Anti-saturation Valve Assembly for Load Sensing Hydraulic Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional load sensing hydraulic systems face inefficiencies and increased costs due to throttling losses when using load sensing priority flow control valves to manage saturation, where the instantaneous demand for pressurized fluid exceeds the pumping capacity, leading to reduced hydraulic horsepower and higher costs.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an anti-saturation valve assembly that senses pressure differences between the source of pressurized fluid and the priority load signal, converting this difference into a biasing force to reduce pilot pressure, thereby controlling the main flow path without throttling, and includes a pressure reducing valve to manage pilot pressure in the auxiliary load circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a load sensing priority flow control valve is used to manage saturation, then the system can control the apportionment of pressurized fluid between priority and auxiliary load circuits, but substantial throttling losses occur and hydraulic horsepower is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the flow control function from the main pressurized fluid path and relocates it to a separate pilot pressure path. The anti-saturation valve assembly monitors pilot pressure and extracts only the necessary control signal, while the main flow path remains open and unthrottled, eliminating energy loss in the flow control mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces pilot pressure as an intermediary medium to perform flow control. Instead of directly throttling the main pressurized fluid, the system uses a separate pilot pressure path that acts as a mediator to control the auxiliary load circuit flow, thereby avoiding direct throttling losses in the main path.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a load sensing priority flow control valve is used to manage saturation, then the system can respond to load signals from the priority load circuit, but the overall system cost increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-saturation valve assembly performs multiple functions within a single integrated component: it monitors pilot pressure, detects saturation conditions, and automatically adjusts auxiliary circuit flow. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate load sensing priority valves and complex control mechanisms, thereby reducing overall system cost while maintaining load response capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve assembly is designed to automatically detect saturation conditions through pilot pressure monitoring and self-regulate the auxiliary circuit flow without requiring external control signals or complex electronic systems. This self-service capability reduces system complexity and cost while maintaining adaptability to load changes.
3Reliability
If the main flow path is throttled to prevent saturation, then the pump capacity can be matched to system demand, but hydraulic horsepower is reduced and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the flow control function from the main power path. By creating a separate pilot pressure path that handles control functions, the main pressurized fluid path remains unthrottled and maintains full power transmission capability, while saturation management is handled independently through pilot pressure regulation.
Solution Approach 2:
Pilot pressure serves as an intermediary that enables saturation management without affecting the main power path. The anti-saturation valve assembly uses pilot pressure to detect and respond to saturation conditions, allowing the system to manage load demands while the main flow path continues to transmit full hydraulic power without throttling losses.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces hydraulic horsepower consumption and system costs by avoiding throttling losses, allowing the hydraulic system to maintain efficiency during saturation conditions without the need for costly load sensing priority valves, ensuring the system can meet demand while minimizing energy expenditure.
Implementation Method 1
sensing the pressure difference between the source of pressurized fluid and the priority load signal
Implementation Method 2
converting this difference into a biasing force
Implementation Method 3
a pressure reducing valve to reduce the pilot pressure from the source of pilot pressure
Data Source
AI summary
An anti-saturation valve assembly (51) for use in a hydraulic system having priority (17) and auxiliary (25) load circuits, the priority circuit providing a priority load signal (19). The anti-saturation valve assembly includes a pressure sensor portion (61) which senses a decrease between pump pressure (23) and the priority load signal (19), and generates a force on a pressure reducing portion (63) to reduce, correspondingly, a pilot pressure (59): The reduced pilot pressure to a pilot valve (35) results in reduced flow to a pilot-operated main control valve (27) in the auxiliary load circuit (25), thus providing anti-saturation protection for the circuit, without throttling a main flow path and wasting substantial hydraulic power.