There’s a lot of terminology in hydraulics. Some of it descriptive. Some of it misleading. Pressure Relief Valve. No confusion here. Directional Control Valve. Same. It says what it means and it means what is says. So let’s use this test: it says what it means and it means what is says, as the gold standard for descriptive terminology.
What … Read more
Cavitation is the term used to describe the formation of gas cavities within a liquid. In a hydraulic system, this is normally taken to mean formation of vapor bubbles within the oil. But it can also mean dissolved air coming out of solution in the oil.
Cavitation erosion occurs when gas cavities in the oil collapse (implode) under pressure, in … Read more
A Hydraulics Pro Club member from South Africa sent me this story about a hydraulic system overhaul that turned into a troubleshooting nightmare:
“My company was contracted to overhaul the hydraulic system in a beverage pasteurizing unit. The system was extremely simple but the pasteurizer, after 20 years of trouble free service, was going to be critical in the launch … Read more