A hydraulic pump is a machine that converts mechanical energy into hydraulic energy. It generates flow with high power to overcome pressure induced by the load at the pump outlet. When a hydraulic pump is operated, it creates a vacuum at the pump inlet, forcing liquid from the reservoir into the inlet line to the pump and then delivers the liquid to the pump outlet and forces it to the hydraulic system via mechanical action.
Hydraulic pumps play an important role in the construction industry. They’re used in:
Backhoe for Excavation Purpose: A backhoe loader or a loader backhoe is a heavy equipment vehicle that consists of a tractor like unit fitted with a loader-style shovel/bucket on the front and a backhoe on the back. It is used in the construction industry to dig and remove soil to help build the foundation of the building. The backhoe was first developed in 1947 while hydraulic backhoes were developed in 1948.
Brick Moulding Machine:
Hydraulic pumps play a crucial role in making of brick. That again is an important part of the construction. The production of the bricks is carried out by following the steps below.
- The hydraulic oil tank is used to ensure adequate oil level.
- The oil supply valve to the hydraulic pump is opened.
- The electric motor is then powered on.
- The feeder is positioned directly under the hopper.
- The mix was fed to the hopper using a shovel.
- The feeder is moved to a position above the mold by holding the feeder handle and then the feeder is shaken back and forth to make sure that the mold is filled properly.
- The rammer is lowered into the mold by depressing the lever of the directional control valve and therefore compressing the soil to its final density.
- Green Block is then removed from the machine to the curing area with hands.
- The cycle is repeated for other blocks
Hydraulic Props for Slab Formwork: Hydraulic props consists of a sealed working cylinder with two valves. One is used for intake (setting valve) and the other is used for discharge (release valve, working valve) of hydraulic fluid.
The hydraulic props are equipped with a claw at the upper head-end and a base at the bottom for increased stability. These props help in stabilizing the incompetent roof or hanging wall.
The positioned prop is then telescopically extended by highly pressurized hydraulic fluid injected by means of a setting gun and wedged into place with a specific setting load as decided by the contractor/operator according to the respective compressive rock load.
The use of hydraulic single prop supports is only practical and economic where incompetent roof or hanging wall requires a support method. It can be adjusted according to the requirements to meet rapidly changing conditions. Hydraulic prop supports are perfect for short-term installations that require frequent changes of location due to rapid face advance, or where in places with high prop-setting loads are desirable.
Types of Hydraulic Pump
- Gear Pumps
- Rotary Vane Pumps
- Screw Pumps
- Bent Axis Pumps
- Inline Axial Piston Pumps
- Radial Piston Pumps
- Peristaltic Pumps
Benefits of Hydraulic Pumps
A hydraulic power pack reduces the amount of fuel required to drive the hydraulic components, as most heavy earth moving equipment has a range of modes that are selected based on the amount of power required while remaining economical.
Digging out large amounts of the earth requires a lot of power, and this can be increased above the machinery capacity by using a hydraulic power pack or hydraulic pump. Fine grading of embankments, or excavating over mains power, gas or sewage pipes that require control, is best achieved at a lower power.
Hydraulic power packs can help you control this when used in combination with the modes available on the machinery. This effect reduces the fuel used to generate hydraulic power and reduces operating costs over the lifespan of a project.
Because the earth moving equipment uses hydraulics you won’t need to employ a separate engineer for maintaining and repairing the hydraulic power packs.
Final Thoughts
Hydraulic pumps play an important role in the construction industry. They not only save overall cost, but it also saves a lot of time. It can increase the efficiency of the machine beyond the machine’s capacity.
