Effect of the check ball and inlet position on hydraulic L-shaped check ball behavior

The spring-driven ball-type check valve is one of the most important components of hydraulic systems: it controls the position of the ball and prevents backward flow. To simplify the structure, the spring must be eliminated, and to accomplish this, the flow pattern and the behavior of the check ball in the L-shaped pipe must be determined. In this paper, we present a full-scale model of a check ball made of acrylic resin and determine the relationship between the initial position of the ball, the position of the inflow port, and the kinematic viscosity of oil. When kinematic viscosity is high, the check-flow rate increases in a standard center inflow model at most positions of the check ball, and it is possible to greatly decrease the check-flow rate by shifting the inflow from the center.