Fundamentals of !

Fluid Power

Week One Homework Problem Solutions

1. Cylinder efficiencies are important parameters because they relate the transmis-
sion of power, force, and displacement from the fluid to the outside world. The
total efficiency defines the percentage of power supplied to a cylinder that is
transferred to the cylinder rod. This is the type of efficiency generally referred
to as power efficiency. Many fluid power applications are more concerned with
either force or displacement than power, and require the force and volumetric
efficiencies. In order to precisely predict the output force of a linear actuator,
the force efficiency is required. Similarly, the volumetric efficiency is required
to predict displacements. Efficiency ratings allows designers to select actua-
tors that are appropriate for their application, and allow for a more accurate
prediction of performance.

2. Increasing the volumetric efficiency requires tighter seals, which generally de-
creases the force efficiency because of increased friction. Similarly, increasing
force efficiency requires looser seals to reduce friction, which generally decreases
the volumetric efficiency because of increased leakage.

3. The output force of an ideal cylinder is simply a function of the cap-side pres-
sure, the rod-side pressure, the cap-side area, and the rod-side area,

Fideal = Acap Pcap Arod Prod .

4. Mechanical inefficiencies reduce the output force of real actuators,

Freal = (Acap Pcap Arod Prod )f ,

where f is the mechanical, or force efficiency.

5. By dimensional analysis (and the support of empirical observation and mea-
surement),
videal = Qcap /Acap
and,
videal = Qrod /Arod ,
where Qcap and Qrod are the flow rates measured at the cap and rod ports of
the cylinder.

6. The velocity of a real cylinder is reduced by leakage, and the relation between
v and Q must account for this inefficiency,
vreal = (Qcap /Acap )v = (Qrod /Arod )v ,
where v is the volumetric efficiency.

7. (a) Using the force equation for a cylinder,

F =P A = 35 M P a (0.125 m)2
4
=430 kN.

(b) Again, using the force equation,

F =P A = 35 M P a (0.09 m)2
4
=223 kN.

8. (a) We must first find the cap-side area by using the cylinder bore diameter,

8.42 = 55.417 cm2 = 5.5417 103 m2 .


Acap =
4
For the cylinder to remain stationary, the pressure multiplied by the cap-
side area must equal the force. Rearranging the equation for force,
F = P A,
into an expression for pressure,
F
P = ,
A
returns the required pressure in Pascals,
3500 + 3500cos (45t)
P = = 631.6 [1 + cos(45t)] kP a.
5.5417 103
 (b) The pressure found in part (a) now acts on an cylinder of area

3.42 = 9.079 cm2 = 9.079 104 m2 .


A=
4
By the definition of the cosine wave, the maximum and minimum forces
will be applied when cos(45t) equals 1 and 1, respectively. Therefore,

Fmax = (631.6 103 P a) (2) (9.079 104 m2 ) = 1146.8 N,

and

Fmin = (631.6 103 P a) (0) (9.079 104 m2 ) = 0.0 N.

9. The area ratio,

Arod
Ar = ,
Acap
may be used to calculate the rod-side area,

7.52 cm2 = 8.836 cm2 = 8.836 104 m2 .


Arod = Ar Acap = 0.2
4
The force efficiency is calculated as a function of the known areas, pressures,
and output force,
F
f =
Pcap Acap Prod Arod
13, 300 N
=
4 106 P a 4.418 103 m2 250 103 P a 8.836 104 m2
= 0.762.

The force efficiency of the cylinder, f , is 75.8%.

10. Conservation of mass and incompressibility couple to enforce conservation of

volumetric flow rate.

0 = Q1 + Q2 Q3 Q4
Q4 = Q1 + Q2 Q3 = 8 + 4 3
Q4 = 9 lpm
11. (a) The cap-side area should be calculated first,

122 cm2 = 113.1 cm2 .


Acap =
4
The flow rate into the cap-side may be calculated using the relation be-
tween velocity, area, and flow rate,

Qcap = vAcap = 4 cm/s 113.1 cm3 = 452.4 cm3 /s.

(b) The rate of fluid storage is given by Qcap Qrod . Since the volumetric
flow rate is linearly related to area, the area ratio may be used to directly
calculate Qrod from Qcap . The rate of fluid storage, Vstore , is

Vstore = Qcap Qrod = 452.4 cm3 /s 0.85 452.4 cm3 /s

= 67.85 cm3 /s.

12. The total efficiency of a fluid power component is defined as the output power
divided by the input power. In this case, the input power is a pressure multiplied
by a volumetric flow rate, and the output power is a velocity multiplied by a
force. After performing unit conversions,
vF 1.5 kW
= = = 0.375
QP 4 kW