This paper analyses the damping of a flow controlled cylinder with a mass load and an outlet orifice. By using linear models, a mathematical expression for the damping is derived. It is shown that the volumes on each side of the piston have a high impact on the damping. In case of a small volume on the inlet side, the damping becomes low. However, the most important thing is to design the outlet orifice area properly. There exists an optimal orifice dimension; both smaller and larger orifice areas give low damping independently of the size of the volumes. In this paper a design is proposed of the outlet orifice area that optimizes the damping of the system. Experimental results which confirm the theoretical expectations are also presented. The conclusions are that without an outlet orifice, the hydraulic system will not contribute with any damping at all. Furthermore, large dead volumes in the cylinder will increase the damping, but at the expense of the system’s efficiency.

Noise is a well known challenge in hydraulic systems. Hydrostatic machines are amongthe largest noise contributors in a hydraulic system. The noise from the machine originatesfrom flow pulsations at the discharge and suction ports, as well as pulsations inpiston forces and bending moments. This article investigates the dynamic behaviour ofunsteady flow through a valve plate in an axial piston pump. The proposed extension ofthe steady state restrictor equation includes a dynamic internal mass term and a resistance.The results from 1D model are validated with a 3D CFD model. Different valveplates’ configurations and pump sizes are easily simulated with the two simulation models.The simulation results show very good comparison with experimental tests. Theproposed method is verified with a hydraulic pump application but it can probably alsoapply for original restrictors too.

Interest has increased in flow controlled systems in the field of mobile fluid power. The capital distinction between traditional load-sensing (LS) systems and flow controlled systems is that the pump is controlled based on the operator’s total flow demand rather than maintaining a certain pressure margin over the maximum load pressure. One of the main advantages of flow controlled systems is the absence of the feedback of the highest load pressure to the pump controller. In this paper, a dynamic analysis is performed where flow controlled and LS systems are compared. It is shown how instability can occur in LS systems due to the pump controller and proven that no such instability properties are present in flow controlled systems. A drawback with one type of flow controlled system is that the highest load dynamically will disturb the lighter loads. This paper shows a novel way to optimize the damping in such systems by controlling the opening position of the directional valve independently of the flow. The mentioned disturbance between the highest load to the others can thereby be reduced.

A review of recent and current research on individual metering fluid power systems is presented. An overview of different systems and their pros and cons is given. General challenges related to independent metering fluid power systems are discussed. The major choices in the design of these systems are the hardware layout and the control strategy. The evolution of existing independent metering fluid power systems from the 1970s until the present day is also presented.

Interest has increasingly shifted from load-sensing (pressure controlled) systems to flow controlled systems. In this paper an interesting configuration that uses pre-compensated valves with flow sharing properties is studied. The fundamental difference between a traditional load sensing (LS) system and a flow controlled system is that the pump is controlled based on the operator’s total flow demand rather than maintaining a certain margin pressure over the maximum load pressure. One of the main advantages with flow controlled systems is the absence of the feedback of the highest load pressure to the pump. Flow controlled systems also present some challenges, one being how to handle auxiliary functions with unknown flow demands. Auxiliary functions are typically support legs, external power takeouts etc. This paper analyses one kind of flow controlled system and shows one way of dealing with auxiliary functions.

In conventional machines, the pulsations are periodic and originate from the uniform placement of a given number of pistons. This paper discusses the possibilities to introduce non-uniform placement of the pistons. The pulsations periodicity is thus changed, which can have a major impact on the noise level and how the noise is experienced. A number of approaches are presented, evaluated and ranked and the usefulness of the modifications is assessed. This study employs a transfer function methodology to map simulated internal pump dynamics, such as piston forces and bending moments, to audible noise. Using these transfer functions, it is possible for instance to predict how changed valve plate timing affects simulated piston forces and bending moments and in turn how this will affect audible noise. Copyright © 2009 by ASME.

In conventional machines, the pulsations are periodic and originate from the uniform placement of a given number of pistons. This paper discusses the possibilities to introduce non-uniform placement of the pistons. The pulsations periodicity is thus changed, which can have a major impact on the noise level and how the noise is experienced. A number of approaches are presented, evaluated and ranked and the usefulness of the modifications is assessed. This study employs a transfer function methodology to map simulated internal pump dynamics, such as piston forces and bending moments, to audible noise. Using these transfer functions, it is possible for instance to predict how changed valve plate timing affects simulated piston forces and bending moments and in turn how this will affect audible noise. Copyright © 2009 by ASME.

Noise is a well known challenge in hydraulic systems. Hydrostatic machines are among the largest noise contributors in a hydraulic system.The noise from the machine originates from flow pulsations at the discharge and suction ports, as well as pulsations in piston forces and bending moments.

This article investigates the dynamic behaviour of unsteady flow through a valve plate in an axial piston pump. The proposed extension of the steady state restrictor equation includes a dynamic internal mass term and a resistance. The results from 1D model are validated with a 3D CFD model. Different valve plates’ configurations and pump sizes are easily simulated with the two simulation models. The simulation results show very good comparison with experimental tests. The proposed method is verified with a hydraulic pump application but it can probably also apply for original restrictors too.

This paper deals with the control of an individual metering fluid power system. There are a number of reasons to use individual metering technology, one is flexibility. In traditional valves there is a mechanical connection between the meter-in orifice and the meter-out orifice. By control this orifices individually one valve can be used in different applications without hard- ware modifications. Instead of change spool the software is changed. Since there are more control signals and thereby more outputs to control there is also an opportunity of improve- ments of the dynamics compared to a conventional system. In this paper an approach with LQ-technique is presented for improvements of system dynamics. Since all states in the sys- tem can not be measured a state observer is also considered in the control design. These work present simulations, implementations in a real world forwarder application and results from ve- rifying experiments.

In load sensing systems, the pump pressure is controlled in a closed loop control mode. In this paper, a system solution where the displacement of the pump is controlled directly from the operator's demand is studied. Both the stability and the response is thereby improved. It also implies a better energy efficiency since the pump pressure will be adapted according to the point of operation with no additional pressure margin needed. In some mobile applications, pressure compensation is required to avoid load interference. When using common pre compensators in a displacement controlled system, the pump and the valve will both control the flow. A better solution would be to control the flow by the pump and utilize the valve as a flow divider. This can be achieved by using flow sharing compensators. It also allows further energy savings since the maximum restriction area of the main spool at one of the loads can be utilized independent of the flow delivered by the pump. This paper addresses the problem with using common pre compensators in displacement controlled systems and analyses and compares both a traditional load sensing system and an open controlled pump solution with flow sharing compensators. Measurements on a wheel loader application equipped with the system presented in this paper shows a decreased energy consumption of 14 % for the working hydraulics compared to a load sensing system during a short loading cycle, provided that the pump is not saturated.