What Causes Cavitation In The Hydraulic Systems Of Heavy Equipment And Why It's Dangerous

Review Series: The Harm and Benefit of Cavitation Processes in Engineering — What Causes Cavitation in the Hydraulic Systems of Heavy Equipment and Why It's Dangerous A hydraulic system is the "circulatory system" of any piece of heavy equipment — an... More

Review Series: The Harm and Benefit of Cavitation Processes in Engineering — What Causes Cavitation in the Hydraulic Systems of Heavy Equipment and Why It's Dangerous A hydraulic system is the "circulatory system" of any piece of heavy equipment — an excavator, a loader, a combine harvester, or a hydraulic press. The pump drives oil under pressure to the cylinders and hydraulic motors, which convert that energy into the motion of the working components. The system seems simple and reliable, right up until cavitation appears in it — a process capable of turning a perfectly good pump into scrap metal within a matter of weeks, and an expensive hydraulic cylinder into a constant source of leaks. Cavitation in a hydraulic system is treacherous for the same reason as cavitation in an engine: it develops unnoticed, inside a closed circuit, and is often only discovered once the characteristic metallic crackling starts — or after an expensive repair. In this article — the second in our revi Less