What type of hydraulic circuit allows fluid to flow through multiple paths?

A parallel circuit is characterized by its ability to allow fluid to flow through multiple paths simultaneously. In this arrangement, there are several branches or paths that the hydraulic fluid can take. This design leads to several advantages, such as increased flow capacity and redundancy; if one path becomes blocked or fails, fluid can still flow through the other available paths.

In a parallel circuit, each branch can operate independently, which allows for more control and flexibility in hydraulic systems. For instance, if one actuator or component in the system requires service, the rest can continue functioning without interruption. This makes parallel circuits particularly effective in applications requiring consistent performance and reliability.

By contrast, a series circuit would force fluid to flow through one path before reaching the next component, limiting flexibility and potentially causing system-wide issues if one component fails. The terms simple and complex circuits do not specifically address the flow path characteristics, so they would not provide the clarity of a parallel circuit in this context.