TY - JOUR
T1 - A Self-Contained Electro-Hydraulic Cylinder with Passive Load-Holding Capability
AU - Padovani, Damiano
AU - Ketelsen, Søren
AU - Hagen, Daniel
AU - Schmidt, Lasse
PY - 2019/1/18
Y1 - 2019/1/18
N2 - Self-contained electro-hydraulic cylinders have the potential to replace both conventional hydraulic systems and the electro-mechanical counterparts enhancing energy efficiency, plug-and-play installation, and reduced maintenance. Current commercial solutions of this technology are limited and typically tailor-made, whereas the research emphasis is primarily on cost efficiency and power applications below five [kW]. Therefore, there is the need of developing more flexible systems adaptable to multiple applications. This research paper offers a contribution in this regard. It presents an electro-hydraulic self-contained single-rod cylinder with passive load-holding capability, sealed tank, capable of recovering energy, and scalable up to about eighty [kW]. The system implementation on a single-boom crane confirms its feasibility: The position tracking error remains well within ±2 [mm], oscillations are limited, and the overall energy efficiency is about 60 [%] during actuation. Concerning the passive load-holding devices, it is shown that both vented and non-vented pilot-operated check valves achieve the desired functioning and can hold the actuator position without consuming energy. Additional observations about the size and the arrangement of the load-holding valves are also provided. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates that the proposed self-contained cylinder can be successfully extended to several practical applications, especially to those characterized by overrunning external loads and the need of securing the actuator position.
AB - Self-contained electro-hydraulic cylinders have the potential to replace both conventional hydraulic systems and the electro-mechanical counterparts enhancing energy efficiency, plug-and-play installation, and reduced maintenance. Current commercial solutions of this technology are limited and typically tailor-made, whereas the research emphasis is primarily on cost efficiency and power applications below five [kW]. Therefore, there is the need of developing more flexible systems adaptable to multiple applications. This research paper offers a contribution in this regard. It presents an electro-hydraulic self-contained single-rod cylinder with passive load-holding capability, sealed tank, capable of recovering energy, and scalable up to about eighty [kW]. The system implementation on a single-boom crane confirms its feasibility: The position tracking error remains well within ±2 [mm], oscillations are limited, and the overall energy efficiency is about 60 [%] during actuation. Concerning the passive load-holding devices, it is shown that both vented and non-vented pilot-operated check valves achieve the desired functioning and can hold the actuator position without consuming energy. Additional observations about the size and the arrangement of the load-holding valves are also provided. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates that the proposed self-contained cylinder can be successfully extended to several practical applications, especially to those characterized by overrunning external loads and the need of securing the actuator position.
KW - Self-contained cylinders
KW - electro-hydraulic systems
KW - load-holding valves
KW - modeling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85060538111&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/en12020292
DO - 10.3390/en12020292
M3 - Journal article
VL - 12
JO - Energies
JF - Energies
SN - 1996-1073
IS - 2
M1 - 292
ER -