Power hydraulics - switched mode control of hydraulic actuation

This paper is concerned with the application of switching technology to hydraulic actuation. Over the last 50 years with advances in power electronics, faster and faster static switches have been developed and applied to the control of motors. Hydraulic technology evolved in the opposite direction: switching control was not considered, and more and more accurate proportional flow/pressure control devices (servovalves etc) were developed. However despite the sophistication of such valves, from an energetic viewpoint proportional control is dissipative and inefficient. Indeed, by analogy it can be seen as the equivalent of resistive (rheostatic) motor control. In robotic applications where high power density, ruggedness and reliability are key requirements hydraulic actuation can be a sensible choice. However, the low efficiency of proportional control can be a limitation and it is necessary to go beyond the paradigm of proportional flow/pressure control. One response to this challenge is to revisit traditional on-off hydraulic technology and develop "power hydraulic" devices that behave in analogous manner to their power electronic counterparts. "Power hydraulics" is a challenging and little explored technology due to the markedly non-linear behaviour of hydraulic systems and the need of components with dynamic specifications that are not readily available off-the-shelf. After an analysis of the real on-off characteristics of a valve, a prototype hydraulic switching converter, inspired by the electric DC-DC Buck converter, is presented and its performance in pressure control mode, relative to a classical proportional valve-controlled system, are assessed. An energy saving of 75% is achieved. Merits and limitations of the current design are identified.