Hydraulic Pump Staging for Variable Flow and Lower Component Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dynamic testing systems face challenges in efficiently generating hydraulic fluid flows that meet rapidly changing demands, while also reducing energy spikes and wear on pump components.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a hydraulic power unit with a plurality of hydraulic pumps, where unique subsets of pumps are selected based on test flow profiles to produce a variable main flow that exceeds hydraulic fluid flow demand estimates, optimizing energy efficiency and reducing wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional hydraulic power units use multiple passive valve hydraulic pumps with variable displacements, then the system can meet hydraulic fluid flow demands, but energy spikes occur and wear and tear on pump components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the pump fleet into multiple subsets and selectively activates only the necessary number of pumps based on real-time flow demand. This segmentation prevents all pumps from operating simultaneously at partial load, reducing energy spikes and mechanical stress on individual pump components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the configuration of active pump subsets in response to changing flow demands. By continuously optimizing which pumps are active and their displacement settings, the system adapts to varying operational conditions, avoiding the energy inefficiencies and wear associated with static pump configurations.
2Productivity
If the system activates all hydraulic pumps to ensure sufficient flow capacity, then flow demand can be met, but energy consumption increases and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system activates only the minimum necessary subset of pumps required to meet the current flow demand, rather than running all pumps. This partial action approach ensures sufficient productivity while avoiding the energy waste of operating excess pumps at low load conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by adjusting the displacement settings of active pumps and selecting different pump subsets based on flow demand. This allows the system to maintain high productivity when needed while optimizing energy consumption by matching pump output parameters to actual demand levels.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system uses a fixed configuration of hydraulic pumps, then system complexity is reduced, but the system cannot efficiently respond to rapidly changing flow demands
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes multiple pump subsets and their corresponding flow capacity characteristics. This preliminary configuration allows the control system to quickly select appropriate subsets in response to changing demands without requiring complex real-time optimization calculations, thus maintaining adaptability while managing system complexity.
4Productivity
If the system operates pumps at high displacement settings, then flow capacity is maximized, but energy consumption increases and pump component wear increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the pump fleet into subsets and activating only the necessary number of pumps, the system maximizes flow capacity through coordinated operation of fewer pumps rather than operating all pumps at high displacement. This reduces energy loss and mechanical wear compared to high-displacement operation of all pumps.
Data Source
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AI summary
A hydraulic power unit includes a reservoir containing hydraulic fluid, a main output, a pressure sensor, at least one active valve hydraulic pump and at least one passive valve hydraulic pump. A main flow of the hydraulic fluid is discharged through the main output. The pressure sensor includes a pressure signal that is indicative of a pressure of the main flow. Each active valve hydraulic pump is configured to drive a first flow portion of the main flow from the reservoir to the main output when the pressure signal is below a first pressure setpoint. Each passive valve hydraulic pump is configured to drive a second flow portion of the main flow from the reservoir to the main output when the pressure signal is below a second pressure setpoint.