Influence the applied control structure on energy efficiency of the hydrostatic system

A control system with a proportional directional throttling control valve or a directional control servo valve, controlling a cylinder (linear hydraulic motor) is used in the ship steering gear drive, in the controllable pitch propeller control, in the variable capacity pump control system for hydraulic deck equipment motors or fixed pitch propellers in small ships (for example ferries). The hydraulic system is designed first of all taking into consideration the nominal parameters of the cylinder load and speed. For such parameters, the energy efficiency of the elements and complete system is described. Meanwhile the exploitation conditions can vary in full range changes of the cylinder load and speed coefficients. The article presents a comparison of the energy behaviour of two widespread structures of hydrostatic systems: a standard individual systems with a throttling steering fed by a constant capacity pump. Both hydraulic solutions are described and equations of the total efficiency η of the system are presented. Diagrams of energy efficiency of two hydraulic systems working at the same parameters of a speed and a load of hydraulic linear motor, which were different due to structure are presented and compared, as well ability of energy saving. This publication also presents analyses and compares the areas of the power fields of energy losses occurring in the elements of two hydraulic systems with different structures of the hydraulic linear motor speed control.