What is power steering?

Question

What is power steering exactly? Why is it used and how does it work? what is a rotary vane pump?

Answer 1

I don't know what a rotary vane pump is - but power steering helps drivers to steer their cars more easily.

If you make a turn (don't do this on the street, do it in a parking lot) - and let go of the wheel, the wheel will return to the straight position on its own (or close to it) - that's how you know you have power steering - it's nearly effortless to turn the car, and return it to straight.

If you have no power steering (in old, old cars - like early sixties), then you would make a right hand turn, and then you'd have to manually turn the wheel back to the left to get it to go straight again. Driving, at one time, was actually work!!

Your modern cars are equiped with power steering pumps. These pumps are filled with power steering fluid, and keep the linkage in the steering lubricated and working properly.

One way to tell a car with a bad power steering pump is to listen for the whining when the car turns. You can hear it inside the cab of the car. It sounds AWFUL! You can also hear a car's power steering pump if you put the car in gear, your foot on the break, and turn the wheel all the way - as far as you can - one way or the other. You'll hear the pump sort of whine or scream a little.

I hope this answers your question!

Answer 2

Power Steering is a steering system, assisted by hydraulic fluid. The pump pumps hydraulic oil into the steering system while you are steering the wheel, helping you along and making it lighter. Kind of like opening the biscuit can using a spoon as leverage. So what powers the pump? The engine of course. That's why power steering will only work when the car is started. Wanna try how no power steering feels like? Just turn off the engine, but don't take the key out, then try to turn one round of the steering wheel. Saves you from going to the gym!

Answer 3

PLZ CHOOSE MINE THE BEST ONE.I WORKED VERY HARD TO FIND IT

power steering
Power steering is a system for reducing the steering effort on cars by using an external power source to assist in turning the wheels. Power steering was invented in the 1920s by Francis W. Davis and George Jessup in Waltham, Massachusetts. Chrysler Corporation introduced the first commercially available power steering system on the 1951 Chrysler Imperial under the name Hydraguide.MGR


Hydraulic systems
Most power steering systems work by using a belt driven pump to provide hydraulic pressure to the system. This hydraulic pressure is generated by a rotary-vane pump which is driven by the vehicle's engine. As the speed of the engine increases, the pressure in the hydraulic fluid also increases, hence a relief valve is incorporated into the system to allow excess pressure to be bled away.

While the power steering is not being used, i.e. driving in a straight line, twin hydraulic lines provide equal pressure to both sides of the steering wheel gear. When torque is applied to the steering wheel, the hydraulic lines provide unequal pressures and hence assist in turning the wheels in the intended direction.

Some more modern implementations of hydraulic systems also include an electronic pressure valve which can reduce the hydraulic pressure of the power steering lines as the vehicle's speed increases (Variable assist power steering)


Electric systems
Electric Power Steering, such as those found on the Acura NSX, and on most FIAT, Lancia, Alfa Romeo cars, uses completely electric components. Sensors detect the motion and torque of the steering column and a computer applies assistive power via electric motors. This allows varying amounts of assistance to be applied depending on driving conditions. Most notably on FIAT group cars the amount of assistance can be regulated using a button named "CITY", while on Volkswagen/Audi group cars, the amount of assistance is automatically regulated depending on vehicle speed.

In contrast to hydraulic systems, with an electric system the "communication" is only one way. The steering wheel transmits forces to the front wheels assisted by the motors, but the forces on the front wheels are not transmitted back through the motors to the steering wheel. Electric-only systems thus do not provide as much feedback to the driver, a criticism commonly expressed as a lack of steering "feel".


Electro-hydraulic systems
So called "hybrid" systems use the same hydraulic assist technology as standard systems, with the hydraulic pressure being provided by an electric motor instead of a belt driven one. Those systems can be found in Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT and Skoda cars.
rotary vane pump

ROYARY VANE PUMP
rotary vane pump is a positive displacement pump that consists of vanes mounted to a rotor that rotates inside of a cavity. In some cases these vanes can be variable length and/or tensioned to maintain contact with the walls as the pump rotates. The most simple vane pump is a circular rotor rotating inside of a larger circular cavity. The centers of these two circles are offset, causing eccentricity. Vanes are allowed to slide into and out of the rotor and seal on all edges, creating vane chambers that do the pumping work. On the intake side of the pump, the vane chambers are increasing in volume. These increasing volume vane chambers are filled with fluid forced in by the inlet pressure. Often this inlet pressure is nothing more than pressure from the atmosphere. On the discharge side of the pump, the vane chambers are decreasing in volume, forcing fluid out of the pump. The action of the vane drives out the same volume of fluid with each rotation. Multistage rotary vane vacuum pumps can attain pressures as low as 10-3 Torr.

Common uses of vane pumps include high pressure hydraulic pumps and automotive uses including power steering and automatic transmission pumps. Pumps for mid-range pressures include applications such as carbonators for fountain soft drink dispensers and espresso coffee machines. They are also often used as vacuum pumps for providing braking assistance (through a braking booster) in diesel-engined vehicles. Furthermore, vane pumps can be used in low-vacuum applications including evacuating refrigerant lines in air conditioners, and laboratory freeze dryers, extensively in semiconductor low pressure chemical vapor deposition systems, and vacuum experiments in physics