eli5: If water is non-compressible, then why not use it in hydraulic machines instead of hydraulic oil?

Question

eli5: If water is non-compressible, then why not use it in hydraulic machines instead of hydraulic oil?

In: 1817

Answer 1

Other people pointed out the primary issues. But I just wanted to correct some thing. Water boils/freezes at 0c/100c at normal sea level pressure. As pressure increases the boiling point goes up and freezing point goes down (though it gets weird in very high pressures). So if the system stays pressurized the water will stay liquid. Until a leak forms and the water starts vaporizing, and if it drops enough you have a bomb.