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Concept
Hydraulic machinery
Summary
Hydraulic machines use liquid fluid power to perform work. Heavy construction vehicles are a common example. In this type of machine, hydraulic fluid is pumped to various hydraulic motors and hydraulic cylinders throughout the machine and becomes pressurized according to the resistance present. The fluid is controlled directly or automatically by control valves and distributed through hoses, tubes, or pipes.
Hydraulic systems, like pneumatic systems, are based on Pascal's law which states that any pressure applied to a fluid inside a closed system will transmit that pressure equally everywhere and in all directions. A hydraulic system uses an incompressible liquid as its fluid, rather than a compressible gas.
The popularity of hydraulic machinery is due to the very large amount of power that can be transferred through small tubes and flexible hoses, the high power density and a wide array of actuators that can make use of this power, and the huge multiplication of forces that can be achieved by applying pressures over relatively large areas. One drawback, compared to machines using gears and shafts, is that any transmission of power results in some losses due to resistance of fluid flow through the piping.
Joseph Bramah patented the hydraulic press in 1795. While working at Bramah's shop, Henry Maudslay suggested a cup leather packing. Because it produced superior results, the hydraulic press eventually displaced the steam hammer for metal forging.
To supply large-scale power that was impractical for individual steam engines, central station hydraulic systems were developed. Hydraulic power was used to operate cranes and other machinery in British ports and elsewhere in Europe. The largest hydraulic system was in London. Hydraulic power was used extensively in Bessemer steel production. Hydraulic power was also used for elevators, to operate canal locks and rotating sections of bridges. Some of these systems remained in use well into the twentieth century.
Harry Franklin Vickers was called the "Father of Industrial Hydraulics" by ASME.
Official source
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