Ultra-low-pressure water hydraulics: High-tech plumbing - low-tech hydraulics?

摘要

The last ten years in water hydraulics present a veritable roller coaster of developments and equally, of perceived and subsequently abandoned market opportunities. Sober realism has replaced euphoria and a seemingly fragmented and minute sub-set of the hydraulics industry remains. However, this fragmentation reflects several clearly definable sectors within water hydraulics; each sector delimited by its respective pressure range and applications areas. In each area solid progress is being made. One such field of development and the subject of this paper is that of ultra-low-pressure hydraulics. Born out of the realization that the vast majority of applications in the process industries such as food and pharmaceuticals, which were targeted by the "new water hydraulics," have effective installed power values of less than 50 Watts, it is the most recent addition to the water family. Despite its youth ULP water hydraulics is already capable of furnishing uncompromising "single string" solutions when replacing oil, air and electrics in these industries.