Fluid Power Systems (ME353)

Fall 2012
Lecture 10

Directional Control
Devices (Cont.)

 Three-way directional control valves provide a means to extend

rams and single-acting cylinders
The actuator is returned to its original position by an external force
System load
Spring built into the actuator

Typical three-way directional control valve

 During extension, the three-way valve connects the actuator inlet line to a
system supply line, allowing fluid to enter and extend the unit
During retraction, the valve blocks the supply line and connects the actuator
line to a system return line, allowing external force to return the actuator to
its original position while directing displaced fluid to the reservoir

 Four-way directional control valves provide a means to power

actuators in either direction
Valve has four external ports for connection to system supply line,
reservoir, and inlet and outlet of the actuator
Internal structure of the valve allows the ports to be alternately
connected when a change in actuator direction is necessary

Four-way valve powers double-acting cylinder during extension and

retraction

 Four-way directional control valves are typically manufactured

as two- or three-position valves
This provides several operating options when designing circuits
In two-position valves, the first position operates the actuator in
one direction, while the second position reverses the direction

Typical two-position, four-way valve

 In three-position valves, a center position is added that provides

additional circuit operating characteristics

Typical three-position, four-way valve

 A number of center position configurations are available

Closed
Open
Tandem
Floating
Regenerative

Symbols for four-way valve center position

The center position affects directional control characteristics and overall

system efficiency
Each style provides distinct operating characteristics that allow hydraulic
system designers to obtain maximum performance from a system

 A number of activation methods are used to shift the

internal components of directional control valves

Five general categories:

Flow actuation
Manual operation
Mechanical operation
Pilot operation
Electrical operation

 Flow actuation uses internal fluid movement to actuate the valve - No

external mechanism or force is used

Manual operation methods include:

Handwheels
Levers
Push buttons
Foot pedals
These devices require constant operator presence and are typically found in
less-complex systems

Mechanical operation methods include:

Rollers
Cams
Levers
Rams
Mechanical operation is often used when the opening and closing of the
valve must occur at a specific position in actuator travel

 Circuit containing a mechanically actuated directional control

valve

 Pilot operation uses system pressure to activate the valve, rather than
physical labor
This method is effective when:
Larger forces are need to shift the valve
Remote operation is required because of safety or tight physical factors

Pilot-operated directional control valve

 Electrical control of hydraulic systems is common in many types of

equipment
Simple solenoid devices to shift basic valves
Electronic controllers operate proportional solenoid valves to produce
extreme accuracy and repeatability

Typical electrically controlled valve

 Multiple-position directional control valve may be held in a desired

position using springs or detents
Springs are located on the ends of the valve spool to return the valve to
its normal operating position

Symbols for spring-return valves

 Detents are locking devices that hold the spool in a selected position
The spool may be held until the operator manually shifts the valve
Increased system pressure at the end of an operation may automatically
shift detent valves back to the normal position

Typical detent operation

Flow Control Devices

 Flow control devices produce the desired rate of actuator

operating speed by controlling the volume of fluid allowed to
reach the actuator
Flow control devices can be divided into two general types:
Restrictor
Bypass

 Restrictor-type flow control valves limit the volume of fluid

through the valve
Excess pump output is forced to return to the reservoir through
the system relief valve

Circuit containing a restrictor-type flow control valve

 Bypass type flow control valves use an integral control port to

return excess pump output to the reservoir
The returned fluid is at a pressure less than system relief valve
pressure

Circuit containing a bypass-type flow control valve

 Conceptual operation of a flow control valve may be traced to a

basic orifice

 The flow rate through a simple, sharp-edged orifice depends on:

Area of the orifice
Pressure difference between the inlet and outlet sides of the orifice
Viscosity of the fluid, which varies with fluid temperature
Discharge coefficients are typically used in fluid mechanics formulas to
simplify mathematical calculations
These coefficients are available in most technical references covering fluid
mechanics
Formula using a discharge coefficient to calculate flow through an orifice:

Qa = Cd Ao 2 g H
Where:
Qa = actual quantity of flow
Ao = cross-sectional area of orifice
Cd = coefficient of discharge
g = gravity
H = head

 Flow control valves may be noncompensated or compensated

The flow rate through noncompensated valves varies as the
load or fluid viscosity changes
Compensated valves automatically adjust for fluid pressure
variations to produce a consistent flow rate under varying
load and temperature conditions
Noncompensated and compensated flow control valves may
have:
Fixed flow rate
Adjustable flow rate

 The simplest restrictor-type flow control valve is a simple orifice

Basically a calibrated hole
Serves as a noncompensated, fixed-rate flow control device

A needle valve is the simplest

restrictor-type, noncompensated
adjustable flow control device
Consists of an orifice fitted with a
tapered needle machined on a
threaded stem
Turning the threaded stem
changes the effective area of the
orifice, which adjusts the flow
rate through the valve

 When using a restrictor-type, noncompensated flow control

valve, actuator speed varies when system loads change
Caused by the change in pressure drop across the control valve,
which varies the flow rate through the valve
A pressure compensator maintains a constant pressure
difference across the metering orifice of a flow control valve
Senses pressure on the inlet and outlet sides of the orifice
These pressures generate forces that act on the end surfaces
of a sliding spool that is preloaded by a biasing spring
Force generated by the biasing spring establishes the constant
pressure difference across the orifice
This constant pressure difference maintains constant fluid flow
through the valve even when system loads change

 A basic pressure-compensated flow control valve

 Pressure compensator operation

 Temperature compensation is necessary in flow control devices if an

accurate, consistent flow rate through a valve is needed
This is due to the fluid viscosity changes that occur as fluid temperature
changes
Temperature compensation is
typically accomplished in flow
control devices by:
Specially designed, sharp edged
orifice
Heat-sensitive metal rod that
operates a needlelike control
device in the metering orifice of
the valve
Temperature compensation using a heatsensitive metal rod

 In a circuit using a restrictor-type, pressure-compensated flow control valve:

Pressure drop across the internal flow-control device in the valve remains
constant, which produces a constant flow rate through the valve
Actuator speed will not vary when system loads change
In a circuit using a restrictor-type, temperature-compensated flow control valve:
Valve internal flow-control device is adjusted for viscosity variations that occur
during fluid temperature changes
Flow remains constant as system operating temperatures change

 Bypass-type flow control

valves:
Provide accurate flow to actuators
Direct any excess flow from the
pump directly to the reservoir
through an integral port

 The operating pressure of a system using a bypass-type flow control valve is

determined by the load on the actuator plus the pressure needed to overcome
the force of the biasing spring
The relief valve functions only when actuator loads are great enough to
increase system pressure above the cracking pressure of the relief valve

Operation of a bypass flow control valve during increasing or decreasing load

 Operation of a bypass flow control valve during steady load

Operation of a bypass flow control valve with stalled actuator

 The bypass flow control design provides an efficient operating

flow control circuit
Pressure in the system is only as high as needed to move the
load and operate the valve compensator
This reduces system heat generation and energy
consumption
Care must be taken to accurately determine actuator loads
and the cracking pressure of the system relief valve

 Priority and proportional divider valves are designed to divide

one fluid supply between two circuit subsystems
Many of these valves can also be used to combine the flow from two
different circuits

Priority divider valves provide flow to one port before providing flow
to a second port
Often used in mobile equipment where pump output is controlled by engine
speed

Typical priority valve

 Circuit containing a priority divider valve

 Proportional divider valve splits input port flow into two

proportional output flows
Ratio between the output flows may be fixed or variable
Ratio of 50-50 is most common