Hydraulic Excavator Additive Control for Oxidation-Driven Fluid Aging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic fluids in construction machines deteriorate due to oxidation, leading to a reduction in lubricating ability and necessitating frequent replacements, which can cause damage to main components.
Innovation Solution
A construction machine equipped with an additive tank, an on-off valve, and a degree-of-oxidation sensor, controlled by a controller to supply an oxidation inhibitor to the hydraulic fluid tank based on the oxidation level, extending the intervals for hydraulic fluid replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the timing of the supply of the additive is too late, then the hydraulic fluid deteriorates soon, but if the timing is too early, then the additive is consumed quickly and replenishment intervals are shortened
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a degree-of-oxidation sensor to continuously monitor the oxidation state of the hydraulic fluid and feeds this information back to the controller. The controller calculates the rate of change in oxidation degree and uses this feedback to determine the optimal timing for additive supply, thereby avoiding both premature and delayed additive replenishment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment of the oxidation rate and predicts future additive consumption trends. By calculating the rate of change in oxidation degree before actual deterioration occurs, the system can proactively schedule additive supply at the optimal moment, preventing both early and late supplementation scenarios.
2Reliability
If additive is supplied continuously to maintain concentration, then oxidation resistance is improved, but additive consumption increases and replacement frequency increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous additive supply, the system implements periodic supplementation based on monitored oxidation rates. The additive is supplied in controlled intervals determined by the actual oxidation state and rate of change, maintaining effective concentration while minimizing overall additive consumption and replacement frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the additive supply parameters (timing, amount, frequency) based on the measured oxidation degree and its rate of change. This parameter optimization ensures adequate oxidation protection is maintained while reducing unnecessary additive consumption and replacement operations.
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
The solution effectively prolongs the intervals for hydraulic fluid replacement by maintaining the additive concentration, reducing oxidative deterioration, and minimizing wear and corrosion on hydraulic equipment.
Implementation Method 1
a degree-of-oxidation sensor for sensing a degree to which the hydraulic fluid has been oxidized
Implementation Method 2
The additive is added to improve the quality of the hydraulic fluid and is an oxidation inhibitor, for example
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a construction machine capable of increasing the intervals for replacing a hydraulic fluid. A hydraulic excavator includes an additive tank for storing an additive, an additive supply line for supplying the additive from the additive tank to a hydraulic fluid tank, an on-off valve disposed on the additive supply line and switchable between a closed state and an open state, a degree-of-oxidation sensor for sensing the degree to which the hydraulic fluid has been oxidized, and a controller. The controller performs control for reporting that the on-off valve is to switch into the open state or control for switching the on-off valve into the open state when the rate of change in the degree to which the hydraulic fluid has been oxidized is equal to or higher than a predetermined value. The controller performs control for reporting that the on-off valve is to switch into the open state or control for switching the on-off valve into the open state when the machine uptime from the time of replacement of the hydraulic fluid or the machine uptime from the time of switching of the on-off valve from the open state into the closed state is equal to or longer than a predetermined value.