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Hydraulic manifold

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A hydraulic manifold is a component that regulates fluid flow between pumps and actuators and other components in a hydraulic system. It is like a switchboard in an electrical circuit because it lets the operator control how much fluid flows between which components of a hydraulic machinery. For example, in a backhoe loader a manifold turns on or shuts off or diverts flow to the telescopic arms of the front bucket and the back bucket. The manifold is connected to the levers in the operator's cabin which the operator uses to achieve the desired manifold behaviour.[citation needed]

A manifold is composed of assorted hydraulic valves connected to each other. It is the various combinations of states of these valves that allow complex control behaviour in a manifold.[citation needed] A hydraulic manifold is a block of metal with flow paths drilled through it, connecting various ports.[1] Hydraulic manifolds consist of one or more relative large pipes called a "barrel" or "main", with numerous junctions connecting smaller pipes and ports.[2]

Hydraulic manifolds can also experience operational problems due to fluid contamination, air entrapment, or faulty valves. For instance, in a hydraulic clutch, if the clutch pedal gets stuck down, it may be due to a lack of proper hydraulic fluid flow, which could relate to a failure in the manifold controlling the fluid pathways.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Zhang, Qin (2019-03-07). Basics of Hydraulic Systems, Second Edition. CRC Press. pp. 91–92. ISBN 978-0-429-59103-7.
  2. ^ Larock, Bruce E.; Jeppson, Roland W.; Watters, Gary Z. (1999-09-28). Hydraulics of Pipeline Systems. CRC Press. p. 33. ISBN 978-1-4200-5031-8.
  3. ^ "Why is your clutch pedal stuck down?". autodoc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-10-02.