ACTUATORS

Introduction
Actuators extract energy from a fluid and
convert it to mechanical energy to perform
useful work.
Linear actuators Cylinders
Rotary actuators Motors
Limited rotation motors Oscillation fluid
motors

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Single acting cylinder
Consists of a piston inside a cylindrical housing called a
Barrel.
Attached to one end of the piston is a rod, which extends
outside one end of the cylinder (rod end).
At the other end (blank end) is a port for the entrance and
exit of oil.
Exerts a force in only one direction.
Retraction can be accomplished by gravity or by the
inclusion of a compression spring in the rod end.

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Single acting cylinder

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Double acting cylinder
Capable of delivering forces in both the directions.
Barrel: Seamless steel tubing, honed to a fine finish on inside surface
Piston: Ductile iron, contains U-cup packings to seal leakage between
piston and barrel.
The ports are located in the end caps which are secured to barrel by tie
rods.
The load of the piston rod at the neck is taken by a rod bearing, which
is made of brass or bronze.
Rod wiper is provided at the end of the neck to prevent foreign
particles and dust from entering into the cylinder along with the piston
rod.

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Double acting cylinder

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Double acting cylinder

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Cylinder mountings and mechanical linkages

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Cylinder mountings and mechanical linkages

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Cylinder mountings and mechanical linkages

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Cylinder Force, Velocity and Power
Force (F) and Velocity (v) of a double acting cylinders are not same for
extension and retraction strokes.
Ap - Area of Piston
Ar - Area of Rod
Extension stroke
Fext = P Ap
vext = Qin/Ap
Retraction stroke
Fret = P (Ap Ar)
vret = Qin/(Ap Ar)

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Cylinder cushions
To slow down the piston near the ends of the stroke. This prevents
excessive impact when the piston is stopped by the end caps.
Deceleration starts when the tapered plunger enters the opening in the
cap.
This restricts the exhaust flow from the barrel to the port.
During the last small portion of the stroke, the oil must exhaust through
an adjustable opening.
The check valve allow the free flow to the piston during direction
reversal.

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Cylinder cushions

Exercises

A pump supplies oil at 20 gpm to a 2-in diameter double-acting hydraulic

cylinder. If the load is 1000lb.(extending and retracting) and the rod
diameter is 1in, find
The hydraulic pressure during the extending stroke [Ans: 318psi]
The piston velocity during the extending stroke [Ans: 2.05ft/s]
The cylinder horsepower during the extending stroke [Ans: 3.72 HP]
The hydraulic pressure during the retraction stroke [Ans: 425 psi]
The piston velocity during the retraction stroke [Ans: 2.73 ft/s]
The cylinder horsepower during the retraction stroke [Ans: 4.96 HP]
Note:

Power (KW) = vp (m/s) F (KN) = Qin (m3/s) p (kPa)

Exercises

Find the cylinder force F required to move a 6000-lb weight W along a

horizontal surface at a constant velocity. The coefficient of friction (CF)
between the weight and horizontal support surface equals 0.14.
[Ans:840lb]
Find the cylinder force F required to lift the 6000-lb weight W along a
direction which is 30o from the horizontal. The weight is moved at constant
velocity. [Ans: 3000lb]
The 6000-lb weight is to be lifted upward in a vertical direction. Find the
cylinder force required to
Move the weight at constant velocity of 8 ft/s. [Ans: 8980 lb]
Accelerate the weight from zero velocity to a velocity of 8 ft/s in 0.50s.
[Ans: 16ft/s2 , Faccel = 2980 lb]

Cylinder loadings through Mechanical linkages

First-class lever system

Cylinder loadings through Mechanical linkages

Second - class lever system

Cylinder loadings through Mechanical linkages

Third-class lever system

Exercises

Calculate the cylinder force required to overcome the load force for first,
second and third class lever using the following data: L 1 = L2 = 10in.,
= 0o, Fload = 1000 lb . [Ans: 1000 lb, 500 lb, 2000 lb]

A pump delivers oil at a rate of 18.2gpm into the blank end of the 3-inch
diameter hydraulic cylinder shown in fig. The piston contains a 1-inch
diameter cushion plunger that is 0.75 inch long, and therefore the piston
decelerates over a distance of 0.75 inch at the end of its extension stroke.
The cylinder drives a 1500-lb weight, which slides on a flat horizontal
surface having a coefficient of friction (CF) equal to 0.12. The pressure
relief valve setting equals 750psi. Therefore, the maximum pressure (p 1) at
the blank end of the cylinder equals 750psi while the cushion is
decelerating the piston. Find the maximum pressure (p 2) developed by the
cushion.[Ans: 856psi]

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Double Rod Cylinder
Cylinder with single piston with piston rod extending from each end.
Cylinder allows work to be performed at either or both ends.
It may be desirable when operating speed and return speed are equal.

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Tandem Cylinder
Has two cylinders mounted in line with pistons connected by a common
piston rod.
These cylinders provide increased output force when the bore size of a
cylinder is limited.
But the length of the cylinder is more than a standard cylinder and also
requires a larger flow rate to achieve a speed because flow must go to
both pistons.

Linear Hydraulic Actuators

Telescopic Cylinders
These cylinders are where long work-strokes are needed.

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Limited angle rotary actuator:

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Analysis of Torque Capacity
RR = outer radius of rotor (in, m)
RV = outer radius of vane (in, m)
L = width of vane (in, m)
P = hydraulic pressure (psi, Pa)
F = hydraulic force acting on vane (lb, N)
A = surface area of vane in contact with oil (in2 , m2)
T = torque capacity (in. lb, N .m)

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Analysis of Torque Capacity
F = P A = P (RV - RR ) L
T = P (RV - RR ) L ((RV + RR ) /2) = (PL/2) (R2V - R2R )
VD = (R2V - R2R ) L
T = (P VD /2 )

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Rack-and-pinion piston-type rotary actuator:

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Helix actuator:

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Parallel piston rotary actuator:

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Rotary Hydraulic Actuators

Hydraulic Motor theoretical torque, Power and

Flow rate

English Units

Metric Units

Theoretical Power (W) =

Hydraulic Power =

Hydraulic Power =

Motor Efficiencies
Volumetric efficiency (v)

Mechanical efficiency (m)

Overall efficiency (o)

Exercises

A single-vane rotary actuator has the following physical data: outer radius
of rotor = 0.5 inch, outer radius of vane = 1.5 inch, width of vane = 1 inch.
If the torque load is 1000 in.lb, what pressure must be developed to
overcome the load? [Ans: 1000psi]
A hydraulic motor has a 5in3 volumetric displacement. If it has a pressure
rating of 1000 psi and it receives oil from a 10-gpm theoretical flow rate
pump, find the motor (a) speed, (b) Theoretical torque and (c) Theoretical
horsepower. [Ans : 462rpm, 795 in.lb, 5.83HP]
A hydraulic motor has a displacement of 10in3 and operates with a pressure
of 1000 psi and a speed of 2000 rpm. If the actual flow rate consumed by
the motor is 95 gpm and the actual torque delivered by the motor is
1500in.lb, find : (a) v (b) m (c) o (d) the actual horsepower delivered by
the motor. [Ans: 91.1%, 94.2%, 85.8%, 47.6 HP]

Exercises

A hydrostatic transmission, operating at 1000psi pressure, has the

following characteristics:
Pump
VD = 5in3
v = 82%
m =88%
N=500rpm

Motor
VD =?
v = 92%
m = 90%
N=400rpm

Find the (a) Displacement of the motor , (b) Motor output torque
[Ans : 4.71 in3 , 674 in.lb ]