Digitalization of Radial Piston Pumps through Internal Mechanically Actuated Designs

Summary: Hydraulic hybrid drivetrains are a popular alternative to conventional drivetrain architectures in automobiles due to their energy savings, flexibility, and ease of operation. However, current hydraulic hybrid drivetrains have relatively low efficiencies, mainly due to the use of conventional pump/motor units. This study proposes a new methodology to improve the overall efficiency of hydraulic hybrid drivetrains by replacing conventional units with digital counterparts. Experimental results show that the digital pump/motor can achieve higher efficiencies and improve the total efficiency of the drivetrain by up to 25%.