Reciprocating engine cylinders are often classified by whether they are single- or double-acting, depending on how the working fluid acts on the piston.

1. Control Engineering
Topic :-Double Acting cylinder
Guided By :- Prof. Dhaval Patel
Branch :- Mechanical Division :- 5C-2
Prepared By :- Saahil R. Kshatriya(150120119164)
GANDHINAGAR INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY(012)

2. • Reciprocating engine cylinders are often classified by whether
they are single- or double-acting, depending on how the working
fluid acts on the piston.
• A single-acting cylinder in a reciprocating engine is a cylinder in
which the working fluid acts on one side of the piston only.
• A double-acting cylinder is a cylinder in which the working fluid
acts alternately on both sides of the piston.

4. • In order to connect the piston in a double-acting cylinder to an
external mechanism, such as a crank shaft, a hole must be provided
in one end of the cylinder for the piston rod, and this is fitted with
a gland or "stuffing box" to prevent escape of the working fluid.
• Double-acting cylinders are common in steam engines but unusual
in other engine types.
• Many hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders use them where it is
needed to produce a force in both directions.
• A double-acting cylinder is used where an external force is not
available to retract the piston or where high force is required in
both directions of travel.

6. • Working:
1. When hydraulic oil/fluid will be supplied to its cap end port, hydraulic
pressure force will be applied over the piston or plunger and hence
piston will be extended and this stroke of cylinder will be termed as
forward stroke.
2. During extension of the cylinder piston or plunger, hydraulic oil at rod
end side will be pushed out and will be directed towards reservoir.
3. During return stroke, hydraulic oil will be supplied to its rod end port and
therefore hydraulic pressure force will be applied over the piston or
plunger from rod end side and hence piston will be retracted and this
stroke of cylinder will be termed as return stroke.
4. During retraction of the cylinder piston or plunger, hydraulic oil at cap
end side will be pushed out and will be directed towards reservoir.

8. • Industrial use:
I. Applications include opening and closing valves and doors, taking
things off conveyor belts and putting things on conveyor belts.
They are also used for lifting merchandise and moving
merchandise around as well as for presses and punches.
• Robotics Uses
• Other Uses:
I. Double acting cylinders are used in automobile, motorcycle, ATV
and airplane landing gear suspensions because the bumps come
so fast that a single acting cylinder would be impractical.
II. Double acting cylinders are used in drilling, log splitters and earth
moving equipment because the forces required make single
acting cylinders impractical

10. • Double acting cylinders are found in back hoes,
elevators, trash compactors, garbage trucks, fork
lifts, jacks and those machines in junk yards that
compress old cars.
• Double acting cylinders are finding increasing
applications in the space program--they open and
close the shuttle bay doors--because the high
radiation levels in space make it important to
replace electric motors with pneumatics and
hydraulics