Comparison of hydraulic, pneumatic and electric linear actuation systems

Abstract

Different applications or industries use different systems for linear actuation, such as hydraulic, pneumatic or electric. Electric systems are becoming increasingly popular and are already replacing hydraulic systems in various applications. These are known to be potentially harmful to the environment, as large amounts of fluid can be released into the environment in the event of a pipe burst or other accident. This paper presents the results of a comparison between hydraulic, pneumatic and electric systems under variable conditions but with similar loads in all three systems. The common feature of all three systems is the input power, which was limited to 1.1 kW. There was no hydraulic accumulator in the hydraulic system and no pressure vessel in the pneumatic system, so no stored energy could influence the system behaviour or results. The main difference between the systems studied was the profile of displacement and power consumption. The most consistent response and lowest power consumption were obtained with the electric system, although both hydraulic and pneumatic systems can achieve consistent response with some modifications.