Eng-Tips is the largest engineering community on the Internet

Intelligent Work Forums for Engineering Professionals

  • Congratulations waross on being selected by the Eng-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

Precise flow divider for 700 bar pressure

Status
Not open for further replies.

Leo Stipisic

Industrial
Jan 22, 2021
6
HR
Hello,
can anybody give me an advice where to look for a gear type flow divider (or maybe another design type) for a system that has a maximum operating pressure of a 700 bars (~ 10152 psi).
I have looked but have not been successful, every option I found max out at around 350 bars.

I need a device to equally distribute flow to let's say 4 hydraulic cylinders, at 700 bars of pressure. Voulume (flow) is not so relevant, it is very low).

I found just this kind of system (not sure if I am alloved to put links in thread) :


Thank you for help.
 
Replies continue below

Recommended for you

You might consider tandem pumps rather than a flow divider.

Ted
 
I agree about that, but in this particular case we already have a pump and just need to divide that flow equally.
 
I seem to remember that gear-type flow dividers can in certain instances turn into pressure intensifiers. I can't remember the specifics though and its too late for me to look into it.

And a purely mechanical option is what they use to lift buildings. I have never seen a detailed drawing but from what I understand it is a large area piston driving many smaller pistons. You have to have equal flow even if the smaller cylinders have unequal pressure.
 
2RedSnake - on that link is just a dividing manifold with needle valves, that can't do the trick.
2IceStationZebra - That's what I do need, a divider that will send equal flow regardless of counter-force being applied on cylinder rod.
 
It would be easier to help if you explained what the function of the machine will be/is ?
And why the pressure must be 700 bar?

Best Regards A

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein
 
I seem to remember that gear-type flow dividers can in certain instances turn into pressure intensifiers. I can't remember the specifics though and its too late for me to look into it.
Yes, if one of the out put ports go to the load and the other to tank then the pressure at the load output is doubled minus some inefficiencies. Basically the energy in is equal to thee energy out.

I once consulted on a dam project. Each end of the dam gate was lifted by a pump. The gates were long and about 100 tons. There were crude position sensors. Should one end of the gate be higher than the other by some amount then some of the oil from the high cylinder was dumped to tank till it was even with the lower cylinder. Simple.

The question I have is why not make the cylinder areas twice as big so a more reasonable 350 bar can be used.
Then the flow dividers wouldn't be needed. Still use the simple technique of relieving oil from any cylinder that is too high.





Peter Nachtwey
Delta Computer Systems
IFPE Hall of Fame Member
 
That was acctually my next suggestion/question..

The reason why there are so few hydraulic components with higher pressures than 350 - 420 bar ..
Is that cost end the risk assessment increases exponentially with the pressure increase.
So it is better to stick to "as low" pressures as possible as long as the force can be maintained.
The risk assessment for the force you need to do anyway..

But it is difficult to give good edvice, when one does not know the end purpose/functionality ..

Best regards A

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein
 
PNachtwey or someone..
I have a question about nozzels to reduce the hydraulic flow, is that something you can help me with?
Do not really know in which forum I should put the question :-( there are too many to choose from..

Best Regards A

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein
 
On this exact application we are talking about system for lifting bridges etc, one high-pressure hydraulic pump flow has to be equally divided to 4 ÷ 8 hydraulic lifting cylinders. System uses 700 bars because of compact design.
 
A asume they need to lift with the same hight and speed at all times so the bridge is allways level?
Or do you need the posibility ta adjust the cylinders into diffrent hights?

BR A

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein
 
On this exact application we are talking about system for lifting bridges etc
The doubling the pressure trick will not work then. Get a gear type flow divider that will have one input and 4 outputs.
Use the trick I mention about relieving some oil on any cylinder that is higher than the others. It has worked for dams.
Feedback will be required.
The Emsworth dams below Pittsburgh work this way.

Ditto Redsnakes' concerns about the higher pressure when the diameter of the cylinder only increase roughly by 1.41 times.
@Redsnake, you should start a new thread rather than distracting this one.




Peter Nachtwey
Delta Computer Systems
IFPE Hall of Fame Member
 
For this system, pump can easely provide 700 bars. Components in system are rated for maximum 700 bar. No higher pressure is needed. Theoretically, if I could fine a gear type flow divider with one common shaft, it would be perfect. Level of precision would work for me with this setup. But as it seems that there is not this kind of flow distributor for 700 bar, we will turn into different direction. We will try 4/3 solenoid powered flow valves together with deblocking-check valves, together with fixed orifices. Power for all 4 solenoids will be turned ON in same time, so I think we will have satisfying precision. However, this does not include same oil flow to all cylinders, but this system depends on counter force applied on cylinder rods. But on controller you will be able to choose which solenoid valves to engage at same time, and which ones to be left in central neutral position.
This is not perfect but it will give us some control. Simplicity and cost effectivness the goal.
 
PNachtwey said:
@Redsnake, you should start a new thread rather than distracting this one.
I am not shore where the distraction lies?
If you meen the nozzle problem, I did. :)

BR A

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein
 
2RedSnake> both of these functions (equal travelling for all cylinders, and also possibility to adjust some of them independently) would be the best, if that could be done.
 
Mechanically, what are you trying to do?

When multiple cylinders are being used to raise a load, I've found only two approaches that work:

(1) Make the mechanism linking the cylinders sufficiently rigid so that a lagging cylinder will be dragged along without jamming.

(2) Make the mechanism so flexible that any one cylinder can deflect to full stroke without depending on the others moving at all.

In-between is asking for trouble.

In the case of, for example, raising a platform, (1) could include: A structure sufficiently rigid that it can't jam against its guides, e.g. the "platform" is shaped like a cube as opposed to a piece of paper, (2) a rack-and-pinion mechanism at each corner with the pinions connected by shafts, (3) a ball-screw or similar device at each corner linked by timing-belt or sprocket-and-chain drives, etc.

 
Raising a bridge [ponder]
Okey, like a car bridge _/ \_ or _/ or ↑-↑ or do you mean something that is used to raise a bridge under construction ?

Best regards A

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein
 
Use a common gear-type flow splitter. Use pressure intensifiers downstream to provide high pressure to the cylinders.

Ted
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor

Back
Top