How Cartridge Flow Dividers Work

1. Cartridge Flow Dividers / Combiners (Spool-Type, Made in Italy)

• What they are: Compact, screw-in valves containing an internal sliding spool.
  
  This Range of Aluminium Block Flow dividers are all pressure rated Up to 250 bar (3,600 psi) for the DFR range
  and up to 210 bar (3,000 psi) for the larger flow FDC range.
• How they work: Fluid enters the valve and passes through internal orifices. If one path encounters higher resistance (more pressure), the pressure imbalance instantly shifts the internal spool. This shift restricts the lower-pressure path to ensure both output lines receive the exact same flow rate. As a combiner, it does the reverse, forcing two returning fluid streams to merge at identical rates.
• Limitation: They generate heat due to fluid restriction and are generally limited to splitting flow into two paths.

One of the more difficult things to achieve in Hydraulics is to make two cylinders extend & retract at the same speed.
This is an item we have used successfully to help achieve this outcome. This flow divider still has approximately 10% margin of error. For most applications, we have found this to be within tolerances. For even more precise results, see our mechanical rotary gear flow divider,(see other listing).

Because these divide & combine in both directions, you only need one flow divider per two rams.

Download Oleoweb DRF Series Flow divider Specification Sheet

Download the Caproni FDC Series Flow dividers Specification Sheet

Other Common Uses and Where Flow Dividers are Used

These hydraulic components are crucial whenever you need multiple hydraulic actuators / cylinders to move at the exact same speed, even if they are lifting completely different loads.

1. Synchronised Lifting (Cylinders)

• Dual-Cylinder Lifts: Used in vehicle hoists, shipping container lifts, and large tailgates on trucks and trailers and ramps on ships. If one side of a platform is carrying a heavy engine and the other side is empty, a flow divider ensures both cylinders extend at the identical speed so the platform doesn't tilt and bind.

2. Multiple Hydraulic Motors

• Dual-Wheel Drive Systems: Used in small agricultural machinery or trenchers where two hydraulic wheels must spin at the same speed to maintain straight tracking and prevent one wheel from spinning out in slippery conditions such as mud.
• Conveyor Systems: Synchronising two separate conveyor belts driven by individual hydraulic motors to ensure they run at the exact same linear speed .

3. Combining Return Flow

• Safe Retraction: When lowering a heavy, unevenly distributed load, a flow combiner ensures the cylinders retract at the exact same rate, preventing structural twisting or tipping during the descent.

These range of dividers come in various flow rates which you can pick from the drop box next to the price.

The closer to your flow rate requirement is to the dividers specification, the more precise the flow dividing will be.