PRESSURE DROP ANALYSIS FOR HYDRAULIC COUPLERS AND FITTINGS ON MOBILE EQUIPMENT

What Makes Hydraulic Fittings Functional?

The most important functions of hydraulic quick couplers include:

• A proper fit into the port of the component it is intended for
• The ability to withstand system pressure without failure
• Provide adequate fluid flow with little pressure drop

It is standard practice to ensure that the first two points here are followed with a proper fit and the ability to withstand system pressure. The final point, however, of analyzing the pressure drop is often ignored. This can be a costly omission regarding equipment performance and price.

What Is Pressure Drop in Hydraulic Systems?

Pressure drop is the difference between the pressure of a fluid when it enters one end of a hydraulic hose and the pressure of that same fluid as it leaves the other end. The amount of pressure drop is influenced by what is between the beginning and end of a hydraulic hose assembly. Some examples of things that can influence pressure drop include:

• Type of fluid – thicker fluids will exhibit greater pressure drop as they are moved with increased difficulty over more viscous fluids.
• Friction – the friction, or the rubbing of the fluid against the inside walls of a hose assembly, will affect pressure drop.
  Hose assembly length – a longer hose assembly provides greater surface area for friction to decrease pressure.
• Fluid temperature – warmer fluids flow easier with less pressure drop than cooler fluids.
• Hose size (I.D.) – the size of the hose affects fluid velocity for any given flow rate. A higher velocity will produce an increased pressure drop. A larger I.D. hose will produce less pressure drop.
• Flow rate – pressure drop will increase with the flow rate with hoses of the same size.
• Type of quick couplers and hydraulic adapters – any change in direction such as with a 45° or 90° elbow can increase pressure drop.

The Importance of Calculating Pressure Drop

Calculating the pressure drop of all hydraulic fittings is an essential element of designing all fluid power machinery and equipment. Knowing the pressure drop provides critical information to allow machinery designers to find the sweet spot between performance and price.

If hydraulic fittings are undersized, equipment designers will need to subtract the energy required to overcome the flow from the energy available for work. A pressure drop in hundreds of psi from excessive elbows, connections or undersized fittings can reduce the performance of equipment. Using oversized fittings can prevent flow restrictions, although you could be at the same time increasing bulk and cost. An increase in coupler size can also reduce an increased cost.

Proper planning and pressure drop analysis will result in the correct size of coupler, providing the right flow rate at the best available costs to meet your design needs. Hydraulic couplers with soft sealing technology like O-rings provide a reliable seal with a leak free, tight connection and less chance for leakage. Stucchi offers the hydraulic solutions for mobile equipment that meet application and machinery design demands.

 

This article was previous published at  https://www.stucchiusa.com/blog/pressure-drop-analysis-for-hydraulic-couplers-and-fittings-on-mobile-equipment/

How to Convert a Takeuchi Skid Steer to Use Stucchi’s VEP Couplers

A common problem with skid steer couplers equipped from the OEM for use in heavy-duty applications such as mulching and land clearing is that overheating is a big issue and the main source is the OEM couplers, that is where a Stucchi solution comes in.
With our kit, you can convert your machine to a one inch size quick disconnect, a heavy-duty thread to connect, flat face coupler, the VEP series, that will:

• Decrease your operating temperatures by up to 15%
• Increase productivity by increasing runtime
• Increase efficiency in time to switch attachments because the VEP series allows you to connect and disconnect with residual pressure on the line

Converting your skid loader with the VEP series provides the following benefits:

• Decrease your operating temperatures by up to 15%
• Increase productivity by increasing runtime
• Increase efficiency in time to switch attachments because the VEP series allows you to connect and disconnect with residual pressure on the line

 How to convert a Takeuchi machine to use the VEP couplers

1. Make sure there is no residual pressure on the Takeuchi machine, with the key on but the engine not running, cycle the valves to relieve any pressure on the machine side
2. Next, remove any couplers or brackets that are in the way that impede your access to the couplers. You will need significant room to unthread the couplers from the block.
3. After this, use a wrench and disassemble the OEM couplers from the block. Make sure you have a rag handy because there is a possibility the oil may spill.
4. Next, thread in by hand the VEP series couplers into the block and torque them with the wrench
5. Install anything that you removed to gain access
6. Check the machine for leaks by turning it on and inspecting the couplers just to make sure that thee are no leaks

After this, you can connect your attachment to the machine and check normal function for that. If you choose to use caps, before you install the VEP series make sure that the cap loop is between the thread and the block, that way they are on the machine while it is connected.

Some of the benefits that you should be able to measure are:

• Decrease in operating temperature by up to 15%
• Increase productivity because it will take you less time to connect and disconnect your attachments
• Increase in efficiency

Stucchi offers many solutions for mobile construction equipment like Auxiliary Hydraulic Kits and other coupler conversion kits.

For more information about our other solutions, visit our website under the Hydraulic Solutions page, under the Knowledge Base section to access:

• Our FREE Guide to Mulching and Hydraulics
• Case Study on Mulching and Land Management Solutions

Please contact us for more information about our Stucchi solutions or if you have any questions about upgrading your Takeuchi or any other brand of skid steer for higher flow with the Stucchi VEP, heavy-duty, threaded, flat face couplers.

This article was previously published at  https://www.stucchiusa.com/blog/how-to-convert-a-takeuchi-skid-steer-to-use-stucchis-vep-couplers/