Abr . 12, 2024 11:01 Back to list

Hydraulic Cylinders: Single Acting Cylinder vs Double Acting Cylinder

Hydraulic cylinders, often referred to as jacks or rams, are components in a hydraulic system that are responsible for movement. As such, they are usually seen as the “muscle” of a hydraulic system that performs push and pull movements. The movement comes from the pressure that is generated in a hydraulic system. This is usually from a pump that is connected to one of the ports on the hydraulic cylinder. A pressurised hydraulic fluid, such as hydraulic oil, is pumped into the cylinder which then extends the pistons.

There are two main hydraulic cylinder mechanisms; single acting and double acting. To help you decide which type of hydraulic cylinder is best for your application, we’ll be comparing a single acting cylinder vs double acting cylinder.

The cylinder of this hydraulic cylinder is a 90 / 105 inner wall rolling pipe, number 20 carbon steel.

Single Acting Cylinders

A single acting hydraulic cylinder, also known as a single acting hydraulic ram, operates in a single direction. It typically has a single port at the bottom of the cylinder where pressurised fluid is pumped into the system. As the fluid enters the system, it fills the cylinder and extends the piston inside.

To retract the piston, a single acting hydraulic cylinder must rely on an external force to expunge the fluid inside. This can be left to gravity if there is no immediate need to retract the piston, but a second piston can also be used to forcefully push the piston back into the cylinder. Springs can also be used if they are strong enough.

Double Acting Cylinders

Double acting means the cylinder has two ports. These are typically located at the bottom and the top of the cylinder. Fluid is pumped into the bottom port to extend the piston much like a regular single acting cylinder.

But when the operator wants to retract the piston, fluid is pumped through the top port to push it back. This allows for more control of the system, but it can also be used for rapid retraction and extension. A double acting hydraulic ram can be used for push and pull configurations, but it can also be used for punching motions or opening and closing gates