Hydraulic System Advantages and Disadvantages

Electrical, mechanical and hydraulic are the 3 methods of power transmission. Based on application each method will be chosen.

Hydraulic system uses the pressure of an incompressible fluid within a sealed system to transmit power. Liquid is incompressible as the liquid particles are close together. Normally fluid used in hydraulic systems would be oil.

Hydraulic systems are widely used due to their efficiency to transfer power with high efficiency and less movement of the parts.

Here are the few more advantages of hydraulic systems:

• It has simple levers and push buttons which makes it easy to Switch off and on, increase and decrease the speed.
• Due to this there is control accuracy.
• It can easily get through a huge weight range without any complex gears and pulleys.
• It provides constant torque regardless of speed changes.
• Easy maintenance because of less moving parts.
• They do not cause sparks hence safe to use in chemical plants and mines.
• Using small flexible hoses and tubes large amount of power can be transmitted.

Despite all the above there are few disadvantages:

• Difficult to completely avoid the oil leakage.
• Handling hydraulic oil can be a lot messier.
• It requires regular filtration as the contamination will damage the system performance.