BMCG 3643

7.1 CONTROL OF SINGLE-ACTING CYLINDER

Figure 7.1 : Control of single acting cylinder

 Circuit Description :

1. Figure 7-1 shows a 3/2 way, manually actuated, spring return directional control valve
(DCV) can be used to control the operation of a single-acting cylinder. In the spring-offset
mode, fully pump flow goes to the tank via the pressure relief valve.

2. The spring in the rod end of the cylinders retracts the piston as oil from the blank end drains
back to the tank.

3. When the valve is manually actuated into its left envelope flow path configuration, pump
flow extends the cylinder.

4. At 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.
7.2 CONTROL OF A DOUBLE ACTING HYDRAULIC CYLINDER

Figure 7.2 : Control of double acting cylinder

Circuit Description :

1. Spring-centered position : the cylinder is hydraulically locked.

2. Left envelope: the cylinder is extended against its load force Fload

3. Right envelope : the cylinder retracts as oil flows from port P through port B.

4. 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
unles the four-way valve is deactivated.
7.3 PUMP UNLOADING CIRCUIT

Figure 7.3 : Pump unloading circuit

Circuit Description :

1. Figure 7-3 shows a circuit using an unloading valve to unload a pump.

2. The unloading valve opens when the cylinder reaches the end of its extension
stroke because the check valve keep higher pressure oil in the pilot line of the
unloading valve.

3. When the DCV is shifted to retract the cylinder, the motion of the piston reduces
the pressure in the pilot line of the unloading valve.

4. This reset the unloading valve until the cylinder is fully retracted, at which point the
unloading valve unloads the pump.

5. Thus, the unloading valve unloads the pump at the ends of the extending and
retraction strokes as well as in the spring centered positionof the DCV.
 HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC
Application in Unloading Valve:

Circuit 2

Circuit 1

To permit a pump to build pressure to an adjustable

pressure setting and then allow it to discharge oil to
the tank at essentially zero pressure as long as pilot
pressure is maintained.
7.4 DOUBLE PUMP HYDRAULIC SYSTEM

Figure 7.4 : Double pump circuit

Circuit Description :

1. Figure 7-4 shows a circuit that uses high pressure, low flow pump in conjunction
with low pressure, high flow pump.

2. A typical application is a sheet metal punch press in which the hydraulic ram
(cylinder) must extend rapidly over a great distance with very low pressure
but high flow rate requirements.

3. This rapid extension of the cylinders occurs under no external load as the
punching tool(connected to the end of the cylinder piston rod) approaches
the sheet metal strip to be punched.

4. However during the short motion portion when the punching operation occurs,
the pressure requirements are high due to the punching load.
5. During the punching operation, the cylinder travel is small thus the
flow rate requirements are low.

6. The circuit shown eliminates the neccesity of having a very expensive

high pressure, high flow pump.

7. When the punching operation begins, the increase presurre opens the
unloading valve to unload the low pressure pump.

8. The purpose of the relief valve is to protect the high pressure pump
from overpressure at the end of the cylinder stroke and when the DCV
is in its spring centered mode.

9. The check valve protects the low pressure pump from high pressure,
which occurs during the punching operation, at the ends of the
cylinder stroke, and when the DCV is in its spring centered mode.
7-5 COUNTERBALANCE VALVE APPLICATION

Figure 7-5 : Counterbalance circuit

HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC
Application in Pressure Relief Valve: As a counterbalance Valve.

To maintain control of a vertical

hydraulic cylinder to prevent it from
descending due to the weight of its
external load.
 Circuit Description :

1. Figure 7-5 illustrates that use of a counterbalance or back pressure valve to keep
a vertically mounted hydraulic cylinder in the upward position while the pump is idling.

2. The counterbalance valve is set to open at somewhat above the pressure

required to prevent the vertical cylinder from descending due to the weight of its load.

3. This permits the cylinder to be forced downward when pressure is applied on the top.

4. The open center directional control valve unloads the pump.

5. The DCV is a solenoid-actauted, spring centered valve with an open-center

flow path configuration.
7-6 HYDRAULIC CYLINDER SEQUENCING CIRCUITS

Figure 7-6 : Sequencing circuit

 Circuit Description :

1. A sequence valve causes operations in a hydraulic circuit to be have sequentially.

2. Figure 7-6 is an example where two sequence valves are used to control the sequence
of operations of two double-acting cylinders.

3. When the DCV is shifted into its left envelope mode, the left cylinder extends completely,
and the right cylinder extends.

4. If the DCV is then shifted into its right envelope mode, the right cylinder retracts fully,
and then the left cylinder retracts.

5. This sequence of cylinder operation is controlled by the sequence valves.

6. The spring-centered position of the DCV locks both cylinders in place.

Application

1. One application of this circuit is a production operation.

2. For example, the left cylinder could extend and clamp a workpiece via a power vise jaw.

3. Then the right cylinder extends to drive a spindle to drill a hole in the workpiece.

4. The right cylinder then retracts the drill spindle, and then the left cylinder retracts to
release the workpiece for removal.

5. Obviously these machining operations must occur in the proper sequence as

established by the sequence valves in the circuit.
 HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC
Application in Sequence Valve:
Circuit 1 Circuit 2

B B

A
A

To cause a hydraulic system to

operate in a pressure sequence.

What is the operation sequence?

Circuit 1 Circuit 2
A+ B+ A- A+ B+ B- A-
B-
7.7 AUTOMATIC CYLINDER RECIPROCATING SYSTEM

Figure 7-7 : Automatic cylinder circuit

Circuit Description :

1. Figure 7-7 is a circuit that produces continous reciprocation of a hydraulic cylinder.

2. This is accomplished by using two sequence valves, each of which senses a stroke
completion by the corresponding build up of pressure.

3. Each check valve and corresponding pilot line prevents shifting of the four-way valve
until the particular stroke of the cylinder has been completed.
4. The check valves are needed to allow pilot oil to leave either end of the DCV while pilot
pressure is applied to the opposite end.

5. This permits the spool of the DCV to shift as required.

7.8 TWO HANDED SAFETY SYSTEM

Figure 7-8 : Two handed safety circuit

Circuit Description :

1. The safety circuit of Figure 7-8 is designed to protect an

operator from injury.

2. For the circuit function ( extend and retract the cylinder), the
operator must depress both manually actuated valves via the
push buttons.

3. Furthermore, the operator cannot circumvent this safety

feature by tying down one of the buttons, because it is necessary
to release both buttons to retract the cylinder.

4. When the buttons are depress, the main three-position

directional control valve is pilot-actuated to extend the cylinder.

5. When both push buttons are released, the cylinder retracts.

7.9 HYDRAULIC MOTOR BRAKING SYSTEM

Figure 7-9 : Hydraulic motor braking circuit

 Circuit Description :

1. When using a hydraulic motor in a fluid power system, consideration should be

given to the type of loading that the motor will experience.

2. A hydraulic motor may be driving a machine having a large inertia.

3. This would create a flywheel effect on the motor, and stopping the flow of fluid to the
motor would cause it to act as a pump.

4. In a situation such as this, the circuit should be designed to provide fluid to the motor
while it is pumping to prevent it from pulling in air.

5. In addition, provisions should be made for the discharge fluid from the motor to be
returned to the tank either unrestricted or through a releif valve.

6. This would stop the motor rapidly but without damage to the system.

7. Figure 7-9 shows a hydraulic motor braking circuit that possesses these desirable
features for either direction of motor rotation.
7.10 LOCKED CYLINDER USING PILOT CHECK VALVES

Figure 7-10 : Locked cylinder using pilot check valves.

Circuit Description :
1. In many cylinder applications, it is necessary to lock the cylinder so
that its piston cannot be moved due to an external force acting on
the piston.

2. As shown in Figure 7-10, pilot check valve is used for locking the
cylinder.

3. The cylinder can be extended as normally done by the action of the

directional valve.

4. If regular check valves were used, the cylinder could not be extended
or retracted by the action of the DCV.

5. An external force, acting on the piston rod, will not move the piston
in either direction because reverse flow through either pilot check
valve is not permitted under these conditions.
 7.11 CYLINDERS SYNCHRONIZING CIRCUITS

a. Cylinders Connected in Parallel

Figure 7-11a: Cylinders hooked in parallel will not operate in synchronization.

Circuit Description :

1. Figure 7-11a shows that how two identical cylinders can be

synchronized by piping them in parallel.

2. If the two cylinders are identical, it would be necessary for the loads
on the cylinders to be identical in order for them to extend in exact
synchronization.

3. If the loads are not exactly identical, the cylinder with the smaller
load would extend first because it would move at a lower pressure
level.

4. After this cylinder has fully completed its stroke, the system
pressure will increase to the higher level required to extend the
cylinder with greater load.
 HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC
Cylinder Synchronizing Circuit : Cylinder Connected in Parallel

FLOAD

FLOAD

 If the loads are not exactly identical, the cylinder with the smaller load would
extend first because it would move at a lower pressure level.
 After the cylinder has fully completed its stroke, the system pressure will
increase to the higher level required to extend the cylinder with the greater
load.
 Actually there is no two cylinders are really identical. For example,
differences in friction will vary from cylinder to cylinder and this prevent
cylinder synchronization for the above circuit..
 b. Cylinders Connected in Series

Figure 7-11b: Cylinders hooked in series will operate in synchronization.

 Circuit Description :

1. Figure 7-11b shows that hooking two cylinders in series is a simple

way to synchronize the two cylinders.

2. During the extending stroke of the cylinders, fluid from the pump is
delivered to the blank end of cylinder 1.

3. As cylinder 1 extends, fluid from its road end is delivered to the blank
end of cylinder 2.

4. Fluid returns to the oil tank from the rod end of cylinder 2.
 HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC
Cylinder Synchronizing Circuit : Cylinder Connected in Series

FLOAD

FLOAD

 As cylinder 1 extends, fluid from its rod end is delivered to the blank end of
cylinder 2.
 Fluid returns to the oil tank from the rod end of cylinder 2, as it extends via
the DCV.
 For the two cylinders to be synchronized, the piston area of cylinder 2 must
equal the difference between the areas of the piston and rod for cylinder 1.

AP1 − AR1 = AP2

 HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC
Cylinder Synchronizing Circuit : Cylinder Connected in Series

 The pump must be capable of delivering a pressure equal to that required for the
piston of cylinder 1 by itself to overcome the loads acting on both extending
cylinders (Pascal’s law).
 Summing forces on cylinder 1 yields,
p1 AP1 − p2 ( AP1 − AR1 ) = F1
 Summing forces on cylinder 2 yields,

p2 AP2 − p3 ( AP2 − AR2 ) = F2

 Adding the two equations together and nothing that AP2 = AP1 − AR1
and that p3 = 0 (due to the drain line to the tank), we obtain the desired result :

p1 AP1 = F1 + F2
HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC
7-12 Regenerative Cylinder Circuit

 Regenerative circuit is used to

speed up the extending speed of
a double acting cylinder.
 During the extension, flow from
the rod end regenerates with the
pump flow to provide greater
flow rate.
 The operation of the cylinder
during the retraction stroke is
the same as that of a regular
double acting cylinder.
 HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC
Regenerative Cylinder Circuit

 The total flow rate (QT) entering the blank

end of the cylinder equal the pump flow
rate (QP) plus the regenerative flow rate
AP Ar (QR) coming from the rod end of the
vext cylinder.
QT= QP + QR
QT=QP+QR Solving for the pump flow rate,
QP= QT - QR
QP = AP vext − ( Ap − Ar )vext
QR
Hence, QP
vext =
QP Ar
 Retracting speed : QP
vret =
Ap − Ar
 Ratio of Extending and Retracting Speeds
vext Ap − Ar Ap
= = −1
vret Ar Ar
 HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC
Regenerative Cylinder Circuit

 Ratio of Extending and Retracting Speeds

vext Ap − Ar Ap
= = −1
vret Ar Ar

 Load carrying capacity during extension

Fload ext = pAr (Less than regular double acting cylinder, Fload=pAp)

 This is because system pressure acts on both sides of the piston during the
extending stroke of the regenerative cylinder.
 Load carrying capacity during retraction

Fload ret = p ( Ap − Ar )
The End