In swash plate pumps, Hidurel® 5 (copper-nickel-silicon alloy, UNS C64711, DIN 2.0855, DTD 498) is chosen for components such as cylinders and slipper pads, where its high mechanical, bearing and thermal properties and good corrosion resistance all contribute.
Swash plate pumps are used wherever close metering of the pumped product is required, across fields as diverse as pumping water in mining, fuel delivery, and controlling tracked vehicles through hydrostatic steering units.
The choice of materials for the internal components must be made carefully, so the mechanical and other properties suit the arduous conditions. The photograph shows a water pump designed by Marshalsea Hydraulics Ltd of Taunton. Six austenitic stainless-steel pistons operate in Hidurel® 5 cylinders, a combination that has proved highly effective and reliable.
Hidurel® 5 is also used for bearing cages in aero-engines and other critical applications that benefit from the extremely low magnetic permeability of the alloy.
