Development of a Test-rig to Investigate the Effectiveness of a Hydraulic Oil

Abstract

Hydraulic systems are energy transfer systems that employ fluid to move energy from one location to another. Mineral-based hydraulic fluids are the most common, however research is presently undertaken on renewable, biodegradable, and non-toxic hydraulic oils such as vegetable oil. Some essential qualities of hydraulic oil include optimum viscosity, compressibility, material compatibility, filterability, demulsibility, flammability, foaming tendency, thermal/oxidation stability, pour point, and specific gravity. Power transmission is considered as hydraulic fluid's most important function. When hydraulic oil is produced, simple yet acceptable pump tests are necessary to evaluate power transmission under varying pressures and speeds. The main aim of this project is to develop a system that can be used to investigate hydraulic oil performance in a specific system. Following a thorough literature review, a conceptual design with required test rig components (oil sump/ reservoir, strainer, level indicator, pressure gauge, motor, pump, pressure relief valve, direction control valve, flow control valve, flow meter, filter, check valve, and thermocouple) was developed. The system was built with components that met the feasible specifications. The test rig's performance was analyzed by observing how the temperature of the oil, discharge flow rate, and pump discharge pressure changed over time at various speeds (2400, 2700, and 3000 rpm) . The test equipment can be used to evaluate a hydraulic oil's performance with respect to speed and pressure as well as to compare the performance of different hydraulic oils. It can also be utilized as a laboratory unit to study relationship between different pump system parameters ((pressure, speed,flowrate, and efficiency)