Decoupling Matrix Control for Electro-Hydraulic Drive Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electro-hydraulic drive networks face inefficiencies due to the use of valves, which lead to inherent losses and complicate the independent control of multiple hydraulic cylinders with short-circuited chambers and displacement units.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for determining a decoupling matrix D to manage pressure dynamics and derive control signals for displacement units, allowing independent control of hydraulic cylinders with short-circuited chambers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If valves are used to control hydraulic flow, then flow regulation is achieved, but energy losses increase and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the valves from the hydraulic circuit by using a valveless architecture where displacement units directly control hydraulic cylinders through short-circuited chambers, thereby removing the source of energy losses while maintaining flow regulation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical valve-based flow control system is replaced with a direct displacement unit to cylinder connection system using short-circuited chambers, substituting the mechanical valve regulation mechanism with a direct hydraulic coupling controlled by displacement units
2Device complexity
If multiple hydraulic cylinders with short-circuited chambers are used, then system complexity is reduced, but independent control of each cylinder becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the control of each hydraulic cylinder into independent displacement units, where each displacement unit can independently control its associated cylinder through the short-circuited chamber configuration, enabling individual control while maintaining system simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The short-circuited chambers act as intermediaries between the displacement units and hydraulic cylinders, allowing each displacement unit to independently control its cylinder while the chamber short-circuiting provides the coupling mechanism that simplifies the overall system architecture
3Loss of energy
If displacement units control short-circuited chambers, then energy efficiency improves, but pressure coupling between chambers complicates control
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the control functions by allowing displacement units to control both chambers of a hydraulic cylinder simultaneously through the short-circuited chamber configuration, where the pressure coupling between chambers is utilized as a control feature rather than a complication, maintaining energy efficiency while simplifying the control architecture
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for determining a decoupling matrix D for a control system (52) of an electro-hydraulic drive network comprising n hydraulic cylinders (10, 12) each having two chambers (20, 22, 24, 26), n-1 chamber short-circuiting's between the cylinder's chambers, and n+1 displacement units (14, 16, 18), the method comprising the steps of: - Determining the relations between the control volume pressures, the load pressures and the sum pressure (S12) within the electro-hydraulic drive network; - Establishing load pressure dynamics and sum pressure dynamics by using dedicated matrices (S14); and - Deriving the decoupling matrix D (S16) from the load pressure dynamics and the sum pressure dynamics.