Ehydraulics

Volvo CE excavator
The EC950F, Volvo's largest crawler excavator, delivers a high bucket capacity for more tons per hour, achieving a fast and efficient on-site production. Photographer: VolvoCE

The aim of the project is to promote the electrification of working machines. Neither the hydraulic systems nor the pumps are currently optimised for use with an electrical primary source of energy.

Hydraulic systems can work with high efficiency, and the project is eager to preserve this. In combination with electric power supply to the pump, in particular in mobile applications, it is important that the combined unit, known as an “E-pump”, unites the advantages of electricity and hydraulic systems. This project is based on the suggestion to create an integrated component in which an electric motor and power-supply electronics are combined with a suitable hydraulic pump concept. The combined unit will have higher power density and efficiency, with a lower noise level.

Current hydraulic systems do not exploit the potential of electrical systems to provide varying rates of revolution, nor their ability to distribute and recycle the available energy. If these benefits can be used, it will give better system efficiency, which in turn means that the required battery capacity in the vehicle is lower.

Electrohydraulic

Many different electrohydraulic systems have been proposed, but none of them has taken a comprehensive view of how, where and when the various system solutions are to be used to achieve optimal functionality in combination with best energy efficiency. In this project, multi-pump solutions are in focus which is a potential way to benefit of the electrification.

E-pump

A satisfactory solution for an integrated solution with an electric motor and a hydraulic pump/motor has not been presented, but the need for new solutions for E-pumps for electrically operated mobile machine has become clear. The proposed pump has good noise properties, in combination with high efficiency and compactness. In addition, it has unique possibilities for integration with an electric motor. The design of the pump allows many different E-pump solutions to be created for different systems and operating conditions, and one, two or four-quadrant pumps can be built.

The result of the E-pump development will benefit all applications that use hydraulic systems, such as manufacturing facilities, forestry machines, trucks, and aircraft.

Hypotheses

1

The specification of requirementsfor the mobile hydraulic system will change when the primary source of powerchanges from combustion engines to electric motors.

2

It will be possible to integratethe hydraulic pump/motor with the electric motor to create a more compact andefficient unit adapted for mobile applications.

3

The smart integration andco-optimisation of the hydraulic system and the electrohydraulic pump will leadto improvements in both system components.

Brief facts about the project

Funding

The Swedish Energy Agency – FFI Energy and Environment

FFI, a strategic initiative in vehicle research and innovation, is a collaboration between the government (VINNOVA, the Swedish Transport Administration, and the Swedish Energy Agency) and the motor industry (Scania CV, AB Volvo, Volvo Personvagnar and FKG). It provides collaborative funding for research, innovation and development with a focus in two areas: climate & environment, and safety. The initiative has an annual budget of around SEK 1 billion, half of which is public funding.

Project partners

  • Gnutti Carlo Sweden AB
  • Volvo Construction Equipment

Schedule

Period 1: April 2020-March 2023

Period 2: October 2023 - October 2026

Electrohydraulic is one component of the FFI, a national initiative in vehicle research and innovation.

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