Multi-Objective Geometric Optimization of Elliptical-Toothed Gerotor Pumps for Kinematics and Wear by Genetic Algorithm

A computationally efficient gerotor gear generation algorithm has been developed that creates elliptical-toothed gerotor gear profiles, identifies conditions to guarantee a feasible geometry, evaluates several performance objectives, and is suitable to use for geometric optimization. Five objective functions are used in the optimization: minimize pump size, flow ripple, adhesive wear, subsurface fatigue (pitting), and tooth tip leakage. The gear generation algorithm is paired with the NSGA-II optimization algorithm to minimize each of the objective functions subject to the constraints to define a feasible geometry. The genetic algorithm is run with a population size of 1000 for a total of 500 generations, after which a clear Pareto front is established and displayed. A design has been selected from the Pareto front which is a good compromise between each of the design objectives and can be scaled to any desired displacement. The results of the optimization are also compared to two profile geometries found in literature. Two alternative geometries are proposed that offer much lower adhesive wear while respecting the size constraints of the published profiles and are thought to be an improvement in design.

A Numerical Approach for the Evaluation of a Capillary Viscometer Experiment

The dynamic viscosity of a fluid is an important input parameter for the investigation of elastohydrodynamic contacts within tribological simulation tools. In this paper, a capillary viscometer is used to analyse the viscosity of a calibration fluid for diesel injection pumps. Capillary viscometers are often used for the determination of viscosities that show a significant dependence on shear rate, pressure and temperature such as polymer melts or blood. Therefore most of the research on corrections of measured viscosities have been made using polymer melts. A new method is presented to shorten the effort in evaluating the capillary experiment. The viscosity itself can be calculated from experimental data. Essential parameters are the radius of the capillary, its length, the capillary flow and the pressure difference over the capillary. These quantities are used in the Hagen-Poiseuille equation to calculate the viscosity, assuming laminar and monodirectional flow. According to said equation, the viscosity depends on the geometry and the pressure gradient. A typical capillary viscometer contains three main flow irregularities. First the contraction of the flow at the capillary inlet, second the expansion of the flow at the capillary outlet and third the inlet section length of the flow after which the velocity profile is fully developed. These flow phenomena cause pressure losses, which have to be taken into account, as well as the altered length of the laminar flow in the capillary. Furthermore, the temperature difference over the capillary also affects the outlet flow. Therefore, in this paper, a newly developed method is proposed, which shortens the effort in pressure and length correction. The method is valid for viscometers, which provide a single phase flow of the sampling fluid. Furthermore, the proposed correction is suited for arbitrary geometries. A numerical approach is chosen for the analysis of the experiment. In order to facilitate the experimental procedure of a capillary viscometer, a special algorithm was developed. The numerical approach uses a static CFD simulation, which is recursively passed through. If a termination condition, regarding the pressure difference between two cycles, is fulfilled, the real viscosity can be calculated in the usual way from the Hagen-Poiseuille equation. A special advantage of the proposed experimental evaluation is the general applicability for arbitrary geometries. In this paper, the procedure is validated with a well-known reference fluid and compared to data, which was gathered from a quartz viscometer experiment with the same fluid. Therefore, experiments are conducted with the capillary viscometer and compared at various pressure and temperature levels.

Model-Based Control of a Digital Hydraulic Transformer-Based Hybrid Actuator

Energy-efficient motion control of hydraulic actuators is a challenging task. Throttle-free solutions have the potential for high efficiency. The main throttle-free approaches are pump-controlled systems, transformer-based solutions, and digital hydraulic solutions, such as switching transformers, multi-chamber cylinder and multi-pressure systems. This paper presents a novel solution based on a so-called digital hydraulic power management system (DHPMS). The DHPMS is freely rotating and a hydraulic accumulator is used for energy storage. In contrast to existing approaches, each actuator has its own DHPMS and a small accumulator to locally handle the power peaks. Only an average amount of power is needed from the hydraulic grid, radically reducing the size of the supply pump and the hydraulic piping and hosing. Pump flow is only 12.5% of the peak flow of the actuator in the case studied. Control of this type of system is challenging, and the model-based approach is used. The controller uses a simplified model and functionality is verified by using a detailed simulation model of the system. The results show that the approach is feasible but is demanding on the control valves. The system delay is also relatively long, which reduces the control performance in high-end systems. Nevertheless, this approach has potential in mobile machines, for example.

Design Optimisation Strategies for a Hydraulic Hybrid Wheel Loader

This paper deals with design optimisation of hydraulic hybrid drivelines during early concept design phases. To set the design parameters of a hybrid driveline such as gear ratios, pump/motor displacements and size of energy storage, the energy management of the hybrid machine needs to be considered as well. This is problematic since a nested design and control optimisation normally requires substantial computer power and is time-consuming. Few previous studies have treated combined design and control optimisation of hydraulic hybrid vehicles using detailed, non-linear component driveline models. Furthermore, previously proposed design optimisation methods for on-road vehicles are not suitable for heavy off-road machines operating in short repetitive cycles with high transient power output. The paper demonstrates and compares different optimisation approaches for design and control optimisation combining deterministic dynamic programming and non-gradient based numerical optimisation. The results show that a simple rule-based energy management strategy can be sufficient to find the optimal hardware design even though non-optimal control laws are used.

A Novel Axial Piston Pump/Motor Principle With Floating Pistons: Design and Testing

This paper presents the first prototype of a novel axial piston pump/motor of slipper type. The pistons are floating in the cylinders and hence the name floating piston pump. The novel pump design fills a gap in the traditional pump design. The pump is made to fit the automobile requirements to use fluid power in a more prominent manner. One of the expected benefits of this design is its simplicity and therefore the machine does not require high manufacturing capabilities. The production cost is expected to be low. The machine is designed with high number of pistons, which leads to a pump/motor with low noise level. The displacement angle is small, 8 degrees, which leads to low piston speeds with its benefits. The main challenge in the design is the piston seal configuration. The seals will both, deform (ovality) and move in a circle relative to the pistons. The paper discusses design considerations and proposes a design. The efficiency measurement of the first prototype is in level of a series produced slipper type machine at its sweet spot.

Symmetric Single Rod Cylinders With Variable Piston Area? A Comprehensive Approach to the Right Solution

In contrast to rotational hydraulic displacement units, such as pumps or motors, conventional hydraulic cylinder actuators do not allow a continuous variation of their displacement quantity: the piston area is regarded constant. In order to adapt to varying load and velocity requirements in a load cycle under torque restrictions of the driving motor, cylinder drives often implement pumps with variable displacement. In this paper, cylinders with discretely variable effective piston area by means of variable circuitry of multi-chamber cylinders are discussed. Hydraulic symmetry or constant asymmetry of the hydraulic cylinder are traits of the cylinder that are required to fit the cylinder to pump structures for closed-circuit displacement control, as given in electro-hydrostatic compact drives (ECD). A methodology to generate all possible solutions of variable area cylinders under the constraint of ECD requirements is proposed. A comprehensive description of the solution space is given, based on combinatorics and solution of equation systems. The methodology dealing with abstract cylinder areas is backed up by a general approach to describe the mechanical cylinder design space to combine multiple cylinder areas in one structural unit. Examples for design of three and four area cylinders are given and results are discussed. The paper concludes with the development of a demonstrator design to allow experimental validation in a subsequent step.

A Review of Switched Inertance Hydraulic Converter Technology

Digital hydraulics is a new technology providing an alternative to conventional proportional or servovalve-controlled systems in the area of fluid power. Research is driven by the need for highly energy efficient hydraulic machines but is relatively immature compared to other energy-saving technologies. Digital hydraulic applications, such as digital pumps, digital valves and actuators, switched inertance hydraulic converters (SIHCs) and digital hydraulic power management systems, all promise high energy efficiency. This review introduces the development of SIHCs and evaluates the device configurations, performance and control strategies that are found in current SIHC research, particularly focusing on the work being undertaken in last 15 years. The designs for highspeed switching valves are evaluated, and their advantages and limitations are discussed. This article concludes with some suggestions for the future development of SIHCs.

Diagnosis Method for Valve-Controlled Hydraulic Cylinder Leakage Based on Subspace Identification

This paper proposes a fault diagnosis method based on subspace identification for the leakage fault detection of valve-controlled hydraulic cylinders. Firstly, the state-space model for the system is established, in which the external force on the piston of the hydraulic cylinder is selected as input signal, and the pressure of the two chambers, displacement and velocity of piston rod are chosen as state variables. Then, the estimation value of specific elements of the system matrix can be obtained in terms of the subspace identification theory. On this basis, the existence, type and level of the leakage fault are determined. Finally, the numerical simulation is conducted through MATLAB-Simulink to verify the proposed method. The results demonstrate that the proposed method is effective and has high accuracy.

Foundation for Virtual Prototyping of Mechanical Power Management Functions in Actuators

Beside the main functions related to the control and transformation of power, safety-critical electromechanical actuators require many additional functions for power routing, protection and limitation. In practice, these functions are implemented mechanically because their realization at motor drive level is not acceptable for performance and reliability reasons. Contact forces play a major role in these mechanical devices (e.g. endstop, lock, brake, torque limiter, etc.), being either functional to serve the need, or parasitic due to their alteration of performance. The virtual prototyping of such mechanical power management functions therefore requires normal and tangent forces to be modelled with the right level of realism and reduced complexity. This communication provides some proposals to be used as foundation for the system-level modelling and simulation of these types of mechanical power elements that can be found in electromechanical actuators. Special focus is given to the model architecting, decomposition and block-diagram implementation, using the example of normal contact forces. The illustrative example concerns an integrated landing gear extension/retraction electromechanical actuator which embeds free-fall and autolock features. It shows how a well implemented single model (e.g. generic normal contact force model) combined with a right model decomposition can meet various modelling needs (e.g. droppable end-stop, lock and shearable axial stop). The proposed models are made compatible for integration in a 2x1D mechanical model architecture (axial and rotational motion) developed by the authors in previous reported work.