Hydraulic Power Packs

Hydraulic power packs are power units which are used to transform electrical or endothermic energy into mechanical energy.
The rotation of the motor (electric, pneumatic or endothermic) imprints a rotation to the pump which is connected ; such pump carries out the suction of the oil (synthetic or mineral) which is contained in a special tank and pushes it, through a specific succession of pipes and valves, towards the actuators to which the power packs are connected.

All hydraulic pumps are marked by:
– displacement (the quantity of oil that is passed in each rotation)
– pressure (the pressure in bar at which it can work without bursting).

The fluid is pushed by the pump and is controlled by several valves, each one with a different function:
Pressure control valves: such valves are mechanical or electromechanical parts, that intercept the oil flow in a circuit and limit the pressure to the determined value. This operation prevents other parts involved in the circuit from the risk of bursting or breaking.
Flow control valves: Such valves are hydraulic components – mechanical or electro-mechanical – with the function of regulating the speed of the oil flow to the actuators, by determining the time during which an actuator completes the established stroke.
Check valves: Such valves direct the fluid into the required passage, preventing the reverse path. At the same time, they prevent the actuators to move when they must remain absolutely still in a certain position.
Hydraulic distributors: They can be manual, mechanical or electro-mechanical. They are needed to direct the flow coming from the pump towards the correct actuator and closing the way to other actuators which have to remain still. If applied to a double-acting cylinder, they allow its opening and closing.