Control system for recovering swing motor kinetic energy
First Claim
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1. A control circuit comprising:
- a swing motor, the swing motor having a first port and a second port, the swing motor moving in a first direction when a flow of hydraulic fluid flows into the swing motor through the first port, the swing motor moving in a second direction when a flow of hydraulic fluid flows into the swing motor through the second port, the second direction being opposite to the first direction;
first and second motor conduits, the first motor conduit connected to the first port of the motor, the second motor conduit connected to the second port of the motor;
a pump adapted to selectively provide a flow of hydraulic fluid to the swing motor through the first and second motor conduits; and
an accumulator system, the accumulator system including a pressure-controlled selection valve and an accumulator, the selection valve hydraulically connected to the first and second motor conduits and to the accumulator, the selection valve movable between a first open position, wherein a flow path between the first port of the swing motor and the accumulator is defined, and a second open position, wherein a flow path between the second port of the swing motor and the accumulator is defined, the selection valve being disposed in the first open position when the pressure in the first motor conduit is greater than the pressure in the second motor conduit, and the selection valve being disposed in the second open position when the pressure in the second motor conduit is greater than the pressure in the first motor conduit.
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Abstract
This disclosure relates to a hydraulic system and method that converts the kinetic energy generated by the operation of a swing motor into hydraulic potential energy and reuses the hydraulic potential energy for swing motor acceleration. An accumulator can be provided for storing exit oil from the swing motor that is pressurized by the inertia torque applied on the moving motor via movement of an upper structure of a machine. The pressurized oil in the accumulator can be reused to accelerate the swing motor by supplying pressurized oil to the swing motor.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A control circuit comprising:
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a swing motor, the swing motor having a first port and a second port, the swing motor moving in a first direction when a flow of hydraulic fluid flows into the swing motor through the first port, the swing motor moving in a second direction when a flow of hydraulic fluid flows into the swing motor through the second port, the second direction being opposite to the first direction; first and second motor conduits, the first motor conduit connected to the first port of the motor, the second motor conduit connected to the second port of the motor; a pump adapted to selectively provide a flow of hydraulic fluid to the swing motor through the first and second motor conduits; and an accumulator system, the accumulator system including a pressure-controlled selection valve and an accumulator, the selection valve hydraulically connected to the first and second motor conduits and to the accumulator, the selection valve movable between a first open position, wherein a flow path between the first port of the swing motor and the accumulator is defined, and a second open position, wherein a flow path between the second port of the swing motor and the accumulator is defined, the selection valve being disposed in the first open position when the pressure in the first motor conduit is greater than the pressure in the second motor conduit, and the selection valve being disposed in the second open position when the pressure in the second motor conduit is greater than the pressure in the first motor conduit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for controlling a swing motor comprising:
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directing a flow of hydraulic fluid through a first motor conduit into a first port of the swing motor and out of a second port of the swing motor into a second motor conduit to move the swing motor in a first direction; decelerating the flow of hydraulic fluid through the swing motor into the first port and out the second port; providing a flow path from the second port of the swing motor to an accumulator such that at least a portion of the flow of hydraulic fluid exiting the swing motor from the second port is directed into the accumulator. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for controlling a swing motor comprising:
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recovering kinetic energy generated by the operation of the swing motor; converting the kinetic energy recovered from the swing motor into hydraulic potential energy; and reusing the hydraulic potential energy converted from the kinetic energy recovered from the swing motor for swing motor acceleration.
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Specification