Mechanism suggestions for bringing down inclined cylinder

[siddharth23]

Where I work, we use a single acting hydraulic cylinder to raise a tank filled with sludge. After emptying it, it has to be brought back to it's original horizontal postion. This is done using the weight of the cylinder and takes a lot of time (about 15-20 mins).

Can you suggest something to quicken this process? Double acting cylinders have crossed our minds, but they increase the cost considerably. Anything besides that?

Thanks in advance :)

 

[Baluncore]

I assume the weight of the empty tank is having trouble pushing the fluid out of the cylinder through the hydraulic lines and spool valve.

Is the return filter into the tank or the tank vent blocked?

Can you use a larger hydraulic hose?
Can you use a larger control valve?
Can you use a less viscous grade of hydraulic oil?

Is the unused rod end of the cylinder properly vented through a clean filter?

Are the cylinder piston seals in good condition or are they binding?
What about the rod guide/seals that are not lubricated in single acting systems?
Did this problem arise recently or has it always been a characteristic of the implementation?

Look at the angle of the crank used to lift the tank. That could be changed to better tilt and return the tank. The crank and rod should be close to perpendicular when the tank is down.