CHAPTER 3

HYDRAULIC PUMPS

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 Contents
3.1. Introduction

3.2. Pump Classifications

3.3. Pump Performance

3.4. Pump Noise

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3.1 Introduction
A pump is the heart of the hydraulic system and
converts mechanical energy into hydraulic energy. It is
driven by electricity or combustion engines or other
sources.
Due to mechanical action, the pump creates a partial
vacuum at its inlet. This permits atmospheric pressure to
force the fluid through the inlet line and into the pump.

Two broad classifications:

1.Dynamic (non-positive displacement) pumps
2.Positive displacement pumps
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1.Dynamic (non-positive displacement) pumps
In the dynamic group are the centrifugal, axial or mixed
flow pumps.
Normally suited for low pressure and high discharge.
They are of little use in the fluid power system. Pressure
rise is due to acceleration of fluid inside the impeller (due
to dynamic effect).
Primarily used for transporting fluids from one location to
another.
2. Positive displacement pumps
The positive displacement type is universally used for
fluid power systems. Here a fixed amount of fluid is
forced (pushed) through the system per revolution of
pump shaft. 4
 Advantages over dynamic pumps:
• High pressure capability (up to 800 bar)
• Small, compact size
• High volumetric efficiency
• Small changes in efficiency throughout the design
pressure range
• Great flexibility of performance
Three main types of positive displacement pumps:
Gear
Vane and
piston
Vane and piston can be of variable displacement types.
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 Pumps do not pump pressure. Instead they produce
fluid flow.
The resistance to this flow, produced by the hydraulic
system, is what determines the pressure. For example,
if a positive displacement pump has its discharge line
open to the atmosphere, there will be flow, but there
will be no discharge pressure above the atmospheric
because there is essentially no resistance to flow.
Some pumps are made with variable displacement,
pressure compensation capability. Such pumps are
designed so that as system pressure builds up, they
produce less flow. Pressure relief valves are not needed
when pressure-compensated pumps are used.
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Pumping Theory

• All pumps operate on the principle whereby a

partial vacuum is created at the pump inlet due
to the internal operation of the pump. This
allows atmospheric pressure to push the fluid
out of the oil tank/reservoir and into the pump
intake. Referring to the simple piston pump
figure 3.0.

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3.2. Pump classifications
Classification of pumps is shown in
fig-chp3\fig3.1.pptx
Positive Displacement Pumps/Hydrostatic
Pump ejects a fixed quantity of fluid per revolution
of the pump shaft. All such pumps have pressure relief
valves for diverting the flow back to the tank in case of
high pressure.
Essentially there are three basic types: by type of
motion of internal element. Rotary or reciprocating.
1. Gear pumps
2. Vane pumps
3. Piston pumps 8
Gear pumps (fixed displacement)
a.External gear pumps
b.Internal gear pumps
c.Lobe pumps
d.Screw pumps
Vane pumps
e. Unbalanced vane pumps (fixed or variable
displacement)
f. Balanced vane pump (fixed displacement)
Piston pumps (fixed or variable displacement)
g. Axial design
h. Radial design 9
3.2.1 Gear Pumps
A) External Gear Pump
Fluid flow is developed by carrying fluid between
the teeth. fig-chp3\fig3.2.pptx Suction side is where
teeth come out of mesh (volume expansion)
And discharge side where teeth go into mesh
(volume decreases)
Displacement volume of pump is given by
 2
VD  ( Do  Di2 ) L ( m 3 / rev )
4
Where: Do and Di are tip and root diameter of the gears.
Theoretical flow rate for N (rev/min)
 V N
Q ( m 3 / min )
t D 10
 As there is clearance at the tip of the gear teeth oil
can leak back towards the suction line, thus reducing
the actual volume flow rate. This internal leakage
called pump slippage is identified by volumetric

Q
efficiency ηv defined as:   a
v 
Q t
.
Where Qa  Actual flow rate and
.
Q t  Theoretical flow rate

Higher discharge pressure will result in more

leakage thus making the volumetric efficiency lower.
Performance curves are shown in
fig-chp3\fig3.3.pptx
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 Too high pressure can also damage the pump parts.
Such pressures can be due to high resistance to flow
or a closed valve in the pump outlet line. This again
emphasizes the need for relief valves.
Spur gears are noisy and helical gears are less
noisy.
But since they introduce high thrust they are
limited to low pressures (below 15 bars).
Herringbone gear pumps eliminate the thrust and
run smoothly.
Gear pumps are simple in design and compact in size.
The most common types of pump used in fluid power
system. 12
B) Internal Gear Pumps
This is shown in fig-chp3\fig3.4.pptx . Power is
applied to any one of the gears. The motion of the
gears forces the fluid around both sides of the
crescent seal which acts as a seal between the suction
and discharge ports.
Industrial gear pumps can run at 1500-2500rpm
with pressures to 200 bars. Flow rates up to about
400l/min

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C) Lobe Pump
It operates in a fashion similar to the external gear
pump. But both lobes are driven externally so that
there is no direct contact of the surfaces. It is
quieter and has a larger volume flow rate than the
other gear pump typesfig-chp3\fig3.5.pptx .
3.2.4 Gerotor Pump (Gear rotor)
fig-chp3\fig3.6.pptx
It is a form of internal gear pump. Inner gear has one
tooth less than the outer. The inner gear is placed
eccentrically with respect to the outer and this gives
rise to an alternative increase and decrease of the
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 volumes of the pockets as the gears rotate. Operating
pressure range 70-140 bars and for flows up to 240
l/min.
3.2.5 Screw Pump
 This is an axial flow positive displacement unit. The
central rotor is the only one driven and the two idler
rotors that are in rolling contact act as rotating seals.
• Non-pulsating, continuous flow
fig-chp3\fig3.7.pptx.
• Flow rates up to 2000 l/min and pressure ranges up
to 250 bars.

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D) Vane pumps
This is shown in fig-chp3\fig3.8.pptx Freely
moving (radial)vanes are located on the slots of the
cylinder. Centrifugal force keeps the vanes out
against the housing serving as a seal. Because of
eccentricity (housing forms a cam ring) the
compartments between the slots expand and contract.
The expansion assists the intake and the contraction
assists the discharge.
The eccentricityDis given
D by
e c r
2

Where: Dc and Dr are cam ring and rotor diameters. 16

Volumetric displacement per revolution
 2 
Q  (D c  D r )L  (D c  D r )( D c  D r ) L
2

4 4
L is width of rotor.
Q can also be expressed as a function of the
eccentricity as:

Q  ( Dc  D r )eL
2
Vane pumps are classified as fixed or variable
displacement and unbalanced or balanced design.
The following combinations are available:
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• Fixed displacement, unbalanced design
• Fixed displacement, balanced design
• Variable displacement, unbalanced design
The vane pump shown earlier is a fixed
displacement, unbalanced design. There is
unbalanced force on the rotor which results as a side
thrust to be taken up by the bearings.
The balanced design uses two inlet (diametrically
opposed) and similarly two outlets
fig-chp3\fig3.9.pptx . This will eliminate the side
thrust. The cam ring will have an elliptical shape

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 The volume flow rate can be varied by varying the
eccentricity and such a design is called variable
displacement pump fig-chp3\fig3.10.pptx .
System pressure via a hydraulic piston acts on the
cam ring on the right side (not shown). This forces the
cam ring against the compensator spring-loaded piston
(adjustable). If the discharge pressure is large enough, it
overcomes the compensator spring force and shifts the
cam ring to the left thus reducing the eccentricity, which
is maximum when discharge is zero.
At pcutoff – hydraulic piston force=compensator
spring force. Further increase in pressure compresses
the compensator spring until zero eccentricity is
achieved (no flow). pmax =pdeadhead. Figure 3.33 19
E) Piston pumps
It is the reciprocating motion that gives rise to the
pumping process. A series of reciprocating pistons
are involved in this. Normally used for pressures in
excess of 200 bar.
Two basic types of piston pumps, fixed displacement:
• Axial design, pistons parallel to the cylinder block
• Radial design, pistons around the pump drive shaft at
right angles

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Axial Design
In the axial design (in-line piston pump or swash
plate design), two possible arrangements are there
fig-chp3\fig3.11.pptx and fig-chp3\fig3.12.pptx
• Fixing the swash plate and rotating the cylinder
block (piston revolves (also reciprocating) with the
rotor)
• Rotating the swash plate and fixing the cylinder
barrel (piston only reciprocating)
The swash plate type can also be of variable
displacement by changing the offset angle by some
control system. fig-chp3\fig3.13.pptx
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 The volumetric displacement and the theoretical
volume flow rate can be determined as follows.
Using fig-chp3\fig3.17.pptx
tan θ = S/D
S=D tan θ
Where: S-stroke, D-piston circle diameter
Total displacement volume for Y pistons of area A
each and for one cycle
Vd=YAS = YAD tan θ
And for piston speed of N rpm:
  V N  DANY tan  ( m 3 / min)
Q d d
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 A bent axis pump fig-chp3\fig3.15.pptx and fig-
chp3\fig3.16.pptx reciprocates the pistons in the
rotating cylinder block through a bevel gear
mechanism (fixed displacement) or a universal joint
(variable displacement) that changes the offset angle.
fig-chp3\fig3.16.pptx

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Radial Design
The operation and construction of a radial piston
pump is shown in fig-chp3\fig3.17.pptx. The
pistons are in constant contact due to the centrifugal
force. The pumping action is due to the eccentricity
of the rotor with respect to the reaction ring.
In some models, the displacement can be made
variable by moving the reaction ring to change the
piston stroke.

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3.3 Pump performance
Two types of efficiencies will be considered.
Volumetric Efficiency, ηv
This indicates the amount of leakage that takes place
within the pump and given by
actual flow ( rate produced by pump ) 
Q
v   a

theoretica l flow ( rate pump should produce ) Q t
Typical values
Gear pumps: 80% to 90%
Vane pumps: 82% to 92%
Piston pumps: 90% to 98%
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Mechanical Efficiency
This indicates the amount of energy losses that occur
for reasons other than leakage (friction and fluid
turbulence). Typically runs between 90% and 98%.
pump output power no leakage pQ t
m  
actual power delivered to pump Ta

p= pressure rise across pump (Pa)≈pdischarge

 
Q tpump theoretical flow rate (m3/s)
Ta=actual torque delivered to pump (N m)
ω=pump speed (rad/s)
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In terms of torques fig-chp3\fig3.18.pptx
theoretical torque input Tt
m  
actual torque delivered Ta

Q Vd p
Ttω= pQ t Tt  p ; For one cycle Tt 
 2
actual power delivered (W )
Ta 


Q VD
The term volume / radian or displaceme nt per cycle
 2
is a characteristic of a specific motor or pump.

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Overall Efficiency, ηo
Overall efficiency considers all energy losses and
hence is defined as
actual power delivered by pump
o 
actual power delivered to pump
Mathematically it can be represented as
 o   v  m
Substituting the values
Q a pQ t pQ a
O    
Qt Ta Ta
which agrees with the definition.
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Pump Performance Curves
Pump manufacturers specify pump performance
from actual test data. Typical are shown for variable
displacement piston pump and radial piston pumps.
fig-chp3\fig3.19a.pptx
fig-chp3\fig3.19b.pptx
fig-chp3\fig3.20.pptx

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Pump Performance Comparison Factors
fig-chp3\fig3.21.pptx compares various performance
factors for hydraulic pumps
Gear pumps- least expensive; lowest level of
performance; simple in design and compact in size-
makes them the most common type of pump used in
fluid power systems.
Vane pumps-efficiencies and cost fall between gear
and piston pumps-last for long time; needs clean oil
with good lubricity
Piston pumps-most expensive; provide the highest
level of overall performance.
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3.4 Pump noise
• Noise is sound that people find undesirable.
• Prolonged exposure- loss of hearing
• Noise can also mask sounds that people want to hear
such as warning signals.
• Sounds are pressure waves that posses amplitude and
frequency. The ear converts them to electrical signals
which the brain translates into the sensation of sound.
• The strength of sound also called intensity
(dependent on pressure amplitude) is defined in
terms of energy per unit area (W/m2).

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Common sound levels(dB) are given in
fig-chp3\fig3.22.pptx.

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Cavitation is also another source of noise. Need to keep
lowest suction pressure > saturation temperature of oil
at the given operating temperature. Suction
velocity<1.2 m/s
Pump Selection
• Select actuator (cylinder or motor) based on the load
• Determine flow-rate requirement
• Select system pressure
• Determine pump speed and select prime mover
• Select the pump type
Finally optimization may be required for the system
to operate at minimum cost while satisfying the
design requirements. 33