Hydraulic Pump Split-Flow Control for Work Machine Fuel Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hydraulic circuits of work machines, a significant amount of hydraulic fluid is wasted when pumps operate even though the hydraulic cylinders are not driven, leading to reduced fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A control system that switches between a split-flow state and a connected state in the hydraulic circuit, where the passage connecting two hydraulic pumps is closed when only one actuator is driven, ensuring hydraulic fluid is only supplied to the active actuators, thereby reducing unnecessary fluid discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydraulic pumps operate continuously to ensure minimum capacity discharge, then reliable hydraulic supply is maintained, but fuel efficiency deteriorates due to wasteful driving when actuators are not driven
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the hydraulic circuit configuration changeable between split-flow and connected states based on operational conditions. The opening/closing device dynamically switches the passage state between open and closed, allowing the system to adapt between reliable separate supply (split-flow) and energy-efficient connected supply (connected state), resolving the contradiction between reliability and fuel efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameter of the hydraulic circuit by switching the passage between open and closed states. This parameter change transforms the circuit configuration between split-flow and connected modes, enabling the system to optimize between reliable hydraulic supply and reduced energy consumption based on whether actuators are driven
2Measurement precision
If passage is closed in split-flow state for independent pump operation, then actuator control precision is improved, but unloaded hydraulic fluid increases when one actuator is driven
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between split-flow state (passage closed) for precise independent actuator control and connected state (passage open) to reduce unloaded hydraulic fluid. When one actuator is driven, the passage opens to allow the other pump's fluid to be utilized rather than unloaded, resolving the energy loss while maintaining control precision through appropriate state selection
Data Source
AI summary
A control system includes: a first hydraulic pump and a second hydraulic pump; a passage connecting the first hydraulic pump and the second hydraulic pump with each other; an opening/closing device provided in the passage and configured to open and close the passage; a control device configured to control the opening/closing device to switch between a split-flow state in which the passage is closed and a connected state in which the passage is open; a first actuator to which hydraulic fluid discharged from the first hydraulic pump is supplied in the split-flow state; and a second actuator to which hydraulic fluid discharged from the second hydraulic pump is supplied in the split-flow state. In the connected state, the control device controls the opening/closing device so that the connected state is maintained even when either one of the first actuator and the second actuator is brought into a driven state.