Control Based Enhanced Regenerative Modes for Hydraulic Multi-Actuator Systems

Abstract

This paper focuses on a control-based approach for enhancing the regenerative capabilities of hydraulic multi-actuator systems using individual metering valves. Thanks to this architecture, pressure and displacement of each actuator can be controlled nearly independently. By determining online, the right pressure to be driven, it enables the optimization of regenerative control strategies for resistive or driving forces. Globally, this control strategy behaves such as a load sensing approach but each metering valve is piloted in order to activate regenerative mode when it is allowable. The main contribution relies on optimizing the pressure to be controlled in each actuator and the main pump in order to maximize the regenerative capacity of a hydraulic machine while following a displacement. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is proved in simulation. Only a single pump line regeneration is explored here but extensions to multi-pump or direct regeneration are also possible.