An oil-based pressure-compensated underwater hydraulic system is designed and tested in this article. The underwater hydraulic system is equipped with a pressure compensator so that the tank pressure is always balanced with the ambient pressure. The system pressure is thus built on the ambient pressure. In this way, the underwater hydraulic system can work at any water depth. The steady-state characteristics of a spring-loaded pressure compensator are studied. The pressure compensator, underwater hydraulic power unit and the underwater valve control unit are designed and built. The whole underwater hydraulic system is tested in a high-pressure water simulator with lighting and video system in it. Results show that the underwater hydraulic cylinder can be driven properly under high water pressure, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the pressure compensation in the underwater hydraulic system.
WhitcombLL. Underwater robotics: out of the research laboratory and into the field. In: Proceedings of the IEEE international conference on robotics and automation, San Francisco, CA, 24–28 April 2000, pp.709–716. New York: IEEE.
AureliMKopmanVPorfiriM. Free-locomotion of underwater vehicles actuated by ionic polymer metal composites. IEEE/ASME T Mech2010; 15: 603–614.
4.
ColgateJELynchKM. Mechanics and control of swimming: a review. IEEE J Oceanic Eng2004; 29: 660–673.
5.
KriegMMohseniK. Dynamic modeling and control of biologically inspired vortex ring thrusters for underwater robot locomotion. IEEE T Robot2010; 26: 542–554.
6.
KuKBradbeerRSLamK. A novel actuator for underwater robots. IEEE J Oceanic Eng2009; 34: 331–342.
7.
ShinjoNSwainGW. Use of a shape memory alloy for the design of an oscillatory propulsion system. IEEE J Oceanic Eng2004; 29: 750–755.
8.
ZhangZGYamashitaNGondoM. Electrostatically actuated robotic fish: design and control for high mobility open-loop swimming. IEEE T Robot2008; 24: 118–129.
9.
HoHWLukBLBradbeerRS. The design of a hydraulically powered leg for an underwater six-legged robot. In: BillingsleyJ (ed.) Mechatronics and machine vision. Hertfordshire, UK: Research Studies Press, 2000, pp.263–274.
10.
ManringND. Hydraulic control systems. New York: John Wiley, 2005.
11.
WattonJ. Fundamentals of fluid power control. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
12.
BackeW. Water or oil hydraulics in the future. In: Proceedings of the 6th Scandinavian international conference on fluid power, Tampere, 26–28 May 1999, pp.51–65. Tampere: Tampere University of Technology.
13.
DobsonARoskillyAP. The development of a water hydraulic actuation system for the marine and nuclear industry. Trans Inst Mar Eng2000; 112: 53–59.
14.
KoskinenKT. Water as a pressure medium in fluid power systems. In: Proceedings of the IFAC workshop on trends in hydraulic and pneumatic components and systems, Chicago, IL, 8–9 November 1994.
15.
VileniusMJ. Water and mobile hydraulic research in Finland. In: Proceedings of the 5th international conference on fluid power transmission and control (ed LYongxiangCYingXLi), Hangzhou, China, 3–5 April 2001, pp.12–17. Beijing, China: International Academic Publishers/World Publishing Corporation.
16.
RydbergK. Energy efficient water hydraulic systems. In: Proceedings of the 5th international conference on fluid power transmission and control (ed LYongxiangCYingXLi), Hangzhou, China, 3–5 April 2001, pp.440–446. Beijing, China: International Academic Publishers/World Publishing Corporation.
17.
HyvonenMKoskinenKVileniusMJ. Optimization of the water hydraulic intensifier pump using computer simulation. In: Proceedings of the 48th national conference on fluid power, Chicago, IL, 4–6 April 2000, pp.561–566. Milwaukee, WI: National Fluid Power Association.
18.
NieSLHuangGHZhuYQ. SEWHAPM: development of a water hydraulic axial piston motor for underwater tool systems. Proc IMechE, Part C: J Mechanical Engineering Science2005; 219: 639–655.
19.
RydbergK. New materials and component design—key factors for water hydraulic systems. SAE paper 2002-01-1381, 2002.
20.
TakashimaM. Development of high performance components for pollution free water hydraulic system. In: Proceedings of the 3rd JHPS international symposium on fluid power, Yokohama, Japan, 4–6 November 1996. Japan Hydraulic and Pneumatics Society.
21.
NieSLHuangGHLiYP. Tribological study on hydrostatic slipper bearing with annular orifice damper for water hydraulic axial piston motor. Tribol Int2006; 39: 1342–1354.
22.
RokalaMCaloniusOKoskinenKT. Study of lubrication conditions in slipper-swashplate contact in water hydraulic axial piston pump test rig. In: Proceedings of the 7th JFPS international symposium on fluid power, Toyama, Japan, 15–18 September 2008, pp.91–94. Tokyo, Japan: Japan Fluid Power System Society.
23.
RokalaMCaloniusOKoskinenKT. Tribological conditions between swash plate and slipper pad in variable displacement water hydraulic axial piston unit. In: Proceedings of the 6th international fluid power conference, Dresden, 31 March–2 April 2008, pp.301–314.
YoshinadaHYamazakiTSuwaT. Seawater hydraulic actuator system for underwater manipulator. In: Proceedings of the 5th international conference on advanced robotics, Pisa, 19–22 June 1991, pp.1330–1335. New York: IEEE.
26.
SoiniSMKoskinenKTVileniusMJ. Effects of fluid-flow velocity and water quality on planktonic and sessile microbial growth in water hydraulic system. Water Res2002; 36: 3812–3820.
27.
HilbrechtB. Water as a pressure medium in water hydraulics. In: Proceedings of the 48th national conference on fluid power, Chicago, IL, 4–6 April 2000, pp.555–559. Milwaukee, WI: National Fluid Power Association.
28.
MäkinenEVirvaloT.Experimental comparison between oil hydraulic and water hydraulic position control systems. In: Proceedings of the 8th Scandinavian international conference on fluid power, Tampere, 7–9 May 2003. Tampere: Tampere University of Technology.
29.
WangFGuLYChenY. An energy conversion system based on deep-sea pressure. Ocean Eng2008; 35: 53–62.
30.
WangFChenY. Dynamic characteristics of pressure compensator in underwater hydraulic system. IEEE/ASME T Mech2013 doi: 10.1109/TMECH.2013.2260829.
