Recirculating Hydraulic Control Valve for Lower Pump Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines face inefficiencies in hydraulic fluid management, leading to increased power requirements and fluid consumption due to the need for continuous pressurization and recirculation of hydraulic fluid in hydraulically actuated components like camshaft and cranktrain phasers.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic fluid control valve with a spool and valve housing design that recirculates hydraulic fluid between actuation chambers and a pressurized source, utilizing one-way valves to optimize fluid flow and reduce venting, allowing for efficient fluid management and reduced consumption by routing hydraulic fluid from one chamber to another based on pressure states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydraulic fluid is continuously pressurized and delivered to actuation chambers, then the hydraulically actuated component can be reliably actuated, but the power requirement of the hydraulic fluid pump increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers hydraulic fluid from the actuation chamber after use and redirects it back to the pressurized fluid source through a recirculation path, allowing the same fluid to be reused rather than discarded to the reservoir. This reduces the total volume of fluid that must be continuously pressurized, thereby reducing pump power requirements while maintaining actuation reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The spool valve dynamically switches between different fluid paths based on system state, enabling the system to adapt between actuation mode (delivering pressurized fluid to chamber) and recirculation mode (returning fluid to source), optimizing power usage based on actual actuation needs
2Productivity
If hydraulic fluid is continuously delivered to the actuation chamber, then the hydraulically actuated component can be actuated, but the quantity of hydraulic fluid consumed increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers and recirculates hydraulic fluid from the actuation chamber back to the pressurized source, preventing fluid from being discarded to the reservoir. This closed-loop recirculation reduces the quantity of fluid that must be continuously supplied, thereby reducing overall fluid consumption while maintaining actuation capability
3Device complexity
If a traditional hydraulic control valve design is used, then the valve structure is simple, but the responsiveness of the hydraulically actuated component is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is segmented into multiple functional elements including a spool with multiple apertures, an outer annulus, and distinct fluid paths (actuation path and recirculation path). This segmentation allows simultaneous control of multiple fluid flows through a single valve body, enabling faster response without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The spool valve performs multiple functions simultaneously: it controls pressurized fluid delivery to the actuation chamber, manages recirculation of fluid back to the source, and regulates venting. This multi-functionality achieves rapid responsiveness without proportionally increasing structural complexity
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 solution enhances the efficiency of hydraulic fluid usage, reducing the power requirements of hydraulic fluid pumps and minimizing fluid consumption by effectively recirculating and reusing hydraulic fluid within the system, thereby improving the responsiveness of hydraulically actuated components and lowering overall engine fluid demand.
Implementation Method 1
The inner fluid chamber is configured to receive hydraulic fluid from the first hydraulic actuation chamber when the first hydraulic actuation chamber is in a first pressure state
Data Source
AI summary
A single unit solenoid-controlled hydraulic fluid control valve (HFCV) configured to recirculate an exiting hydraulic fluid from a first hydraulic actuation chamber to a second hydraulic actuation chamber is provided. The HFCV includes a selectively movable spool having an inner fluid chamber configured to receive and deliver the exiting hydraulic fluid to one or both of either a sump or one of the first or second hydraulic actuation chambers.