Hydraulic Pumps

The power source is the key element in a fluid-power system. In a pneumatic system the power source is an air compressor, while in fluid-power systems it is a pump. These normally are driven by an electric motor or internal combustion engine. Various concepts are applied to convert the mechanical energy from a motor or engine to fluid energy in the system. Most systems can be made to work more efficiently when something is installed in the system to allow storage of temporarily unneeded fluid delivered from the pump or compressor. In hydraulic systems, the storage device, of course, is an accumulator; in pneumatic systems, it is a tank or receiver. However, most pneumatic systems are used with a receiver. The decision to use an accumulator in a hydraulic system is less clear-cut, but that decision can affect the choice and application of a hydraulic pump. In some hydraulic systems, intensifiers or "boosters" replace pumps or compressors. They are most often used when one form of fluid energy is available, but a specific system must use another form. Most commonly, such need exists in a plant in which compressed air is readily available, and a hydraulic system is required for a specific small job. In that kind of task, an air-powered intensifier lets the pneumatic system power