Efficient high-speed on/off valves are an enabling technology for applying digital control techniques such as pulse-width-modulation (PWM) to hydraulic systems. Virtually variable displacement pumps (VVDPs) are one application where variable displacement functionality is attained using a fixed-displacement pump paired with an on/off valve and an accumulator. High-speed valves increase system bandwidth and reduce output pressure ripple by enabling higher switching frequencies. In addition to fast switching, on/off valves should also have small pressure drop and low actuation power to be effective in these applications. In this paper, a new unidirectional rotary valve designed for PWM is proposed. The valve is unique in utilizing the hydraulic fluid flowing through it as a power source for rotation. An unoptimized prototype capable of high flow rate (40 lpm), high speed (2.8 ms transition time at 100 Hz PWM frequency), and low pressure drop (0.62 MPa), while consuming little actuation power (<0.5% full power or 30 W, scavenged from fluid stream), has been constructed and experimentally validated. This paper describes the valve design, analyzes its performance and losses, and develops mathematical models that can be used for design and simulation. The models are validated using experimental data from a proof-of-concept prototype. The valve efficiency is quantified and suggestions for improving the efficiency in future valves are provided.

Fluid compressibility has a major influence on the efficiency of switch-mode hydraulic circuits due to the release of energy stored in fluid compression during each switching cycle and the increased flow rate through the high-speed valve during transition events. Multiple models existing in the literature for fluid bulk modulus, the inverse of the compressibility, are reviewed and compared with regards to their applicability to a switch-mode circuit. In this work, a computational model is constructed of the primary energy losses in a generic switch-mode hydraulic circuit with emphasis on losses created by fluid compressibility. The model is used in a computational experiment where the system pressure, switched volume, and fraction of air entrained in the hydraulic fluid are varied through multiple levels. The computational experiments resulted in switch-mode circuit volumetric efficiencies that ranged from 51% to 95%. The dominant energy loss is due to throttling through the ports of the high-speed valve during valve transition events. The throttling losses increase with the fraction of entrained air and the volume of fluid experiencing pressure fluctuations, with a smaller overall influence seen as a result of the system pressure. The results of the computational experiment indicate that to achieve high efficiency in switch-mode hydraulic circuits, it is critical to minimize both the entrained air in the hydraulic fluid and the fluid volume between the high-speed valve and the pump, motor, or actuator. These computational results are compared with experimental results in Part II of this two part paper series.

McKibben actuators, comprised of an elastomeric tube wrapped in inextensible fibers, were developed in the 1950s and have been used primarily in pneumatic applications. Mc-Kibben actuators provide superior force and power density at a lower cost compared to many conventional actuators due to their simple design. This paper explores driving McKibben actuators with high-pressure hydraulics and reflects on some challenges associated with modeling the actuators at hydraulic pressures. Twelve actuators were designed, fabricated, and tested experimentally over a range of contraction ratios. Four modeling approaches were evaluated against experimental data including a new model that eliminates some of the limitations of existing models by predicting output force as a function of initial actuator geometry only and capturing the nonlinear variation in elastomer wall thickness as the actuator is strained. The experimental results suggest that the existing McKibben force models presented in this paper are not as accurate as the new model for tracking total axial force generation. The absolute value of the error from experimental values of each of the four models ranged from 9.1% for the new model developed in this paper to 9.9%, 10.0%, and 10.5% for the three other existing approaches, but the new model has unique advantages in modeling hydraulic McKibben actuators that require thicker tube walls. This study lays the ground work for future research in modeling soft robots comprised of compliant actuators powered hydraulically at high pressures.

High power density, good controllability and low cost are the most appealing characteristics that make hydraulic systems the best choice for many applications. Current state of the art hydraulic variable displacement pumps show high efficiency at high displacement while they have poor efficiencies at low displacement. This paper proposes a novel alternating flow (AF) variable displacement hydraulic pump to 1) eliminate metering losses by acting as a high-bandwidth pump for displacement control, 2) achieve high efficiency across a wide range of operating conditions and displacements, and 3) allow multiple units to be easily common-shaft mounted for a compact multi-actuator displacement control system from a single prime-mover. A dynamic model using first principles describes the cylinder pressure, flows between pairs of cylinders, and net inlet and outlet flows as a function of the pump's phase shift angle. The model captures hydraulic check valve dynamics, the effective bulk modulus, leakage flows, and viscous friction. Piston kinematics and dynamics are discussed and energy loss models are presented. A first prototype of the AF pump was constructed from two inline triplex pumps that were modified so that three piston pairs were created. Experiment tests were conducted and used to validate the model. After model validation, simulation results from the model can offer an initial evaluation of this novel pump concept and potential applications and can be used to guide the design for future prototype of the AF hydraulic pump.

Electrification of off-highway vehicles is notoriously challenging due to extreme power density requirements. This article proposes and develops an axial flux machine integrated with a hydraulic pump to realize a single modular, electro-hydraulic machine to electrify off-highway vehicle implements. This integrated machine eliminates redundant bearings, couplings, and shaft seals, reuses surfaces, and enables direct cooling of the electric machine with the hydraulic fluid, to significantly increase power density. Three popular axial flux machine variants are first compared using a finite element analysis based design optimization approach. The single rotor, single stator variant is identified to be the most promising for integration with the hydraulic pump. Next, a multiphysics framework of the complete integrated hydraulic pump and axial flux machine is developed to characterize the design space. The results indicate promising potential for this concept to realize efficiency over 85% and power density over 5 kW/kg for the complete machine (electric machine, hydraulic pump, and thermal management system), while utilizing conventional materials (thin gauge silicon steel, N45 magnets, and enamelled copper wire). A prototype axial flux machine has been experimentally characterized and integrated with a hydraulic pump to demonstrate the integrated electro-hydraulic machine concept.

A variety of methods have previously been applied to modelling hydraulic check valves. While the theoretical framework has been established, robust experimental validation of check valve models is lacking. When present, validation methods typically rely on measurements of pressure differential or flow rates, from which check valve dynamics are inferred. In this paper, a lumped parameter model is constructed for a disc style check valve used to control the inlet and outlet flow of a piston pump. Pressure, spring, contact, stiction, and flow forces are investigated to determine which have a significant effect on the check valve dynamics. An experimental pump circuit is constructed and an acrylic sight glass is installed on the check valve manifolds. A method of directly measuring the check valve position during operation using a Laser Triangulation Sensor (LTS) is developed by applying Snell’s law to the air-acrylic and acrylic-oil interfaces and calculating laser refraction to obtain a relationship between valve position and LTS voltage output. Modelled valve position and flow rates are compared to experimental data for three sets of operating conditions – baseline, high speed, and high pressure. In all three cases, modelled inlet and delivery valve displacement closely agree with experimental measurements. Error between predicted and measured flow rates is less than 3% for all cases.