Digital Hydraulic Transformer Concepts for Energy-Efficient Motion Control
Hydraulic linear drive systems with conventional proportional valves result in poor energy efficiency due to resistance control. In systems with multiple actuators connected to one common pressure supply, a load-sensing strategy is often used to reduce these throttling losses. However, like conventi...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Actuators |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/14/2/54 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849722624036306944 |
|---|---|
| author | Helmut Kogler |
| author_facet | Helmut Kogler |
| author_sort | Helmut Kogler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hydraulic linear drive systems with conventional proportional valves result in poor energy efficiency due to resistance control. In systems with multiple actuators connected to one common pressure supply, a load-sensing strategy is often used to reduce these throttling losses. However, like conventional cylinder actuators, common load-sensing systems are also not able to recuperate the energy, which is actually released when a dead load is lowered. In order to overcome these drawbacks, in this paper, new concepts of a digital hydraulic smart actuator and a load-sensitive pressure supply unit are presented, which are qualified to reduce throttling losses and, furthermore, to harvest energy from the load. According to previous research, the basic concepts used in this contribution promise energy savings in the range of 30% for certain applications, which is one of the main motivations for this study. The operating principles are based on a parallel arrangement of multiple hydraulic switching converters, representing so-called digital hydraulic transformers. Furthermore, the storage module of the presented load-sensitive pressure supply unit is able to boost the hydraulic power in the common pressure rail beyond the maximum power of the primary motor. For exemplary operating cycles of the smart actuator and the pressure supply unit, a significant reduction in the energy consumption could be shown by simulation experiments, which offers a new perspective for energy-efficient motion control. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-65b23c0cf7744399ba6c90c03e33c5bf |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-0825 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Actuators |
| spelling | doaj-art-65b23c0cf7744399ba6c90c03e33c5bf2025-08-20T03:11:18ZengMDPI AGActuators2076-08252025-01-011425410.3390/act14020054Digital Hydraulic Transformer Concepts for Energy-Efficient Motion ControlHelmut Kogler0Linz Center of Mechatronics GmbH, 4040 Linz, AustriaHydraulic linear drive systems with conventional proportional valves result in poor energy efficiency due to resistance control. In systems with multiple actuators connected to one common pressure supply, a load-sensing strategy is often used to reduce these throttling losses. However, like conventional cylinder actuators, common load-sensing systems are also not able to recuperate the energy, which is actually released when a dead load is lowered. In order to overcome these drawbacks, in this paper, new concepts of a digital hydraulic smart actuator and a load-sensitive pressure supply unit are presented, which are qualified to reduce throttling losses and, furthermore, to harvest energy from the load. According to previous research, the basic concepts used in this contribution promise energy savings in the range of 30% for certain applications, which is one of the main motivations for this study. The operating principles are based on a parallel arrangement of multiple hydraulic switching converters, representing so-called digital hydraulic transformers. Furthermore, the storage module of the presented load-sensitive pressure supply unit is able to boost the hydraulic power in the common pressure rail beyond the maximum power of the primary motor. For exemplary operating cycles of the smart actuator and the pressure supply unit, a significant reduction in the energy consumption could be shown by simulation experiments, which offers a new perspective for energy-efficient motion control.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/14/2/54digital fluid poweractuatorhydraulicsefficiencyrecuperationload sensing |
| spellingShingle | Helmut Kogler Digital Hydraulic Transformer Concepts for Energy-Efficient Motion Control Actuators digital fluid power actuator hydraulics efficiency recuperation load sensing |
| title | Digital Hydraulic Transformer Concepts for Energy-Efficient Motion Control |
| title_full | Digital Hydraulic Transformer Concepts for Energy-Efficient Motion Control |
| title_fullStr | Digital Hydraulic Transformer Concepts for Energy-Efficient Motion Control |
| title_full_unstemmed | Digital Hydraulic Transformer Concepts for Energy-Efficient Motion Control |
| title_short | Digital Hydraulic Transformer Concepts for Energy-Efficient Motion Control |
| title_sort | digital hydraulic transformer concepts for energy efficient motion control |
| topic | digital fluid power actuator hydraulics efficiency recuperation load sensing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/14/2/54 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT helmutkogler digitalhydraulictransformerconceptsforenergyefficientmotioncontrol |