Pump bracket – secure mounting for the pump

Pump brackets are important components in a hydraulic system for overall stability. They are the base on which pumps are mounted. For various reasons, they must be designed to be extremely robust.

Pump brackets: not just pressure

In a hydraulic system, it is not only very high pressures that act in the lines. The torques generated by pumps and drives are also very high. For this reason, every component in a hydraulic power unit is designed to be very robust.

Pump brackets are of particular importance here: hydraulic pumps are driven by powerful motors and, in turn, generate high torques on their internal pumping gears. In double gear pumps, the torques counterbalance each other to a certain extent. With all other pump types, however, the generated torque must be absorbed by the static structural elements and thus primarily by the pump brackets.

Manufacturing pump brackets

Due to their requirements, pump brackets are generally machined from aluminium or solid steel profiles. Cast and welded constructions usually do not provide the desired fatigue strength. Despite their high-quality base material and complex manufacturing, pump brackets are usually comparatively inexpensive, as these components are produced in large quantities.

Design types of pump brackets

The following types have become established as design variants for pump brackets:

• Round pump brackets are the simplest design types. They consist of a cylinder with a flange. Optionally, vent and leakage oil bores can be incorporated into the round pump bracket. The smaller standard round pump brackets are widely used for electric motors from 0.25 kW to 90 kW and for size 2 and 3 pumps.
• Round pump brackets with damping flange have an elastic buffer element on the flange. This allows particularly sudden torques to be effectively cushioned. Damped round pump brackets are therefore especially suitable for high torques under point loads.
• Rectangular pump brackets – Hydraulic pumps can also be designed with a rectangular shape. To integrate these pumping elements safely into a hydraulic system, pump brackets with connections for rectangular designs were developed. However, the rectangular design is not ideally suited for high torques, as stress peaks and thus crack formation can occur in the structure. Rectangular pump brackets are therefore intended more for applications in which a pump runs continuously at low speed. For this reason, most rectangular pump brackets are manufactured cost-effectively from lightweight aluminium.
• Pump brackets with integrated oil cooler – Where hydraulic systems operate under continuous load, a great deal of heat can build up in the oil. In such cases, installing a complex hydraulic oil cooler is not always worthwhile. To save space and costs, the industry has developed pump brackets with an integrated oil cooler. The flanged pump is made of steel or die-cast metal anyway. The resulting heat is therefore transferred to the outside without obstruction. The pump bracket is extended by a simple finned cooler and can thus already provide significant cooling of the oil.
• Special pump brackets for specific applications are manufactured in many designs. These also include numerous special variants, as used in demanding environments. Pump brackets with explosion protection, for use with contaminated water, or for aerospace applications must meet special requirements.

Brand loyalty recommended

The simple design principle and mature manufacturing technology make it possible today to develop the right pump bracket for any application. Every pump bracket manufacturer also offers a wide range of additional components. It is therefore always the best approach to use the pump, pump bracket, coupling and gearbox from the same manufacturer. This ensures the best guaranteed coordination of the components with one another.