Hydraulic Pump and Valve Control Without a Pressure Accumulator
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic systems for motor vehicles face inefficiencies due to the use of pressure accumulators, which lead to energy loss and complex construction, and lack a simple and robust control strategy for managing system pressure and valve control.
Innovation Solution
A method that controls a hydraulic system by switching between normal and enhanced operation modes based on total power requirements, eliminating the need for a pressure accumulator and allowing independent control of the pump and valves, with a check valve and pressure relief valve to manage system pressure and voltage efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a pressure accumulator is used to maintain high system pressure, then the system can provide high pressure when needed, but energy is lost and the construction becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the pressure accumulator from the hydraulic system entirely. Instead of using a pressure accumulator to store and regulate pressure, the system uses a pump that can dynamically adjust its operation between normal and enhanced modes, directly controlling pressure as needed without energy loss through accumulation and release cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump is designed with dynamic operation modes (normal and enhanced) that can switch based on system needs. This dynamic capability allows the pump to provide high pressure on demand without requiring a pressure accumulator, simplifying the overall system construction while maintaining the ability to meet high pressure requirements when needed.
2Stress or pressure
If a pressure accumulator is used to maintain high system pressure, then the system can provide high pressure when needed, but energy is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure accumulator is removed from the system, eliminating the energy loss associated with charging and discharging the accumulator. The pump directly maintains system pressure through controlled operation, avoiding the cyclic energy conversion and loss that occurs in accumulator-based systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump's dynamic operation between normal and enhanced modes allows it to maintain system pressure efficiently without the energy waste of an accumulator. The pump can sustain pressure at lower power consumption during normal operation and quickly switch to enhanced mode only when high pressure is required, minimizing overall energy loss.
3Ease of operation
If pump control is coordinated with valve control precisely, then the system can avoid restrictions on drivability, but the control becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into independent components: the pump controller operates autonomously based on pressure sensor feedback, and the valve controllers operate independently based on their respective actuator needs. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex coordinated control while ensuring drivability is not restricted, as each component responds independently to its own control signals.
Solution Approach 2:
A pressure sensor provides continuous feedback to the pump controller, enabling the pump to automatically adjust its operation to maintain the desired system pressure. This feedback mechanism simplifies control by eliminating the need for complex pump-valve coordination, as the pump self-regulates based on real-time pressure conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method controls a hydraulic system for an actuation device and a cooling and/or lubricating device of a motor vehicle. The hydraulic system has a pump, multiple first actuation valves which are each arranged between a system rail connected to a pump outlet and a hydraulic consumer, as well as an additional valve which is arranged between the pump outlet and a coolant and/or lubricant supply line. The pump is switched between a normal operation and an enhanced operation according to an existing total energy demand of the hydraulic consumer. In normal operation, the pump is permanently driven and the additional valve is opened and closed to control pressure in the system rail. In enhanced operation, the pump is permanently driven, the additional valve is permanently closed and each of the actuation valves is operated according to an individual energy demand of the respective hydraulic consumer.