scope:

GENERAL

The development of the present level of technology has depended on the evolution of methods for the generation, distribution, and use of power. The energy requirements of the domestic population and the national defense effort increase at a rate of 2 to 3% per year. Various estimates place the annual rate of energy consumption in the United States at 1.06 to 1.6 x 10²⁰ J (1.0 to 1.5 x 10¹⁷ Btu) per year by the year 2000 (Ref. 1). This increasing demand for power requires the continued development of methods for power transmission, control, and use. Fluid power technology plays an important role in this task and promises to be even more important in the future.