1472 Analogies Between Hydraulic and Electical Systems — Part 2
hydraulics sat ca
pneumatics
Analogies Between Hydraulic and Electrical Systems — Part 2
Jack Johnson, P.
Tue, 2014-05-13 09:54
In Part 2 of this report, we look at how voltage and pressure are similar, but not identical forces for
electricity and fluid motion, respectively.
Bs Download this article in PDF format
| This file type includes high-resolution graphics and schematics when
applicable.
Last month’s discussion illustrates how voltage and pressure provide the motivating forces for their
respective fundamental elements — electrons and molecules of fluid. Voltage is a measure of the
difference in potential energy per unit of charge between two points in a circuit or some other electrical
space. The unit of voltage is the volt. Voltage is the energy per unit of electrieal charge, measured as
Newton-meter per coulomb. What's important is the force element (Newton).
Voltage is represented by two different algebraic symbols: V and E. The source of the V should be
obvious, but where does the E come from? The archaic name for voltage was electromotive force and is
still, at times, abbreviated as emf. The earliest electrical concepts used fluid flow as analogous and
identical processes. Only after Georg Simon Ohm asserted that current and voltage are linearly related
did scientists understand that fluid and electrical properties are similar, but not identical
mathematically.
Many people usually reserve the letter E for
voltage sources, such as batteries and
generators, whereas Vis generally reserved
for voltage losses — generally caused by
resistance and other impeding elements.
The use of upper and lower-case letters
usually differentiates steady-state values
(upper case) and time-varying quantities
ower case).
Pressure, like voltage, is a measure of the
potential energy difference between two
points ina circuit or in space. It is expressed
as force per unit of area, such as Ib/in.?
(psi) or N/m? (Pascal). The Pascal is such a
tiny amount of pressure that we generally
use it with the mega prefix (MPa).
Pressure can be viewed as related to potential energy by a simple manipulation of the units. For
example, multiplying both the numerator and denominator of psi by inches yields energy per unit
volume:
hydrautcspreumaticscomypriny./analogis-between-hydraulic-and-elecvial-systems-part-2 wa1472 Analogies Between Hydraulic and Electical Systems — Part 2
psi x in./in. = Ib-in./in3
The key word with pressure is difference, because it is a measure of the potential difference between
two points in the circuit.
Measuring voltage and pressure
Voltage and pressure are measured with voltmeters and pressure gauges, respectively. Both are two-
terminal devices. That is, two connections must be made to the instrument. This fact is often lost on
pressure gauges because of the way they are built and the way we choose to teach students how to use
them.
To illustrate the point, consider first, a differential pressure transducer or differential pressure gauge.
The schematic symbol is shown in Figure 3. The transducer construction is not carried in the symbol. It
could be a Bourdon tube with purely a mechanical display, or it could be an electromagnetic sensing
clement with a deflectable diaphragm and electrical signal output. We don't know, and at this point, we
don’t care. But it has two input connections because pressure is a measure of the difference in potential
between two points in the circuit,
If the positive terminal is connected to, say, the output port of an operating pump, and the negative
terminal is not connected to anything, the pressure reading will be a measure of the difference between
the pump output pressure and atmospheric pressure. On the other hand, if the negative terminal is
connected to a near-perfect vacuum, the reading will be a measure of the absolute pressure of the pump
outlet. If the negative terminal is connected to the output port of some control valve, the reading will be
the difference in pressure between the pump output and the valve output. Normally, this would be the
pressure drop across the valve’s metering clement. The point is that the instrument has two terminals,
but the user connects both or only one. Doing so determines the meaning of the pressure difference
reading.
How, then, is the common single-port
Bourdon-tube pressure gauge a pressure-
difference device? Clearly, there is no second
plumbing port. The key to understanding its
difference measurement is to consider the
mechanical aspects of the Bourdon-tube
sensing element. The active port is connected
into the fluid-power circuit, and pressure
inside the tube causes the tip to straighten. At
‘the same time, atmospheric pressure acts on
the outside of the tube and, if the atmosphere
is at some absolute pressure, that pressure
will attempt to push the tube back to its
relaxed state, trying to undo what the internal
pressure is doing, If the tube was surrounded
by aleak-free enclosure, and that enclosure
was outfitted with an external fitting, the
instrument would become a fully functioning differential pressure transducer with both ports accessible
by the user.
An absolute pressure transducer is a differential sensing device. However, one port is always connected
to an internal chamber at almost a perfect vacuum. Thus, it reads the absolute pressure of whatever the
one port is connected to,
hydrautcspreumaticscomypriny./analogis-between-hydraulic-and-elecvial-systems-part-2 21a1472 Analogies Between Hydraulic and Electical Systems — Part 2
Avvoltmeter always has two connections available to the user. Electrohydraulic practitioners will likely
use a handheld digital multimeter. One of the two connections is labeled +, V, A, or O and connected to a
red lead wire. The other is labeled “COMM” and is connected to a black lead wire. This practice helps
keep the algebraie sign straight, which can be important, especially if automatie control systems will be
used. The bottom line is that both leads must be connected to the circuit being tested in order to get a
usable voltage reading. The digital multimeter is the instrument of choice in the well-equipped
electrohydraulic tool kit.
Absolute zero pressure and voltage
The idea of a condition of absolute zero pressure is imaginable, if not actually achievable. If you could
completely remove all the gas molecules from a sealed container, the pressure within the container
‘would be at absolute zero. For all practical purposes, enough of the gas molecules can be removed so
that a practical perfect vacuum can be achieved, and absolute pressure instruments can be built.
Voltage is different, and this is where analogies begin to break down. There is no such thing as a
condition of absolute zero voltage. The most important consequence of this reality is that cavitation in
electrical circuits cannot exist. Voltage can be as negative as necessary to satisfy the physical laws of
electricity. Not so with pressure. If a region in a hydraulic circuit gets low enough, gases begin to
emerge from the fluid (outgassing) and the pressure can never become less than absolute zero. Gases in
the hydraulic fluid can lead to serious failure of hydraulic machines of all types.
In contrast, voltage will reach as far into negative values as is necessary to satisfy all the pertinent
physical laws. The concepts of meter-in and meter-out are essentially meaningless in electrical circuits,
Ifyou want to shut off an electrie motor, a switeh can be placed in either of the motor’s two terminals —
not so with the hydraulic motor,
Figure 5 contains a simple direct current, electric motor circuit and an equally simple hydraulic motor
cireuit. The electric motor circuit has two control switches, and the hydraulic motor circuit has two on-
off valves. The idea is to compare how the two motors are brought to a stop and how the choice of
switch or valve differs in the two circuits.
Let's begin with the two power supplies powered up, the switches and valves in the positions shown, and
the motor shafts rotating. Both electrical switches as shown in their closed positions (they are
conducting), whereas both hydraulic valves are in their open positions (they, too, are conduct
Therefore, a closed electrical switch is analogous to an open hydraulic valve, and vice-versa.
18).
Valves and switches
‘Now assume both switches are closed, the motor is powered up and running normally and we open
Switch 1. That is, the circuit is interrupted by moving the switch’s movable member. This action
removes electrical power from the motor, so it will coast to a stop. While it is coasting to a stop, the
motor operates as a generator from the energy stored in the inertia of the rotor and/or load inertia.
When all the inertial energy is dissipated, the motor will stop. If we open Switch 2 instead of Switch 1,
the result is the same, Power is removed from the motor, and it coasts to a stop when all the inertial
energy is dissipated. If we need to bring the motor to a stop suddenly, a more robust method must be
used, called dynamic braking. Dynamic braking recovers electrical energy from the rotating motor,
creating a load that decelerates the motor.
hydrautcspreumaticscomypriny./analogis-between-hydraulic-and-elecvial-systems-part-2 Bra1472
Stopping a hydraulic motor is
much more complex: Valve 1
is referred to as a meter-in
valve because it is located in
the power inlet circuit of the
Switch 1
Analogies Between Hydraulic and Electical Systems — Part 2
Electric
current
Valve 1
(meter in}
Hy sic
Highpresue | ee He
side
hyo
motor. Valve 2 is referred to
as a meter-out valve because
it is located at the outlet of
the motor. Now, with the
motor running normally and =
the valves in the positions
shown, suddenly shifting
Valve 1 to its blocked
(closed) position removes
power from the motor.
Because of the inertia of the
motor (which is low compared to the inertia of an electrical motor rotor) and its load, the motor will
continue to turn, and pressure in the line between Valve 1 and the motor makes precipitous drop toward
vacuum conditions. The low pressure results in outgassing in the upper part of the circuit as its fluid is
pulled out of the lines while the coasting motor runs as a pump on the inertial effects. Eventually, the
fluid is pumped out of the circuit and the motor coasts to a stop on inertial energy.
low-pressure
side
Valve 2
{meter out]
Switch 2
The external action of the hydraulic motor is similar to that of the electric motor. However, outgassing
must be avoided because the air pulled out of solution will find its way into the reservoir, where it can be
ingested by the pump, resulting in cavitation damage. Outgassing can be prevented by using a simple fix
called an anticavitation circuit.
But what happens if, instead, we shift Valve 2 to its blocked position? The reaction of the motor is not
totally predictable without knowing much more about the cireuit. However, some insight is useful in
pointing out the problems. If the valve is blocked suddenly, the pressure on the “low pressure side” of
the motor rises suddenly as the load and motor inertias cause the motor to operate as a pump. The
positive displacement of the motor, now in a pumping mode, will cause the low-pressure side to rise to a
level that could be damaging to the motor and/or the circuitry. Possible damage can be breakage of the
motor shaft when the load inertia is high or rupture of the plumbing on the so-called “low-pressure
side.” The point is, a one-for-one analogy between the electrical and hydraulic circuits creates problems
in the hydraulic cireuit. Neither valve in Figure 5 will do a safe and effective job of stopping the motor.
Source URL: http://hydraulicspneumatics.com/other-technologies/analogies-between-hydraulic~
\d-electrical-systems-part-2
lcspreumaticscomy pint. /analogies-between-hydraulc-and-electical-systems-pat-2 an