Question

Please pick one form of power steering system and describe for us how it works. Any kind of power steering, not just for cars.

Answer 1

Hydraulic power steering system , first developed by Francis W Davis. This will be explained below.A power steering is used mostly electric ,as it provides better degree of control over the vehicle and easier maneuverability.

First, we should understand the normal steering system,

Steering a vehicle should provide synchronous turn of its front wheel either to the left or right.This is done using various gear systems. The Rack and pinion,and recirculating ball type.

Rack and pinion gear system is explained below

The rack is a linear gear with straight cut teeth on it, while the pinion is the normal round gear which is set at an angle over it. Typically, the pinion has a helical cut on it, designed to provide a smoother meshing between it and the rack.

The car's steering wheel is attached to the pinion gear via a steering shaft. When you turn the steering wheel, the pinion spins and drags the rack along, moving it to the left or right, depending on the direction of the turn.

The rack attaches to the steering arms of the wheels via tie rods. When the rack moves, it pushes one wheel while pulling on the other, making the car turn.

Working of Basic Power Steering System

As can be seen from the diagram above, part of the rack is modified to form a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement. The cylinder is fed on two sides by openings to which fluid lines are attached. The piston is connected to the rack, and moves between these two openings.

When pressurized fluid is fed to any one of the openings, the piston gets pushed and moves in the opposite direction, dragging the rack along with it. At the same time, the other opening vents out the fluid (if present) on the other side of the piston. This is how power is provided, which significantly minimizes the effort needed to steer the vehicle.

The fluid is stored in a reservoir (not shown), and is pressurized with the help of a rotary vane pump, driven by the car's engine through a belt and pulley arrangement. It pulls the low pressure fluid from the reservoir, and pressurizes it before supplying it to the cylinder in the hydraulic steering system.

Thus, effectively, the fluid pressure does most of the steering work, while the driver controls the direction of the turn with the help of a very precise valve system.