Simulation of Fluid Power Systems and Hydrostatic Drives

Since the time of Pascal (about 1650) fluid under pressure has been used for many engineering purposes, especially for hydraulic presses. Such presses are able to exercise large forces at moderate speeds, today mainly for the deformation of sheet metal in automobile bodies, earlier (1800) for compacting textiles. Since 1950 the technology is called fluid power engineering and includes the transmission and control of rotary motion in hydrostatic transmissions. Fluid power itself is defined as the technique of transmission of energy and information by fluid under pressure. Here Bondgraphs help to clarify the interaction of the many variables. For efficient design and control, the technique requires a special way of thinking, a mixture of standard mechanical engineering, hydraulics and control engineering.