known as a Power Transfer Unit or
PTU.
 RAT or PTU is used to provide an
• In most cases the alternate supply as part of the
ATM, redundancy provision for the safe
operation of the aircraft.
 o to allow ground servicing to take
place without the need for engine
running.
 Hand Pumps may be o so that lines and joints can be
the only source of pressure tested.
power in a small,
o so that cargo doors etc., can be
light hydraulic system, but operated without power
in larger aircraft are
employed:
 A positive(Fixed ) displacement
pump
o is the most common type used in
hydraulic applications
Pumps can be classified as
o works by trapping a fixed
 either positive amount of fluid at the pump
displacement or inlet and forcing (displacing) that
 non-positive trapped volume into the discharge
displacement. pipe at the outlet.
 • These pumps consist of two
counter-rotating gears which are
meshed to create a pressure
through the transport of a fixed
• A common positive volume of fluid per revolution.
displacement pump
• The pump takes fluid from the
found in aircraft
suction or input side and transports
hydraulic systems is the
it to the discharge or output side of
gear pump
the pump.
A automatic cut-out
valve o control system pressure and
(ACOV) is fitted to a o provide the pump with an
system employing a idling circuit when no services
constant delivery (fixed have been selected.
volume) pump to:
 since any slight leakage through
components,
or from the system,
would result in frequent operation
An accumulator is of the cut-out, and frequent
fitted as part of the loading and unloading of the
power system when a pump.
cut- out is fitted,
 The accumulator maintains the
Why? system pressure when the pump is
in its ‘cut out’ position.
  Variable
displacement • A compensator built into the
pump automatically regulates
A variable volume pump the pump output based on the
will deliver a volume of system pressure.
fluid proportional to the • A gear pump with a pressure cut-
demands of the off valve acts in the same way.
particular system.
 ASSIGNEMENT
DISCUS THE WORKING PRINCIPLE OF AUTOMATIC
CUT OUT VALVES (ACOV)
  Hydraulic
accumulators
o to dampen pressure
An accumulator is fluctuations.
fitted:
o to allow for thermal expansion
o to store hydraulic
fluid under pressure.
 o To prolong the period between
cut-out and cut-in time of the
ACOV and so reduce the wear
o To provide an on the pump.
emergency supply of
o Provides the initial fluid when a
fluid to the system in
selection is made and the pump
the event of pump
is cut-out
failure.
 Hydraulic jacks
(actuators)
Construction:
Purpose?
They vary in size and construction
To convert fluid flow depending on the operating loads.
into linear or rotary
motion.
 What is hydraulic Because the fluid is incompressible
lock? and is unable to flow through the
system,
When fluid is trapped
between the piston of the piston cannot move even if a
the jack and a non- load is applied to it and is therefore
return valve, a locked in its position.
“hydraulic lock” is said
to be formed.
 or to drive generators or
pumps.
 Hydraulic motors • In some aircraft they are
used for driving a hydraulic
These are a form of pump unit,
rotary actuator,
thus enabling power to be
and are sometimes transferred from one hydraulic
connected through system to another without
gearing to operate a transferring fluid.
screw jack,
 Flow control valves control the
rate of flow and the flow direction.
Valves o They can be used to operate an
Valves are used in a actuator or divert fluid away from
hydraulic system to control a component.
the flow rate, flow direction, o Two common flow control valves
and the pressure in the are selector valves
system.
and check valves.
  A selector valve
• The flow direction can often be
 used to control the reversed which allows the
direction of actuator to move in either
movement of a direction.
hydraulic actuating
cylinder or similar
device.
 • A common check valve uses a
spring-loaded ball seated inside a
 A check valve housing.
• The spring compresses under
• Operates as a one- pressure to allow flow in the
way valve, desired direction.
allowing fluid to flow • Once the flow stops (or reduces
unimpeded in one below a set rate), the ball seats in
direction but not in the the housing, cutting off the flow.
other.
 expansion (thermal relief).
 ultimate system protection
Relief valves are used (full flow relief).
for:  mechanical overload protection

(flap relief).
  Pressure
is basically a relief valve which
Maintaining Valves
maintains the pressure in a primary
A pressure maintaining service at a value suitable for
valve, operation of that service,

or priority valve, regardless of secondary service

requirements.
 Pressure Reducing
Valves.

o used to reduce main

system pressure to a
value suitable for
operation of a service
such as the wheel
brakes.
  Brake Control
Valves. which controls pressure in the brake
system according to the position of
A brake control valve is the pilot’s brake pedals,
essentially a variable the anti-skid system and
pressure reducing valve,
auto-brake selections as required.
  Restrictor Valves
(or choke)

Designed to permit
limited flow in one
direction and full flow
in the other direction
 Non-return Valve

Permits full flow in one

direction,
but blocks flow in the
opposite direction
  Selectors
and to provide a return path for fluid
The purpose of a displaced from the opposite side of
selector is to direct fluid that actuator.
to the appropriate side
of an actuator,
 During normal operation,
free flow is provided from the normal
system to the service and the alternate
 Shuttle Valves line is blocked.

These are often used in landing

gear and brake systems,
to enable an alternate system to
operate the same actuators as the
normal system.
 because of the pressure difference,
blocking the normal line and
allowing the alternate supply to
operate the brakes.

o When normal system

pressure is lost and the
alternate system is
selected,
the shuttle valve moves
across
  Sequence Valves

Often fitted in a landing

gear circuit to ensure
correct operation of the
landing gear doors and
jacks.
 Modulators
 It allows full flow to the brake
A modulator is used in units on initial brake application,
conjunction with the and thereafter a restricted flow.
anti-skid unit in a brake
system.
 Flow Control Valves
it is frequently found upstream of
A flow control valve may a hydraulic motor which is
be fitted in a hydraulic required to operate at a constant
system to maintain a speed.
constant flow of fluid to a
particular component;
 one operates in such a way that
it will shut off the flow of fluid
if sufficient pressure drop
 Fuses occurs across the fuse.
A second type of fuse, does not
 Of the two basic
operate on the principle of
types of hydraulic pressure drop,
fuses in use,
but it will shut off the flow after
a given amount of fluid has passed
through the line.