Hydraulic Gas Spring Pressure Control for Boom Fuel Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Material handlers, such as excavators, face inefficiencies in fuel consumption due to high pressure requirements during operations like raising booms, which leads to excessive fuel usage, and existing energy recovery systems do not effectively address these inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A potential energy storage system for material handlers that includes hydraulic cylinders, compressible gas actuators, an accumulator with a gas chamber, a hydraulic adjustment valve, and an electronic control unit to dynamically adjust gas pressure and volume based on operational demands, optimizing energy use and reducing fuel consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If high pressure is used in hydraulic cylinders to raise booms, then lifting capability is improved, but fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-charges the gas spring during low-demand periods when the boom is in the lowered position, storing potential energy in advance. This preliminary energy storage allows the gas spring to assist during high-demand lifting operations, reducing the hydraulic pressure needed and thereby reducing fuel consumption during critical lifting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the balance between hydraulic and gas spring actuation based on real-time operational conditions. The control system monitors boom position, lifting demands, and hydraulic pressure levels to optimize the contribution of each actuator, ensuring that the gas spring provides assistance when most beneficial while maintaining full hydraulic capability when needed.
2Use of energy by moving object
If energy recovery systems are added to material handlers, then fuel consumption is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas spring serves multiple functions: it acts as an energy storage device during lifting operations, provides structural support when the boom is lowered, and functions as a cushioning element during boom lowering. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated energy recovery components, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity while still achieving fuel savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing hydraulic system to charge the gas spring accumulator, leveraging the hydraulic pump and fluid already present in the material handler. By using the hydraulic system to compress the gas spring during boom lowering, the invention creates an energy recovery mechanism without requiring separate pneumatic or mechanical energy storage devices.
3Productivity
If gas pressure is dynamically adjusted, then operational efficiency is optimized, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors boom position, hydraulic pressure, and gas spring pressure to determine the optimal gas pressure setpoint. This feedback mechanism allows the system to automatically adjust gas pressure in response to changing operational conditions, optimizing performance without requiring complex manual intervention or overly sophisticated control algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adjusts gas pressure as a controllable parameter to optimize operational efficiency. By varying the gas pressure in the spring based on operational demands, the system can tune the assistance provided to match actual lifting requirements, improving productivity while keeping the control logic relatively simple through parameter adjustment rather than complex mechanical reconfiguration.
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 system reduces fuel consumption by approximately 22% by efficiently managing gas pressure and volume, thereby minimizing the load on hydraulic cylinders and optimizing operational efficiency across different operational scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
one or more compressible gas actuators to actuate the machine element; an accumulator comprising a hydraulic chamber and a gas chamber coupled to the compressible gas actuators
Implementation Method 2
Potential energy storage system for a material handler... one or more compressible gas actuators to actuate the machine element
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for storing potential energy for a material handler. The system and method involves actuating a machine element using hydraulic cylinders; measuring a position of the machine element; controlling the hydraulic cylinders with a hydraulic circuit by an electronic control unit; determining a maximum target pressure for at least one gas actuator coupled to the machine element; calculating a target pressure for the at least one gas actuator at the position; measuring a gas pressure measurement from the at least one gas actuator; comparing the target pressure to the gas pressure measurement; and adjusting a hydraulic adjustment valve to increase or decrease an amount of hydraulic fluid within a hydraulic chamber of an accumulator thereby changing a gas pressure within the at least one gas actuator to correspond to the target pressure.