Topic 7.

Pneumatic and Hydraulic Actuation

System
Learning Outcome:
At the end of this chapter, you should be:
1. Identify common pneumatic and hydraulic
component symbols
2. Able to design pneumatic and hydraulic circuits
using various actuation and control elements

7.1 Actuation Systems

Actuations systems - elements of control systems
which are responsible for transforming the output of
a microprocessor or control system into a
controlling action on a machine or device.
This topic discusses two fluid power systems:
pneumatic and hydraulic
Pneumatic: Actuation fluid is compressed air
Hydraulic: Actuation fluid is oil

7.2 Pneumatic and hydraulic systems

Pneumatic signals are often used to control final
control elements, even when the control system is
otherwise electrical.

Hydraulic signals can be used for even higher

power control devices but are more expensive than
pneumatic systems
danger of oil leaks

Pneumatic signals can be used to actuate large

valves and other high power control devices and
so move significant loads.

Hydralic actuation in an excavator

7.2.1 Hydraulic systems

With a hydraulic system, pressurized oil is
provided by a pump driven by an electric motor:

Commonly used hydraulic pumps: Gear pump,

vane pump and piston pump

Gear pump

http://www.animatedsoftware.com/pumpglos/gearpump.htm

Vane pump:

Radial piston pump

http://www.vikingpump.com/en/products/VanePumps/vaneAnimation.html

With a pneumatic power supply an electric motor

drives an air compressor:

Axial piston pump

Basic form of single-acting single stage compressor:

Basic form of rotary vane and screw compressor:

Two stages are used for pressures 10 to 15 bar

7.3 Directional control valves

Pneumatic and hydraulic systems use directional
control valves to direct the flow of fluid through a
system:

Another common form of directional control valve

is the poppet valve:

Common type of directional control valve is the

spool valve:

7.3.1 Valve symbols

Symbol used for control valves consists of a
square for each of its switching positions, e.g. for a
poppet valve:

Ports are labeled 1 (or P) for pressure supply, 3

(or T) for hydraulic return port, 3 or 5 (or R or S) for
pneumatic exhaust ports, and 2 or 5 (or B or A) for
output ports.

Symbols are used to indicate the various ways the

valves can be actuated:

2 port 2 position valve would be described as a

2/2 valve:

2/2 NC valve

 Solenoid operated spool valve and its symbol

Symbol for a 4/2 valve:

Before activation

After activation

Simple example of an application of valves in a

pneumatic lift system

More examples of valve symbols

2/2-way valve, actuation

by pressing, spring
return, normally closed

5/2-way valve,
actuation by pressing,
with detent

3/2-way single-pilot
pneumatic valve, spring
return, normally open

3/2-way valve, actuation

by roller, spring return,
normally closed

5/2-way single-pilot pneumatic

valve, pneumatically actuated
in one direction, spring return

7.3.2 Pilot-operated valves

In a pilot-operated system one valve is used to
control a second valve:
5/2-way double-pilot
pneumatic valve,
pneumatically actuated in
both directions

5/2-way single solenoid

valve, actuated by solenoid
and pneumatic piloting, air
spring return, manual
override

5/3-way single-pilot pneumatic

valve, pneumatically actuated in
both directions, spring-centred,
exhausted in mid-position

5/3-way valve, pressurised in midposition, actuation by lever in every

switching position, with detent

7.3.3 Directional valves

Simple directional valve and its symbol

7.4 Pressure control valves

1. Pressure regulating valves:
- control operating pressure in a circuit and
maintain it at constant value

2. Pressure limiting valves:

- used as safetly devices to limit pressure in a
circuit to below some safe value

3. Pressure sequence valves:

Used to sense pressure of an external line and
give a signal when it reaches some preset value

Pressure limiting valves

7.5 Cylinders

Two basic types: Single-acting and double-acting

Hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder example of a

linear actuator
Cylinder consist of a cylindrical tube along which
a piston/ram can slide

Single-acting cylinder - Control pressure applied to

one side of the piston)

Control of single-acting cylinder:

In double-acting cylinder, control pressure is

applied to each side of the piston:

3/2 NC valve

Control of double-acting cylinder:

Choice of cylinder is determined by the force
required to move the load and the speed
required:
- hydraulic cylinders are capable of much
larger forces than pneumatic cylinders
- pneumatic cylinders are capable of greater
speeds
5/2 valve

 Force produced by a cylinder is equal to the crosssectional area of the cylinder multiplied by the
working pressure,e.g.
A cylinder with a working pressure of 500 kPa
and having a diameter of 50 mm will give a force of
982 N.

0.05 2
= 981.7 N
F = PA = 500 10
4

If the flow rate of hydraulic liquid into a cylinder is

Q m3/s, then the volume swept out by the piston in
1s is Q m3
But,
where

Q = Av
A = cross-sectional area of piston,
v = speed of hydraulic cylinder

v =

Q
A

m/s

7.5.1 Cylinder sequencing

Lets try
A hydraulic cylinder is to be used to move a
work piece in a manufacturing operation through
a distance of 250 mm in 15 s. If a force of 50 kN
is required to move the work piece, what is the
required working pressure and hydraulic liquid
flow rate if a cylinder with a piston diameter of
150 mm is available?

Many control systems employ pneumatic or

hydraulic cylinders as the actuating elements and
require a sequence of extensions and retractions
of the cylinders to occur
In discussions of sequential control with cylinders
it is common practice to give each cylinder a
reference letter A, B, C, D, etc., and to indicate the
state of each cylinder by using a + sign if it is
extended or a - sign if retracted.

An alternative way of realising the above sequence

involves the air supply being switched on and off to
valves in groups and is termed cascade control:

A+, B+, A-, B-

7.6 Servo and proportional control valves

servo
n. (pl. servos) short for servomechanism or
servomotor.
ORIGIN C19: from L. servus slave.

servomechanism
n. a powered mechanism producing motion or forces
at a higher level of energy than the input level, e.g. in
the brakes and steering of large motor vehicles.

Servo and proportional control valves infinite

position valves give spool displacement
proportional to current to solenoid:

7.7 Process control valves

Used to control the rate of fluid flow

F = PA = kx
x = PA/k
xP

7.7.1 Valve bodies and plugs

Shape of plug determines relationship between

stem movement and effect on flow rate:

 With the linear-contoured type of plug

Change in flow rate = k (change in stem displacement)
If Q is the flow rate at a valve stem
displacement S and Qmax is the maximum flow rate at
the maximum stem displacement Smax then,

Q
S
=
Qmax Smax

Qmin

dQ
S
= k S dS
min
Q

ln Q ln Qmin = k (S Smin )

With the equal percentage type of plug, equal

percentage changes in flow rate occur for equal
changes in the valve stem position, i.e.

Q
= kS
Q
for small changes:

dQ
= kdS
Q

Q
Q
= max
Qmax Qmin

(S Smin ) (Smax Smin )

known as rangeability

If at Smax flow rate is Qmax,

ln Qmax ln Qmin = k (Smax Smin )

Dividing the two equations:
ln Q ln Qmin
S Smin
=
ln Qmax ln Qmin Smax Smin

Lets try

7.7.2 Control valve sizing

Equation relating the rate of flow of liquid Q through
a wide open valve to its size:

Q = AV

Above equation is sometimes written, with the

quantities in SI units, as

Q = 2.37 10 5 CV

 Typical values of AV, CV and valve sizes:

Example
Determine the valve size for a valve that is
required to control the flow of water when the maximum
flow required is 0.012 m3/s and the permissible pressure
drop across the valve at this flow rate is 300 kPa

7.7.3 Example of fluid control system

Basic form of a current to pressure converter:

System for the control of a variable such as the

level of a liquid in a container by controlling the rate
at which liquid enters it:

7.8 Rotary actuators

Another alternative is by using vanes:

A linear cylinder can, with suitable mechanical

linkages, be used to produce rotary movement
through angles less than 360:

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What have we learnt?

1. Pneumatic and hydraulic components and their
symbols.
2. Design pneumatic and hydraulic circuits using
various actuation and control elements.
3. Application of Automation Studio to simulate
pneumatic systems
4. Determine size of cylinder based on force
required.

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