How hydraulic systems work and their many uses

• Hydraulics convert input power from combustion engines or electric sources into flexible mechanical power.

• Pascal’s law, named after 17th-century French scientist Blaise Pascal, states that pressure is transmitted equally in all directions when applied to an incompressible fluid.

• A hydraulic system can perform more actions than just lifting, including smooth movements, high power to weight ratio, better heat dissipation, smooth controls, and higher precision.

• The parts of a hydraulic system include pumps, pipes, valves, linear actuators, tanks, filters, and sensors or switches.

• Different types of pumps, valves, and actuators are used depending on the pressure and flow rate of the application needs.

• Actuators deliver the actual output at the application endpoint, with the most common being the linear actuator or hydraulic cylinder.

• Hydraulics have a broad base of applications, from agriculture to waste management, automation to wind turbines.

• With rapid developments in electronics and electrification, hydraulic systems are equipped with sensors to track movement, temperature, pressure, flow, oil contamination, etc.

• Hydraulic systems have an overall energy efficiency of 30-40%, with room for improvement.

• Despite attempts to use electrical setups in place of hydraulics, hydraulics still prevails as the size of operations and complexities go up.