Fluidics: Basic components and applications

Since its discovery at Harry Diamond Lab. in 1959, fluidics has gradually been developed into a viable technology. This report describes fluidic components and systems now in use or ready for use in many applications. The fluidic technology provides sensing, computing, and controlling functions with fluid power through interaction of fluid streams. Since fluidics can perform these functions without mechanical moving parts that will wear out, it has the advantages of simplicity and reliability. Other advantages are the low cost, environmental insensitivity, and safety of fluidic systems. Commercial applications of fluidics in the aerospace industry, include medicine, and personal-use items. The first aerospace application in production in the United States was for the thrust-reverser control for a DC-10 airplane. In industry, fluidics has been applied to air-conditioning controls, machine controls, process controls, and production-line controls. One of the first commercial applications of fluidics was for life-support medical equipment. For military use, fluidics has been successfully applied to a fluidic generator to convert pneumatic energy into electrical energy, a fluidic stability augmentation system for helicopters, and a pressure-regulating system for aircraft. Under development are rate sensing circuits for roll rate control of cannon-launched guided projectiles and missiles, and a fluidic capillary pyrometer for continuous temperature measurements in high-temperature process control.