Hydraulic Valve Arrangement With Decoupled Flow Control Edges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic valve arrangements for pressure medium supply to consumers suffer from power losses due to coupled control edges, leading to cavitation and increased control effort, especially under changing load conditions.
Innovation Solution
A valve arrangement with two utility ports and separate control valves, where the first control valve independently controls intake and return flows, and a second control valve selectively controls intake flows, along with a pressure compensating valve to manage pressure differences, reducing power losses and cavitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If one control spool is used to change throttle cross sections for supply and return flow together, then device complexity is reduced, but unintentional pressure drops and power losses occur due to coupled control edges
Solution Approach 1:
The control valve is segmented into multiple independent control spools (first control spool for supply flow, second control spool for return flow). Each control spool has its own control edges that can be independently adjusted, allowing separate optimization of supply and return flow control without the power losses associated with coupled control edges in a single spool design.
2Reliability
If control edge geometries are individually adapted to each consumer, then cavitation is avoided, but manufacturing cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control edge geometries are made dynamically adjustable through threaded adjustment mechanisms. The control edges can be individually adapted to different consumers by rotating the control spools, which moves the control edges axially to change the throttle cross-sections. This dynamic adjustability allows optimal cavitation prevention for each consumer without requiring custom-manufactured valve bodies for each application.
3Loss of energy
If separate control spools are used for supply and return flow, then power losses are reduced, but device complexity and control effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple control spools are merged into a single integrated control valve body. The first control spool controls supply flow through first intake and first return control orifices, while the second control spool controls return flow through second intake and second return control orifices. This merging approach achieves the power loss reduction of separate control while maintaining a compact, cost-effective single-valve structure rather than requiring multiple separate valves.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve arrangement for supplying pressure medium to a hydraulic consumer has two utility ports (A, B) for fluid connection to the consumer and has a first control valve. The first control valve (20) has a first intake (24) via which a first intake flow from the first utility port (A) to the consumer (10) is controllable, has a first return control orifice (26) via which a first return flow (28) from the consumer (10) via the second utility port (B) is controllable simultaneously with the first intake (24), has a second intake (34) via which a second intake flow from the second utility port (B) to the consumer (10) is controllable, and having a second return control orifice (36), via which a second return flow (38) from the consumer (10) via the first utility port (A) is controllable simultaneously with the second intake (34). A second control valve (40) has an intake control orifice (42) used to control the respective intake (24, 34) of the first control valve (20).