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PRACTICAL HYDRAULICS, SECOND EDITION M. Kay. Taylor and Francis, 2008. ISBN 978-0415351157, £28.99, 272 pp.
Practical Hydraulics provides a novel introduction to the basic principles of hydraulics. Aimed primarily at the student, the author sets out to explain hydraulic phenomena by referring to the many everyday situations in which we encounter them. The text would appeal to undergraduate (and perhaps preuniversity) students, and might prove useful for graduates on conversion courses from non-engineering backgrounds. It would be less suitable for the specialist engineer or as a standalone book for the practitioner: the detail required for design is not always provided and frequent pointers to other established sources of information could become frustrating for those tackling real engineering problems. In relation to this, although practical material is presented, the very general title Practical Hydraulics could be a little misleading; perhaps 'Hydraulics for the layman' would be more appropriate.
The approach is to stimulate interest by referring to familiar concepts: the author presents a wealth of examples, from the explanation for nose bleeds...