Investigation of suction flow characteristic in the inertance hydraulic converters for efficiency improvement

Abstract

The inertance hydraulic converter relies on fluid inertance to modulate flow or pressure and is considered to be a competitive alternative to the conventional proportional hydraulic system due to its potential advantage in efficiency. As the quantification of fluid inertance, the suction flow characteristic is the crucial performance indicator for efficiency improvement. To explore the discrepancy between the passive inertance hydraulic converter featured by the check valve and the active inertance hydraulic converter driven by an equivalent 2/3 way fast switching valve in regard to suction flow characteristics, analytical models of the inertance hydraulic converters were established in MATLAB/Simulink. The validated models of the respective suction components were incorporated in the overall analytical models and their suction flow characteristics were theoretically and experimentally discussed. The analytical predictions and experimental measurements for the current configurations indicated that the active inertance hydraulic converter yields a larger transient suction flow rate than that of the passive inertance hydraulic converter due to the difference of the respective suction components. The suction flow characteristic can be modulated using the supply pressure and duty cycle, which was confirmed by experimental measurements. In addition, the suction flow characteristics are heavily affected by the resistance of the suction flow passage and switching frequency. There is a compromise between the resistance and switching frequency for inertance hydraulic converters to achieve large suction flow rate.

Keywords

Inertance hydraulic converter fluid inertance suction flow characteristic equivalent fast switching valve analytical model

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Rannow

. Achieving efficient control of hydraulic systems using On/Off valves. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Minnesota, Minnesota, MC, 2016.

Scheidl

Manhartsgruber

Kogler

, et al. The hydraulic buck converter-concept and experimental results. In: Proceeding of 6th international fluid power conference, Dresden, 1–2 April 2008, pp.501–513. Dresden: Technische Universität Dresden.

Yuan

Pan

Plummer

. A review of switched inertance hydraulic converter technology. In: Proceeding of the BATH/ASME 2018 symposium on fluid power and motion control, Bath, 12–14 September 2018. New York: ASME.

Yuan

Pan

Plummer

. A review of switched inertance hydraulic converter technology. ASME J Dyn Sys Meas Control 2020; 142: 050801.

Brown

. Switched reactance hydraulics: a new way to control fluid power. In: Proceeding of the National conference on fluid power, Chicago, IL, 2–5 March 1987, p.25–34. Milwaukee, WI: National Fluid Power Association (NFPA).

Johnston

. A switched inertance device for efficient control of pressure and flow. In: Proceeding of the ASME/BATH fluid power and motion control symposium, Hollywood, LA, 12–14 October 2009, pp.1–8. New York: ASME.

Wang

Kudzma

Johnston

, et al. The influence of wave effects on digital switching valve performance. In: The fourth workshop on digital fluid power, Linz, 21–22 September 2011. Linz: Austrian Center of Competence in Mechatronics.

Kogler

Scheidl

Schmidt

. Analysis of wave propagation effects in transmission lines due to digital valve switching. In: Proceedings of the ASME/BATH 2015 symposium on fluid power & motion control, Chicago, IL, 12–14 October 2015, p.V001T01A057. New York: ASME.

Sell

. Control of a fast switching valve for digital hydraulics. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Bath, Bath, 2015.

10.

Scheidl

Helmut

Winkler

. Hydraulic switching control-objectives, concepts, challenges and potential applications. Hidraulica 2013(1): 7–18.

11.

Wiens

. Analysis and mitigation of valve switching losses in switched inertance converters. In: Proceeding of the ASME/BATH 2015 symposium on fluid power and motion control, Chicago, IL, 12–14 October 2015. New York: ASME.

12.

Wiens

. An improved transmission line model for dynamic laminar flow through tapered tubes. In: Proceeding of the ASME/BATH 2018 symposium on fluid power and motion control, Bath, 12–14 September 2018. New York: ASME.

13.

Pan

Johnston

Plummer

, et al. Theoretical and experimental studies of a switched inertance hydraulic system. Proc IMechE, Part I: J Systems & Control Engineering 2014; 228(5): 12–25.

14.

Pan

Johnston

Plummer

, et al. Theoretical and experimental studies of a switched inertance hydraulic system including switching transition dynamics, non-linearity and leakage. Proc IMechE, Part I: J Systems & Control Engineering 2014; 228(5): 802–815.

15.

Pan

. A global optimization of a switched inertance hydraulic system based on genetic algorithm. In: Proceedings of 15th Scandinavian international conference on fluid power, Linköping, 7–9 June 2017, pp.302–308. Linköping: Linköping University Electronic Press.

16.

Kogler

Scheidl

. The hydraulic buck converter exploiting the load capacitance. In: Proceeding of 8th international fluid power conference, Dresden, 26–28 March 2012, pp.297–309. Dresden: Technische Universität Dresden.

17.

Kogler

Scheidl

. Energy efficient linear drive axis using a hydraulic switching converter. ASME J Dyn Sys Meas Control 2016; 138(9): 091010.

18.

Haaas

Lukachev

Scheidl

. An RC filter for hydraulic switching control with a transmission line between valves and actuator. Int J Fluid Power 2014; 15(3): 139–151.

19.

Johnston

. Prediction of fluid inertance in nonuniform passageways. J Fluids Eng 2006; 128(2): 266–275.

20.

Wang

Chen

, et al. Continuously variable hydraulic pressure converter based on high-speed on–off valves. Mechatronics 2011; 21(8): 1298–1308.

21.

https://www.parker.com/literature/Hydraulic%20Controls%20Europe/Manuals%20UK/D_FP_20%205715-658%20UK.pdf

22.

Bender

Noergaard

Pedersen

. Experimental validation of flow force models for fast switching valves. In: Proceedings of the ASME/BATH 2017 symposium on fluid power and motion control, Sarasota, FL, 16–19 October 2017, p.V001T01A013. New York: ASME.

23.

Nie

Liu

Yin

, et al. Development of a high-pressure pneumatic on/off valve with high transient performances direct-driven by voice coil motor. Appl Sci 2018; 8(4): 611.

24.

Tamburrano

Amirante

Distaso

Plummer

. Full simulation of a piezoelectric double nozzle flapper pilot valve coupled with a main stage spool valve. Energy Procedia 2018; 148: 487–494.

25.

Manring

Fales

. Hydraulic control systems. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2019.

26.

https://www.mathworks.com/help/physmod/hydro/ref/spoolorificehydraulicforce.html

27.

Tamburrano

Plummer

Palma

, et al. A novel servovalve pilot stage actuated by a Piezo-electric Ring Bender (Part II): design model and full simulation. Energies 2020; 13(9): 2267.

28.

Gao

Zhu

Luo

, et al. Investigation on adaptive pulse width modulation control for high speed on/off valve. J Mech Sci Tech 2020; 34: 1711–1722.

29.

Goodson

Leonard

. A survey of modeling techniques for fluid line transients. J Basic Eng 1972; 94(2): 474–482.

30.

Johnston

. The transmission line method for modelling laminar flow of liquid in pipelines. Proc IMechE, Part I: J Systems & Control Engineering 2012; 226(5): 586–597.

31.

Johnston

Pan

Kudzma

. An enhanced transmission line method for modelling laminar flow of liquid in pipelines. Proc IMechE, Part I: J Systems & Control Engineering 2014; 228(4): 193–206.

32.

Lau

Edge

Johnston

. Impedance characteristics of hydraulic orifices. Proc IMechE, Part I: J Systems & Control Engineering 1995; 209(4): 241–253.

33.

Edge

Johnston

. The impedance characteristics of fluid power components: relief valves and accumulators. Proc IMechE, Part I: J Systems & Control Engineering 1991; 205(1): 11–22.