Servo, Hydraulic - Equations

For reference, a servo is shown in Figure 1. Parameters are also defined in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Basic Servo Showing Flow Geometry and Parameters

Using the turbulent orifice equation, the flow expression for flow through servo flow ports is

( ) ( ) 2 ρ p1 − p2
Q = Q x , ∆p = α A x
v d v
(1)

where A (x ) is the area of the valve orifice (servo port). The flow area depends on port
v
geometry, which varies with manufacturer, valve type, and spool position. Inspection of the
equation (2) indicates that the flow rate varies proportionally with area if the ∆p is held constant,
and that the flow rate varies with the square root of ∆p if the flow area is held constant. Figure 2
shows notional charts of the flow behavior for a servo which are similar to orifice flow graphs.
 Figure 2 Flow Rate Behavior for a Servo

Many servos use rectangular flow ports so that flow area varies linearly with spool position. For
servos with rectangular flow ports,
A( xv ) = wxv (2)
where w is the slot width and xv is the position of the valve. A similar equation can be developed
for servos with circular flow ports but the flow area will depend on the flow port diameter and
spool position. In this case, the area relationship will be nonlinear. Developing an equation
governing a specific servo requires developing a relationship for flow area as a function of the
input parameter and determining an appropriate discharge coefficient to use in equation (1).

Flow Area Determination

For a two position (open/close) solenoid servo, the flow area is either Amin (which is usually zero)
and Amax. Changing between Amin and Amax takes less than 100 milliseconds in most applications
(see Figure 3).

Figure 3 Flow Rate Behavior for a Two Position Servo

For a proportional valve (position is proportional to current), the flow equation can be stated in
terms of an applied current, uv, to the valve,
2 Av, max (3)
Q = Q(u , ∆p) = α u ∆p ≡ c u ∆p
v d ρ u v vu v
v, max
In equation (3), the flow area is ratio’d by the applied current, so the inputs to the equation are the
applied current and ∆p across the servo.
For a mechanically actuated servo valve the flow area will be a function of the mechanical
linkage, Flow Area = f(Input, Geometry). Figure 4 shows an example of a mechanically actuated
servo.

Figure 4 Mechanically Positioned Servo

For the servo shown in Figure 4, the spool position can be computed through the a ratio of input
link lengths, for small angle movements, i.e.,
L
x =x = BC x (4)
servo v L +L input
AB BC
The flow area then becomes a function of xservo.

Discharge Coefficient Determination

Once the flow area geometry as a function of the input is defined, the next step is to compute the
discharge coefficient for the servo. Like orifices, discharge coefficient estimation is different for
laminar and turbulent flow. The equations to compute discharge coefficient for servos are
empirical and have been developed during laboratory testing.
The discharge coefficient for a servo will be in the 0.61 to 0.70 range. A value in this range can
be used if no other data is available. Typically, for turbulent flow, nominal fluid properties and
rectangular port valve geometry
2 for MIL-H-5606
α = 104.5
d ρ
and the rectangular flow port servo equation [equation (1)] becomes
Q = 104.5x w ∆p (5)
v

where xv and w are in inches, ∆p is in psi and Q becomes in3/sec. Equation (5) is the equation
typically used in simulation models for servovalves.
For low Reynolds numbers, an empirical formula for laminar-turbulent servo flow is
  2 
 c  c 
(6)
Q=c x 
v v  lt  + ∆p − lt 
  x  x 
v v
 
where

A = π dx
v
δυ ρ Re
c = crit
lt 2
4 2δ
δ = slope of the curve α = δ Re for orifice flow
d
Recrit values are same values used for turbulent-laminar orifice flow (see Orifice Flow, Hydraulic -
Equations). A typical value for clt is 0.6.
Other means to estimate the discharge coefficient are empirical (based on test data). An
empirical approximation for the discharge coefficient is given by
 x 
α =α
d ()
x = α 1 − k
d v d0  d,corr x
v 

(7)
 v,max 

where

αd0 basic discharge coefficient

(typically αd0 = .65)
kd,corr correction factor (typically kd,corr = .32)
xv,max maximum stroke of the spool

Equation (7) could be used with equation (1) when no data is available for discharge coefficient
and flow port geometry is not available.
The flow coefficient may also be obtained experimentally or using catalog data from the
manufacturer (QN, ∆pn, xv,max). For a 4 way valve,
Q 1
c = N (8)
v ∆p x
N v, max
2
where
QN nominal (rated) flow
∆PN nominal (rated) pressure drop
xv,max maximum stroke of the spool

The corresponding discharge coefficient is

Q
α = N
(v, max )
(9)
d
A x ∆p ρ
N
which is based on rated flow at rated pressure and maximum servo stroke. Instead of using
stroke, valve current can also be used. Using current, equation (9) becomes
 QN
αd = (10)
imax ∆pN ρ
where
QN nominal (rated) flow
∆PN nominal (rated) pressure drop
imax maximum (rated) current for the valve
When using equation (10), the flow equation for the servo becomes

(
v )
Q = Q x , ∆p = α
di
i
2 ρ p −p
1 2
(11)
max
In equation (11), i is the applied current, which in effect ratios the flow area between zero and the
maximum flow area.

Axial Spool Flow Forces

The force of flow on a servo is caused by a change in the momentum of the flow, due to
differences in jet angles between inlet and outlet flows (see Figure 1) (e.g., for flow in the
direction shown p1 > p2). In Figure 1, the flow forces act in a direction to move the servo to the
left. Spool flow forces have a steady state and dynamic component.
The steady state axial flow force on the spool can be calculated using
F = 2 α A(x ) (cosθ )∆p (7)
ax, steady d v
The jet angle can be assumed constant at θ = 69°, which is the theoretical value if no radial
clearance existed between spool and sleeve. As stated above, the direction of the flow force is
opposite the flow direction.
For unsteady flow, the fluid in the valve chamber is accelerated. This creates a dynamic force
which is reacted on the spool valve lands with a magnitude given by
 Q& 
Fax,dyn = ma = (ρlAs )  = ρlQ& (8)
 As 
Using the orifice flow equation, the dynamic force becomes
∆&p
Fax,dyn = ρlcv x&v ∆p + ρlcv xv (9)
2 ∆p
Dynamic force is proportional to spool velocity and pressure changes. Pressure rate change is
often small and can be neglected. Since the force, Fax,dyn, tends to close the valve this term
provides damping (i.e., improves stability). Note that the 1st term of equation (12) contains l,
which is the length between the ports, and therefore, by increasing the distance between the
ports the effective damping in the servo is increased.
Equations (12) and (14) are used in the dynamic model of spool.

Dynamic Modeling of Servos

The pressure derivative for a servo is similar to a pipe. If we let P2, outlet pressure, and Q1, inlet
flow, be the inputs to the servo model, the outputs become P1, inlet pressure, and Q2, outlet flow,
using

P& (t) =
1 V
β
p
(
Q −Q
1 2 ) (10)
The outlet flow, Q2, is computed by the appropriate flow equation for the servo geometry. The
area in the flow equation will, of course, be a function of spool position. Hence spool position will
be an input to a servo component model.

The flow equation for Q2 is based on equation (1) for the particular valve.

2 v( )
Q = Q x , ∆p = α A x
d v ( )2 ρ p −p
1 2
(11)

where A(xv) is based on the valve characteristics discussed above.

In some cases, the dynamics associated with servo position may be important. For analysis, the
servo dynamics may be important for a proportional controlled servo or for a servovalve (see
Servovalve, Hydraulic - Equations).

Figure 5 Basic Servo Showing Flow Geometry and Parameters

Referencing Figure 5, the dynamic equation for spool position is computed from a mass balance
on the spool,
x + F ( x& ) + k x + F (x , P , P ) = F
m && (12)
s v f v s v ax v 1 2 0
where ks is the spring constant and F0 is the spring preload. Equation (17) is a second order
equation, with a natural frequency given by
 k
ω = s (rad/sec) (13)
n m
s
Equation (16) then represents the bandwidth of the system, however, the servo may have low
damping and therefore the servo should be operated at a maximum input frequency much less
than the natural frequency.

Flow Equations for a 4 Way Servo

To expand on the flow curves shown in Servo, Hydraulic – Description and Servovalve, Hydraulic
– Description, the equations for a 4 way valve are presented below. A 4 way valve is shown in
Figure 6. Note that the servo is equivalent to 2 orifices connected in series with a load. For a
symmetric valve, the orifice areas will be equal for any spool position.

Figure 6 4 Way Servo Schematic

For the Q1 and Q2 orifices,

Q = α A (x ) (2 ρ ) ( p − p = x C ∆p
1 d 1 v S A v 1 1 (14)
Q = α A (x ) (2 ρ ) ( p − p = x C ∆p
2 d 2 v B R v 2 2
Rewriting

Q2 Q2
∆p = 1 and ∆p = 2 (15)

(xvC1 ) (xvC2 )
1 2 2 2

where ∆p1 and ∆p2 are the pressure drops through each valve orifice. The total pressure drop
through the valve is

Q2 Q2
∆P = ∆p + ∆p = 1 + 2 (16)

(xvC1) (xvC2 )
1 2 2 2

For a symmetric valve with equal flow areas and equal flow through each port,
 C2 + C 2 
Q2  1 2=Q
2  2 
(17)
∆P = ∆p + ∆p =  2
1 2 x2  C2 C2  x2 C 
v  1 2  v
Rewriting in terms of flow
x C
Q= v ∆P = C x ∆P (18)
2 v v
Equation (23) can be further reduced by assuming the return pressure, pR, is negligible so that

v v S A B (
Q=C x p − p − p =C x p − p
v v S L ) (19)

For terminology, the parameters in equation (24) are listed below

Q flow through the load or load flow

Cv valve coefficient
xv spool displacement
ps supply pressure
pL pressure drop across actuator piston or load pressure

A plot of flow versus load pressure using equation (24) at several valve positions is shown in
Figure 7.
 Figure 7 Flow versus Load Pressure for a 4 Way Servo

The square root in equation (24) leads to the nonlinear flow curve. However, flow will increase
linearly with valve position assuming a rectangular flow port.