This Week at IFPE: KTI Hydraulics’ New Submerged HPUs

At the International Fluid Power Exhibition, which runs until Saturday at the Las Vegas Convention Center, KTI Hydraulics showcases its new submerged hydraulic power unit.

To significantly increase HPU reliability and provide greater design flexibility, KTI redesigned vital components to create the industry’s first Submerged DC HPU. In the patented design, the motor and gear pump are protectively submerged in the reservoir fluid, rather than the typical configuration of mounting the motor/gear pump and manifold to the top of the reservoir. 

Protecting the motor and gear pump in this manner has many benefits. When the motor and gear pump are submerged, the high-value parts require substantially less maintenance and replacement. The new units are particularly ideal for equipment and machinery operated in harsh, wet corrosive environments. The oil also functions as coolant, resulting in a longer duty cycle.

KTI Hydraulics offers the Submerged HPU with a 1.8 KW 12V and 24V DC motor with superior ingress protection ratings. The HPU includes a pressure-loaded gear pump, potted solenoid, and a reservoir with five quarts of usable volume. The new, innovative HPU configuration also enables a more compact design (15 1/2” x 9 1/2” x 8”), which is ideal for OEMs looking to minimize the space required for hydraulic components.

To provide more flexibility in design for OEMs, the Submerged HPU is offered with a variety of common hydraulic circuits. Custom circuits can be designed upon request. This configurable approach allows for one base unit to utilize multiple circuits.   

The Submerged HPU allows the OEM to change the manifold to work with a multitude of different standard or custom circuits. This contrasts with current HPU designs that lock the OEM into either a single-acting or double-acting configuration. 

For hydraulic equipment distributors, the capability eliminates the need to stock four different types of HPUs, conserving inventory space and capital. With the submerged HPU, the distributor can purchase a single SKU item to hold in inventory and then the needed manifolds.

For more information, visit https://ktihydraulicsinc.com/ and www.ifpe.com/.