A light-hearted ramble through the history of hydraulic fluid power from its birth at the end of the 18th century up to the modern day. The book includes numerous illustrations, including the first hydraulic excavator and the virtual reality ship which could accommodate 700 passengers.

HYDRAULIC FLUID POWER LEARN MORE ABOUT HYDRAULIC TECHNOLOGY IN HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS DESIGN WITH THIS COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE Hydraulic Fluid Power provides readers with an original approach to hydraulic technology education that focuses on the design of complete hydraulic systems. Accomplished authors and researchers Andrea Vacca and Germano Franzoni begin by describing the foundational principles of hydraulics and the basic physical components of hydraulics systems. They go on to walk readers through the most practical and useful system concepts for controlling hydraulic functions in modern, state-of-the-art systems. Written in an approachable and accessible style, the book’s concepts are classified, analyzed, presented, and compared on a system level. The book also provides readers with the basic and advanced tools required to understand how hydraulic circuit design affects the operation of the equipment in which it’s found, focusing on the energy performance and control features of each design architecture. Readers will also learn how to choose the best design solution for any application. Readers of Hydraulic Fluid Power will benefit from: Approaching hydraulic fluid power concepts from an “outside-in” perspective, emphasizing a problem-solving orientation Abundant numerical examples and end-of-chapter problems designed to aid the reader in learning and retaining the material A balance between academic and practical content derived from the authors’ experience in both academia and industry Strong coverage of the fundamentals of hydraulic systems, including the equations and properties of hydraulic fluids Hydraulic Fluid Power is perfect for undergraduate and graduate students of mechanical, agricultural, and aerospace engineering, as well as engineers designing hydraulic components, mobile machineries, or industrial systems.

More and more vehicles are being electrified. Mobile working machines and heavy trucks are not excluded, and these machines are often hydraulically intense. Electrification entails new requirements for the hydraulic system and its components, and these requirements must be taken into consideration. Hydraulic systems have looked similar for a long time, but now there is an opportunity to advance. Many things change when a diesel engine is replaced with an electric motor. For example, variable-speed control becomes more relevant, electric regeneration becomes possible, and the use of multiple prime movers becomes an attractive alternative. The noise from the hydraulic system will also be more noticeable when the diesel engine is gone. Furthermore, the introduction of batteries to the system makes the energy more valuable, since batteries are heavy and costly compared to a diesel tank. Therefore, it is commercially viable to invest in the hydraulic system. This thesis revolves around the heart of the hydraulic system, that also is the root of all evil. That is the pump. Traditionally, a pump has had either a fixed displacement or a continuously variable displacement. Here, the focus is on something in between, namely a pump with discrete displacement. The idea of discrete displacement is far from unique, but has not been investigated in detail in combination with variable speed before. In this thesis, a novel design for a quiet pump with discrete displacement is presented and analysed. The results show that discrete displacement is relevant from an energy perspective for machines working extensively at high pressure levels and with low flow rates, and that a few discrete values are enough to make a significant difference. However, for other cycles, the possible energy gains are very limited, but the discrete displacement can be a valuable feature if downsizing the electric machine is of interest.

The excitement and the glitz of mechatronics has shifted the engineering community's attention away from fluid power systems in recent years. However, fluid power still remains advantageous in many applications compared to electrical or mechanical power transmission methods. Designers are left with few practical resources to help in the design and

This book explores the history of mechanical engineering since the Bronze Age. Focusing on machinery inventions and the development of mechanical technology, it also discusses the machinery industry and modern mechanical education. The evolution of machinery is divided into three stages: Ancient (before the European Renaissance), Modern (mainly including the two Industrial Revolutions) and Contemporary (since the Revolution in Physics, especially post Second World War). The book not only clarifies the development of mechanical engineering, but also reveals the driving forces behind it – e.g. the economy, national defense and human scientific research activities – to highlight the links between technology and society; mechanical engineering and the natural sciences; and mechanical engineering and related technological areas. Though mainly intended as a textbook or supplemental reading for graduate students, the book also offers a unique resource for researchers and engineers in mechanical engineering who wish to broaden their horizons.

This volume showcases the valuable achievements of the Romanian technology and industry worldwide. It started from the premise that the history of Romanian technique is scarcely known outside the borders of Romania. The main Romanian contributions to the world’s technological heritage are missing, except for a few names in the field of aviation, from the great encyclopedias and dictionaries published worldwide. This is due, among other reasons, to the insufficient promotion in widely spoken languages of the history of Romanian technology. The multidisciplinary approach of the volumes means that the field of technology had to be split into several branches. The present volume includes the following industries: mining, metallurgy, oil, natural gas, machine building, agricultural machinery, military, textiles, and construction. Folk technology, the formation of the industrial system, and mechanics are tackled in separate chapters. For each field, are engaged the collaboration of authors who have already published a history of their field. Certain chapters were drafted with the aid of specialists who have played the part of policy makers in the elaboration of development strategies for Romania and who are familiar not only with the facts and the history of their field, but also with the ‘philosophy’ behind its development.

This is a unique account of the development and operational use of air-to-air flight refuelling since its early beginnings in the USA and the UK to the equipment that is in use today. The author draws upon his life-long career as senior design engineer with the successful British company In-Flight Refuelling who were responsible for the development of the hose and drogue technique now preferred by many of the world's air forces. The story begins in the early 1920s when the art of air refuelling was part of the Barn Storming record-breaking attempts that were popular in the USA. It continues into the late thirties when successful experiments were made. Amazingly, the Royal Air Force were not interested in pursuing this great technical advantage during World War II and it was the USAAF who requested the British invention to experiment with on their B–17s and B-24s. The Korean War saw extended use of operational air-to-air refuelling for the first time and now the 'tanker fleet' is an essential unit in major air-forces around the world.

This work introduces the principles of water hydraulics technology and its benefits and limitations, and clarifies the essential differences between water and oil hydraulics. It discusses basic components and systems, including hydraulic power generators (pumps), hydraulic control components or modulators (valves), hydraulic transmission lines (tubes, hoses and fittings) and hydraulic actuators (single- or double-acting cylinders and rotary motors). A listing of water hydraulics components/systems manufacturers is provided.