Modeling, Optimization and Control of Advanced Switched Inertance Hydraulic Converters

每一个液压回路都在浪费能量。最近的一项研究估计，美国液压设备的平均能效为21%，每年浪费约100亿升柴油。加拿大可以预期会有类似的整体效率和相应的能源浪费。当高压流量被控制阀节流以控制流量或压力时，液压回路中浪费的大部分能量就会损失。一项有可能使这些回路的效率发生革命性变化的技术是开关电感液压转换器(SIHC)。与节流阀不同，节流阀在降低流量或压力时会损失能量，SIHC将高压、低流量输入转化为受控的低压、高流量输出(反之亦然)，将压力能量高效地转化为流动能量，而不是失去它。如果在整个行业中应用，可以预期SIHC将对全球化石燃料的消费产生重大影响。这项拨款申请涉及这些设备的建模和优化，特别是与限制其实际实施的复杂波传播效应有关。

Every hydraulic circuit wastes energy. A recent study estimated the average energy efficiency of hydraulic equipment in the US at 21%, wasting energy on the order of 10 billion liters of diesel fuel yearly. Canada can expect to have a similar overall efficiency and proportionate waste of energy. Much of the energy wasted in hydraulic circuits is lost when high pressure flows are throttled by control valves in order to control flow or pressure. A technology that has potential to make a revolutionary change in the efficiency of these circuits is the Switched Inertance Hydraulic Converter (SIHC). Unlike throttling valves, which lose energy when reducing flow or pressure, SIHCs convert a high-pressure, low-flow input into a controlled low-pressure, high-flow output (or vice versa), converting pressure energy into flow energy at high efficiency rather than losing it. If applied across the industry, SIHCs can be expected to make a significant impact in the worldwide consumption of fossil fuel. This grant application is concerned with modeling and optimization of these devices, particularly to do with the complex wave propagation effects that limit their practical implementation.