The technology of gerotor pumps is progressing towards cutting-edge applications in emerging sectors, which are more demanding for pump performance. Moreover, recent environmental standards are heading towards leakage-free and noiseless hydraulic systems. Hence, in order to respond to these demands, this study, which will be referred to as the GeroMAG concept, aims to make a leap from the standard gerotor pump technology: a sealed, compact, non-shaft-driven gerotor pump with a magnetically-driving outer rotor. The GeroMAG pump is conceived as a variable-flow pump to accomplish a standard volumetric flow rate at low rotational speed with satisfactory volumetric efficiency. By following the authors’ methodology based on a catalogue of best-practice rules, a custom trochoidal gear set is designed. Then, two main technological challenges are encountered: how to generate the rotational movement of the driving outer rotor and how to produce the guide of rotation of the gear set once there is no drive shaft. To confront them, a quiet magnet brushless motor powers the driving outer rotor through pole pieces placed in its external sideway and the rotational movement is guided by the inner edgewise pads carved on it. Subsequently, GeroMAG pump architecture, prototype, housing, methodology, materials and manufacture will be presented. As a principal conclusion, the GeroMAG proof of concept and pump prototype are feasible, which is corroborated by experimental results and performance indexes.

The trochoidal-gear technology has been growing in groundbreaking fields. Forthcoming applications are demanding to this technology a step forward in the conceiving stage of positive displacement machines. The compendium of the qualities and the inherent characteristics of trochoidal-gear technology, especially towards the gerotor pump, together with scale/size factor and magnetic-driven transmission has led to the idea of a magnet-sleeve-sealed variable flow mini trochoidal-gear pump. From its original concept, to the last phase of the design development, the proof of concept, this new product will intend to overcome problems such as noise, vibration, maintenance, materials, and dimensions. The paper aims to show the technological path followed from the concept, design, and model, to the manufacture of the first prototype, where the theoretical and numerical approaches are not always directly reflected in the prototype performance results. Early in the design process, from a standard-commercial sintered metal mini trochoidal-gear unit, fundamental characteristics and dimensional limitations have been evaluated becoming the strategic parameters that led to its configuration. The main technical challenge to confront is being sealed with non-exterior driveshaft, ensuring that the whole interior is filled and wetted with working fluid and helping the hydrodynamic film formation, the pumping effect, and the heat dissipation. Subsequently, the mini pump architecture, embodiment, methodology, materials, and manufacture are presented. The trend of applications of polymer composite materials and their benefits wanted to be examined with this new mini pump prototype, and a pure polyoxymethylene mini trochoidal-gear set has been designed and manufactured. Finally, both the sintered and the polymer trochoidal-gear units have been experimentally tested in an in-house full-instrumented mini test bench. Although the main goal of the presented work is the development of a new mini trochoidal-gear pump prototype rather than a numerical study, the results have been compared with numerical simulation. Subsequently, the prototype of the mini trochoidal-gear pump is a feasible proof of concept supported by functional indexes and the experimental results.

A double acting cylinder operation has been fully monitored in its key functional parameters, focused on characterization of end-of-stroke cushioning and starting phases. Being the cylinder performance reliant in the piston constructive geometry, the number and location of piston circumferential grooves is a significant parameter affecting the internal cushioning system performance. An eddy current displacement sensor assembled in the piston allows assessment of piston radial displacement inside the cylinder tube, which is directly related with the studied operating phases. Due to such 3D displacements, the piston becomes as an active and self-adjusting element along the functional cycle of the cylinder. Mechanical joints orientation and operating pressure are also relevant parameters affecting piston radial displacement and, thus, the cushioning and starting performance. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) results confirm the observed functional role of the perimeter grooves; the flow and pressure distributions, where develops a significant radial force, are also in accordance with the registered radial displacement.