Customer Reviews

Hydraulic Control Systems

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4 star:		(1)
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This book is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to model the individual COMPONENTS that make up hydraulic power-circuits. Great detail is paid to the description and mathematical representation of their dynamic behavior. Dynamic SYSTEMS are also addressed, but to a much lesser degree. Standard control theory approaches are used, like block diagrams, frequency response methods, and various stability methods (the book assumes that the reader is already familiar with these).

While nonlinear effects are discussed, the book does not well-address the dynamic analysis of complete nonlinear systems. However, there is a good reason for this. Despite the 2001 date-of-publication listed by Wiley (on AMAZON), this "new" book was in fact published in 1967 (the current edition is simply a re-release). This pre-dates the ready availability of computers and advanced simulation software that now make feasible the simulations of complex systems. Personally, I don't find this to be a problem, since there are plenty of other books that deal with the subject of solving nonlinear dynamic systems. What Merritt's book does very well is enable one to model the systems that must be solved. The level of detail provided is rare in my experience, so his book is extremely useful - perhaps even more than it was in 1967.

Finally, I do wish Wiley would just own up to the fact that it is republishing an older work. This is the second time I have come across what appears to be a deceptive marketing tactic. The other work is titled "Engineering Optimization" by Reklaitis (see my review for further details). To imply that a scientific work was written decades later is dishonest. In spite of this, I still recommend the book by Merritt - but only if you can find a good used copy for a decent price. Wiley's $200+ price tag for the "new" edition is inappropriate.

If you are an engineer or a researcher invovled with hyraulic systems, This book is a must have in your reference library. It is one of the few really helpful analytical books on hydraulic devices and their control that I have found useful in recent years.

Great to see a good book on Hydraulics after a long time.

The books presents an easy way to understand the theory behind the Hydraulic Control systems with attractive diagrams.

This book can be used by students and engineers practising in the field of Hydraulics and Control Systems.

The Hydraulic Control Systems is a book that every engineer practicing hydraulics should read, or consult, as reference material.
It is detailed in valves used as controls for the hydraulic systems, defining each type very accurately and in deeper detail thus helping you make the right equipment choices when you want to achieve more with less, and time is the first constraint.
If the systems you are analyzing are more into the (electronic) feed-back loops, you should be consulting other publications.
For pure hydraulics, where you apply pilot pressure type signals, and you want valve metering functions, this is the book to study; without going into the refined choices and details of spool metering profiles, for spool type valves having several spools ex 5 or 7).
I regret I couldn't find a book equally good on gear pumps.