Hydraulic power has been used in various forms for thousands of years around the world. The water wheels which used to be a feature of the English countryside are just one example of this, but as the Industrial Revolution came along, hydraulic power really came into its own. Factories and farms both benefited from the water and steam powered machines, and of course we can’t ignore the fact that during this period, travel and transport was also changed hugely by one of the most famous forms of hydraulic power – the steam locomotive.
For the first time ever, travel around Britain was fast and easy, and journeys that would once have taken days to complete, could be considerably shorter, and more comfortable.
Although many new modern inventions have arrived on the scene since those days, hydraulic power still plays a big part in our modern world. With modern machines like these hydraulic power unit www.hydraproducts.co.uk/Hydraulic-Power-Units/Standard-Power-Units here are some of the other things that we use today that are powered by hydraulics power…
Cars – Whenever you drive your car, it is hydraulic power that is keeping you safe. The brakes in modern cars are operated by hydraulics to stop all of the wheels from turning.
Rides at Theme Parks and Fairgrounds – Some of the rides that you might enjoy at a park, or a fairground use hydraulics to operate them. Big wheels for example, have their movements controlled by hydraulic power.
Dishwashers – When you load your dishwasher and let it do the washing up for you, it is actually hydraulic power that is pushing the water through to make sure that your plates come out shiny and clean.
Petrol Pumps – In order to get the fuel out of the pump and into your car, the pumps make use of hydraulic power. This pulls the fuel out of the pump, through the pipe and into the fuel tank of your car.
Aeroplanes – A modern form of transport that relies on hydraulic power. The control panels in many aeroplanes are powered using hydraulic power.
Chairs in the Office – The chairs at work that allow you to move up and down so you can sit at the right height use hydraulic power to enable you to do this.
