US 12,270,423 B2
Controller for hydraulic apparatus
Alexis Dole, Nordborg (DK); Matthew Green, Nordborg (DK); John Hutcheson, Nordborg (DK); Daniel Abrahams, Nordborg (DK); and Niall Caldwell, Nordborg (DK)
Assigned to Artemis Intelligent Power Limited, Loanhead (GB)
Appl. No. 18/259,710
Filed by ARTEMIS INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED, Loanhead Midlothian (GB)
PCT Filed Dec. 30, 2021, PCT No. PCT/GB2021/053444
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 28, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/144548, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 7, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 20217931 (EP), filed on Dec. 30, 2020; application No. 2115620 (GB), filed on Oct. 29, 2021; and application No. 2115963 (GB), filed on Nov. 5, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0068494 A1, Feb. 29, 2024
Int. Cl. F15B 21/14 (2006.01); B66F 9/22 (2006.01); E02F 9/22 (2006.01); F15B 1/02 (2006.01); F15B 11/16 (2006.01); F15B 11/17 (2006.01); F15B 21/08 (2006.01)
CPC F15B 21/082 (2013.01) [B66F 9/22 (2013.01); E02F 9/2217 (2013.01); E02F 9/2292 (2013.01); E02F 9/2296 (2013.01); F15B 1/024 (2013.01); F15B 11/165 (2013.01); F15B 11/17 (2013.01); F15B 21/14 (2013.01); F15B 2211/2656 (2013.01); F15B 2211/41518 (2013.01); F15B 2211/71 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A controller for a hydraulic apparatus, the hydraulic apparatus comprising:
a prime mover;
a hydraulic circuit through which hydraulic fluid can flow;
a hydraulic machine having a rotatable shaft in driven engagement with the prime mover and the hydraulic machine defining a plurality of working chambers in the hydraulic circuit, each working chamber being defined partially by a movable working surface mechanically coupled to the rotatable shaft, such that, in operation, the hydraulic machine exchanges energy with the hydraulic circuit and the prime mover by movement of the working surfaces and the rotatable shaft;
a first hydraulic actuator in the hydraulic circuit, in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of working chambers and comprising a first movable component, such that movement of the first movable component causes the first hydraulic actuator to transfer energy to the hydraulic circuit; and
a plurality of routing valves in the hydraulic circuit for selectively routing the hydraulic fluid between one or more of: at least one of the plurality of working chambers; and the first hydraulic actuator, the controller configured to:
determine that an energy return criteria has been met by the first hydraulic actuator and, in response thereto, select at least one among a plurality of energy control strategies to transfer the energy from the first hydraulic actuator via the hydraulic circuit based on at least one operational characteristic of the hydraulic apparatus; and
control at least one of the hydraulic machine and the plurality of routing valves to implement the at least one selected energy control strategy during movement of the first
movable component, the movement of the first movable component in such a way as to meet the energy return criteria,
wherein the plurality of energy control strategies comprises a first energy control strategy and a second energy control strategy,
wherein the first energy control strategy comprises transferring energy from the first hydraulic actuator, via the hydraulic machine, to an energy consumer in torque connection with the hydraulic machine,
wherein the second energy control strategy comprises transferring energy from the first hydraulic actuator to a low-pressure reservoir of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic circuit, and
wherein the at least one operational characteristic of the hydraulic apparatus comprises an indication of an expected energy recovery of one or more of the energy control strategies,
wherein at a first time during movement of the first movable component in such a way as to meet the energy return criteria, a first subset of the plurality of working chambers of the hydraulic machine is in fluid communication with the first hydraulic actuator, and at a second time, different to the first time, during movement of the first movable component in such a way as to meet the energy return criteria, a second subset of the plurality of working chambers, different to the first subset, is in fluid communication with the first hydraulic actuator and a third subset of the plurality of working chambers, separate from any of the second subset, is in fluid communication with a further component in the hydraulic circuit.
 
19. A method of controlling a hydraulic apparatus, the hydraulic apparatus comprising:
a prime mover;
a hydraulic circuit through which hydraulic fluid can flow;
a hydraulic machine having a rotatable shaft in driven engagement with the prime mover and the hydraulic machine defining a plurality of working chambers in the hydraulic circuit, each working chamber being defined partially by a movable working surface mechanically coupled to the rotatable shaft, such that, in operation, the hydraulic machine exchanges energy with the hydraulic circuit and the prime mover by movement of the working surfaces and the rotatable shaft;
a first hydraulic actuator in the hydraulic circuit, in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of working chambers and comprising a first movable component, such that movement of the first movable component causes the first hydraulic actuator to transfer energy to the hydraulic circuit; and
a plurality of routing valves in the hydraulic circuit for selectively routing the hydraulic fluid between one or more of: at least one of the plurality of working chambers; and the first hydraulic actuator, the method comprising:
determining that an energy return criteria has been met by the first hydraulic actuator and, in response thereto,
selecting at least one among a plurality of energy control strategies to transfer the energy from the first hydraulic actuator via the hydraulic circuit based on at least one operational characteristic of the hydraulic apparatus; and
controlling at least one of the hydraulic machine and the plurality of routing valves to implement the selected at least one energy control strategy during movement of the first movable component, the movement of the first movable component in such a way as to meet the energy return criteria,
wherein the plurality of energy control strategies comprises a first energy control strategy and a second energy control strategy,
wherein the first energy control strategy comprises transferring energy from the first hydraulic actuator, via the hydraulic machine, to an energy consumer in torque connection with the hydraulic machine,
wherein the second energy control strategy comprises transferring energy from the first hydraulic actuator to a low-pressure reservoir of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic circuit, and
wherein the at least one operational characteristic of the hydraulic apparatus comprises an indication of an expected energy recovery of one or more of the energy control strategies,
wherein at a first time during movement of the first movable component in such a way as to meet the energy return criteria, a first subset of the plurality of working chambers of the hydraulic machine is in fluid communication with the first hydraulic actuator, and at a second time, different to the first time, during movement of the first movable component in such a way as to meet the energy return criteria, a second subset of the plurality of working chambers, different to the first subset, is in fluid communication with the first hydraulic actuator and a third subset of the plurality of working chambers, separate from any of the second subset, is in fluid communication with a further component in the hydraulic circuit.