Numerical analysis has been carried out to investigate thermal characteristics for hydraulic system. Overall performance of hydraulic system is largely influenced by oil flow field with heat transfer. Especially thermal characteristics for operating conditions with high oil temperature caused by heavy load and continuous operation are dominant. Oil temperature variation with time in the system is predicted for various flow conditions. Local fluid flow fields at the pipelines, valves, and oil pump in the hydraulic system are considered with thermodynamic and transport properties such as density and viscosity. These results in the study can be applied to the optimal design of hydraulic system.

Experimental analysis has been carried out to investigate oil temperature control characteristics of the hydraulic system in a special vehicle. Hydraulic system performance is largely affected by oil temperature, and there are considerable malfunctions in the system for high temperature conditions caused by heavy load and continuous operation. Oil pressure in the hydraulic system decreases with oil temperature, and its variation rate becomes less steep as oil temperature increases. There is severe time delay for oil temperature control due to the operation of heat exchanger system, and it depends on the oil flow rate and pressure in the system. These results in this study can be applied to the design of automatic thermal control system in the special vehicle hydraulic system.