BSEN30190 Agricultural Mechanisation: Hydraulics and components

Academic Year 2024/2025

In this module, you will study the fundamental laws, concepts, and conventions that are necessary to comprehend the functioning of hydraulic circuits and hydraulic components of state-of-the art agricultural machinery. The module will cover the basics of the operation of the main components used in agricultural hydraulics including energy conversion units (hydraulic pumps and actuators), control valves and hydraulic accessories. These will be analysed with particular reference to hydraulic control technology and an explanation of the ISO symbology used to illustrate hydraulic circuits. The module includes computer-aided lab sessions, where students will be introduced to engineering drawing using the AutoCAD software.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the module, students should be able to:
- LO1: Reflect on fundamental concepts and equations for the analysis of hydraulic circuits and components.
- LO2: Compare and contrast the functionality of hydraulic components used in agricultural machinery.
- LO3: Analyse technical data of hydraulic systems employed in the agricultural machinery industry.
- LO4: Interpret and illustrate hydraulic circuits with symbols of the ISO standard of representation.
- LO5: Acquire essential skills in engineering drawing and design components in Multiview orthographic representation.

Indicative Module Content:

The module content is as follows:

1. Introduction to agricultural mechanisation
- Challenges, technologies, requirements and expectations

2. Agricultural Hydraulics
- Definition, basic principles, advantages and uses of hydraulics in agriculture
- Types of hydraulic systems
- Fundamental concepts and equations

3. Hydraulic components for mobile agricultural machinery
- Energy conversion units (hydraulic pumps and actuators), control valves and hydraulic accessories, including calculations linking pump, actuator and task energy, pressure and flow requirements.
- Function, types, specifications, operation

4. Hydraulic system integration
- Hydraulic circuit design according to the ISO standard of representation

5. Introduction to engineering drawing
- Fundamentals of technical graphics
- Mechanical components in Multiview orthographic representation

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Computer Aided Lab

12
Specified Learning Activities

32
Autonomous Student Learning

48
Total

116
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
- Lecture material for this module will be available via Brightspace.
- A recommended reading list will also be provided.
- Lectures with problem based assignments.
- Students must also complete computer-aided design assignments. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment(Including Essay): 3 CAD drawings (weeks 8, 10, 12) n/a Graded No

30
Assignment(Including Essay): Report on hydraulic components and systems for agricultural machinery n/a Graded No

10
Exam (In-person): Class Test: An exam will take place at the end of the module n/a Graded No

60

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Group/class feedback, post-assessment

Hydraulic Fluid Power: Fundamentals, Applications, and Circuit Design by Andrea Vacca & Germano Franzoni - Wiley

Technical Graphics Communications by Gary R. Bertoline & Eric N. Wiebe. McGraw - Hill Higher Education