Heat Generation from Hydraulic System Losses in Refuse Packers

Heat generated in hydraulic systems can be responsible for reduced life of equipment. Current Industry trends look to load-sensing variable-displacement pumps and closed-center valves to combat the problem. A comparison is made between the load-sensing variable-displacement pump with closed-center control valves and the fixed-displacement pump (both wet and dry valve types) with open-center control valves, to determine the heat generation tradeoffs. The use of tanks, lines and cylinders as a heat radiator is considered. Heat generated by high-pressure leakage of driven members is addressed. The primary focus of this paper is on packer and body hydraulics of refuse trucks.