210 Mobile 2006 Electrohydraulic Flow Matching (EFM) Bosch Rexroth AG Bosch Rexroth AG Electrohydraulic Flow Matching (EFM)
Electrohydraulic Flow Matching (EFM) Mobile 2006 211
Function
If load sensing controls are not operated with a constantly controlled
excess pressure as it is done with conventional solutions but if one
imposes a total volume flow calculated from the demand of the individual
consumers, this is referred to as flow matching solutions. With respect to
function, they distinguish themselves by means of an improved response
behavior as well as an increased robustness with respect to disturbance
variables. That is, the working hydraulics is more agile and less sus-
ceptible to oscillations.
Energy
Additional benefits occur in energy utilization since there is no fixed
excess pressure of the pump compared to conventional load sensing
systems; instead, the excess pressure sets itself dependent upon the op-
erating point and in doing so is significantly less in the range of low and
medium flow rates.
Electrohydraulic Flow Matching
(EFM) The next Generation of
Load Sensing Controls
Many innovations in the area of drive and control technology for mobile
equipment are based on the improvement or new design of the individual
components. Concerning this matter, there were a number of interesting ad-
vanced developments in recent years. In addition, more holistic reflections of
the subsystems, such as the complete working hydraulics, also offer very in-
teresting possibilities for the improvement and performance increase of mo-
bile equipment. This contribution deals with the result of such a reflection:
Using an innovative combination of available components (variable pump
with electrohydraulic load sensing valve) allows for achieving significant
improvements with respect to function and operability of the machine and
the energy consumption of the working hydraulics. Particularly appealing for
machine manufacturers and hydraulics providers alike is the fact that well-
established components can be used for this purpose. Hence, the develop-
ment work is limited to the functional interaction of the components in the
respective application.
Christoph Latour
Lohr (D)
212 Mobile 2006 Electrohydraulic Flow Matching (EFM) Bosch Rexroth AG

1 State of the art of LS

HM-LS HM-LUDV
controls
A major challenge for mobile equip-
ment is presented by the often high
pL1 pL2 pL1 pL2
number of hydraulic consumers. The
machines frequently feature up to ten
operating functions of which three
or more functions are often used in
synchronous or partially synchronous
operations. This invites the search for
a suitable architecture for the generat-
ing part of the working hydraulics.
In many applications, decisions have
been made to supply as many con- pP pP
sumers as possible using one com-
mon pump, and not least because
of cost reasons. Hence, the control Fig. 1: HM-LS and HM-LUDV circuit diagram.
valves used have the demanding task
of compensating for the different
disturbance variables and changes in
load pressure. Since the supply pres-
command variables of the different
sure adjusts itself constantly to the
consumers in such a way that operat-
highest load pressure, the HM-LS and
ing the machine does not lead to any
HM-LUDV controls are considered to
disturbances or interactions or cause
be energy-saving compared to open
them to be noticed by the operator.
center (OC) controls, in which partial
For this reason, the control valves
flow rates flow off to the tank.
are fitted with pressure compensa-
tors that perform a flow rate control In addition, the HM-LS/HM-LUDV
or flow distribution in conjunction controls have since gained a techni-
with the control cross-sections of the cal state-of-the-art that even very
main valve spool. In this context, two demanding applications with high
designs are generally distinguishes as requirements for the controllability
shown in Figure 1: one with upstream of complex, combined movements
pressure compensator (LS) and one such as those of a wheeled excava-
with downstream pressure compensa- tor can be operated with one pump
tor (flow sharing (LUDV): load pres- with an entirely positive evaluation.
sure-independent flow distribution).
In both control technology solutions
LS and LUDV, the pump is operated
in a hydraulic-mechanical (HM) pres-
sure closed loop control in which a
supply pressure increased by the fixed
excess pressure p is generated de-
pendent upon the respective highest
Bosch Rexroth AG Electrohydraulic Flow Matching (EFM) Mobile 2006 213

2. Further development to- 1

QP
1
QP
QL1 QL2 QL1 QL2
wards EFM

pP
pP
Despite its good technical state, po- Pv-p

Pressure p/pmax
Pressure p/pmax
tentials for further improvements of
Losses Losses
the transmission properties, operabil- 0,5 Consumer 2 0,5 Consumer 2
ity and also energy utilization of the

pL1
pL1
HM-LS and HM-LUDV controls are

still possible.
In the end, the concept or the funda-
mental idea of EFM is the result of the
question: How do the control valves
for the working hydraulics of a work-
ing machine have to be supplied to
provide a consumer flow rate that is
sufficiently fast,
with a high degree of stability,
without appreciable interaction of
the consumers among each other
and with optimal energy utilization?
2.1 Energy utilization level
For HM-LS and HM-LUDV solu-
tions, the pump controls a supply
pressure increased by the fixed excess
pressure p dependent upon the
respective highest load pressure. For
this purpose, the fixed excess pressure
is selected or set at the pump so that
pL2
WV1 WV2
0 0
0 0,5
Flow Q/QPmax
Fig. 2: Diagram of excess pressure of the pump in HM-LS/HM-LUDV solutions (left) and required
excess pressure in partial flow rate/partial load range (right).
do not have to be provided in form of
a predetermined value.
2.2 Dynamic stability
The LS pump is operated in a pressure
closed loop control with the com-
mand variable highest load pressure
which can change significantly. That
is, every change of the highest load
pressure is reported to the pump via
the LS line and it must change the
flow rate in the connected hydraulic
capacity in such a way that the fixed
excess pressure is created again. Due
to the high dispersion of the param-
pL2
WV1 WV2
1 0 0,5 1
Flow Q/QPmax
oscillation tendency of the working
hydraulics under certain operating
conditions. Figure 3 shows the func-
tion elements of an HM-LUDV con-
trol that are at the center of this type
of reflection.
This reflection results in the conclu-
sion that an oil supply according to
the principle of the impressed flow
rate would be advantageous. The only
question remaining is based on which
information the flow rate demand can
be determined.
HM-
HM-LUDV

the oil can still be transported from
the pump to the valve across the sum
of all flow resistances under the most
unfavorable conditions (cold oil or
max. flow rate). However, in certain
operating ranges of the machine, this
predetermined excess pressure is too
high and, strictly viewed, leads to un-
necessary losses of energy. Figure 2
illustrates these connections in sche-
matic form.
Hence, an improved approach is de-
sirable in which the pressure losses
from the pump to the valve result in-
dependent of the operating point and
eters for this pressure control loop
(such as different oil temperatures or
pL1 pL2
natural frequencies/damping levels
of the operating equipment) and a
fixed setting of the control param-
eters at the pump, which must map a
pL1 pL2
compromise for all operating condi-
pP
tions, there are operating areas in the
vicinity of the stability limit of this
closed loop control. Furthermore, the
pressure compensators of the control
pP
valve are directly interacting with the
pressure controller of the pump via
the LS line for the HM-LUDV solu- Fig. 3: Hydraulic circuitry of manometric
tions, which can also increase the balances and pressure controllers of the pump
for HM-LUDV.
214 Mobile 2006 Electrohydraulic Flow Matching (EFM)
2.3 Response behavior
Certain machines exhibit some mo-
tion processes for which the require-
ments of the response behavior, i.e.
the response of the machine or the
working hydraulics to the change
of the setpoints at the joystick, are
extremely high. Based on principle,
these high requirements can frequent-
ly be met by HM-LS and HM-LUDV
solutions, but not always. Reflecting
upon the time sequence of the indi-
vidual processes after actuating the
joystick shows that the pump can
only respond after the valve spool has
already been displaced to a certain
extent and a load signal has been sent
to the LS line. In a simplified way,
the sequence of processes up to the
response of the pump can be repre-
sented as follows (see also Fig. 4):
Joystick generates pilot pressure.
Valve is activated/displaced.
Highest load pressure is sent to the
LS line.
Pump displaces/generates flow.
Pressure build-up in the hydraulic
capacity between pump and valve.
The goal of an improvement in this
area must be to have at least a part of
the sequential processes run in paral-
lel. In this context, it is advisable to
control or activate the control valve
and the pump synchronously in case
of a setpoint change.
Bosch Rexroth AG
HM-
HM-LUDV
1 pL1 pL2
pL1 pL2
3
ECU with
EFM - Control
pL1 pL2 pL1 pL2
pP
pP
2
5
4
pP
Fig. 4: Simplified time sequence until the Fig. 5: EFM-LUDV concept/circuit diagram.
response of the pump for HM-LUDV.
2.4 The idea of EFM independently, without interaction
If one were to replace the pressure- with the pressure compensators.
controlled pump in HM-LS/HM- This principle provides the oil sup-
LUDV solutions (as shown in Fig. 5) ply with an improved robustness of
the control technology.
with a purely swivel angle-adjusted
pump and controls it electrically The pump is controlled almost
in such a way that the flow rate re- synchronously with the valve. The
quested via the setpoint specification effect of timing elements between
is provided approximately at the same the setpoint changes at the joystick
time as the valve opening, it allows and the report of the LS signal for
for achieving the following improve- the pump are eliminated so that an
ments: improved response behavior can be
The modulated flow rate causes the expected.
pressure losses between pump and
valve to be set independent of the
operating point, and in certain areas
lower than the predetermined excess
pressure for the HM-LS/HM-LUDV
solutions. This results in improve-
ments for the degree of energy uti-
lization.
The pump is no longer operated as
pressure controller, but as an elec-
tro-proportional variable pump in
an open control loop. Hence, the
pump does no longer respond to
load pressure changes and operates
Bosch Rexroth AG Electrohydraulic Flow Matching (EFM) Mobile 2006 215

3 EFM in practice
Besides the theoretical, conceptual
reflections, it is also important to ex- 1 Cycle

amine and evaluate the actual behav- 1 2 3 4 5 6

100
ior of the EFM solutions in different
down
applications. Some important and
RPM Cutting Head %

Lifting Cylinder
telling results from the applications
tractor and wheeled excavator are
summarized below. 50

3.1 EFM-LS in the tractor

To evaluate the degree of energy up
utilization, the municipal project 0
Mowing a shoulder was used as an Time

example (Fig. 6). This task is special

because a motorized consumer con-
tinuously requires relatively high flow Fig. 6: Tractor test cycle: Mowing a shoulder.

rates at medium pressure level for

driving the mower and this process is
interrupted by obstacles at relatively
regular intervals. For this purpose, HM-LS: pP=25 bar Constant Pressure Margin
the motorized drive is stopped and EFM: pEDW=11 bar Variable Pressure Margin
the entire mower is lifted. If we look
at the comparison of the degree of 2 100
kWh % +5%
energy utilization after one hour of 80
Energy efficiency
(after 1h of work)

(after 1h of work)

1.5 83
Energy losses

work between HM-LS and EFM-LS 1.55 -24% 78

60
(as shown in Fig. 7), it results in an 1 1.18
advantage of approximately five per- 40
cent for the EFM-LS. These energy 0.5
20
advantages depend very heavily on the HM-LS EFM HM-LS EFM
operating points. But the following 0 1

0 1

can be stated in general: The lower the

medium required hydraulic power (p
Fig. 7: Comparison: Degree of energy utilization of HM-LS and EFM-LS.
times Q), the greater are the relative
energy advantages of the EFM.
216 Mobile 2006 Electrohydraulic Flow Matching (EFM) Bosch Rexroth AG

In another comparison, the dynamic

1 Cycle
behavior of the EFM-LS was exam-
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ined with respect to HM-LS using the 100
work example Loading a trailer with 0 (in)

a front loader. The corresponding %

Lifting height %

Bucket angle
cycle and the measurement results (horizontal)

of the most important hydraulic and 50 50

mechanical variables are summarized
in Figures 8 and 9. It is clearly rec-
ognizable that the swivel angle of the 100 (out)
pump, the generated load pressure Bottom
0
and also the hoist speed of the front Time

loader show a significantly smoother

Fig. 8: Tractor test cycle: Loading a trailer.
time behavior without overshoots or
without superimposed vibrations for
the EFM-LS compared to the signifi-
cantly rougher behavior for the HM-
LS. In addition, the comparison of the
measures excess pressures shows again
the energy advantages of the EFM-
LS except for the phase of the work
cycle in which the pump is completely
swiveled out or the system experiences
an undersupply.

Fig. 9: Comparison: Behavior of hydraulic and mechanical measured variables HM-LS and
EFM-LS.
Bosch Rexroth AG Electrohydraulic Flow Matching (EFM) Mobile 2006 217

1 Pilot pressure build-up

2 Pump pressure build-up
3 Setpoint quantity reached

Fig. 10: Comparison using the wheeled excavator: Response behavior HM-LUDV and EFM-LUDV for the function Lift jib.

3.2 EFM-LUDV in the wheeled
excavator
To be able to evaluate the response
behavior of the EFM-LUDV, the func-
tion Lift boom was examined using
a wheeled excavator. As the left part
of Figure 10 shows, using the HM-
LUDV takes approximately 130 ms
until a visible response at the pump
pressure can be detected after actuat-
ing the joystick. The reasons are the
principle-based time delays described
above for the generation of the load
pressure signal for the pump. For the
EFM-LUDV (right part of the figure),
the actuation of the pump can be set
in such a way that a time delay of only
approximately 30 ms lies between
valve and pump actuation, which cor-
responds to an improvement of the
response behavior of approximately
100 ms. This very significant reduc-
tion leads to a noticeable improve- principle and to verify in the applica-
ment in the operation of the machine, tions that it creates a solution which is
which is described by some operators robust against the variation of operat-
as a very agile machine. ing parameters.
4 Conclusion
The current results achieved with
EFM solutions are very encouraging.
The working hydraulics is simplified
with respect to its principle, the ro-
bustness with respect to disturbance
variables, the response to command
variables and the energy utilization
are improved while using proven or
series-tested components.
The additional focus of the work con-
sists of adjusting the interaction of the
valves and the pump in all relevant
quasi-static and dynamic operating
ranges to such an extent from the