With increasing numbers of industries switching from traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) driven mobile machinery to electric, Parker has set about addressing concerns associated with proving and utilising emerging technology such as risk, long-term reliability and ease of adoption.
For these reasons, we have recently launched a state-of-the-art electrification system development and validation facility in Warwick, UK. Parker’s Electrification Test Cell can help those looking to adopt our new Electro-Hydraulic Pump System (EHPS) for mobile motion systems equipment. Examples include materials handling and reach stacker applications, wheeled excavators, wheel loaders, heavy-duty forestry and mining equipment.
EHPS has been designed to lift and lower large bodies of equipment in next-generation mobile vehicles. On lowering, the pump/motor can be used in reverse as an electric generator, while upon lifting, stored energy can be reused to reduce load on the diesel generator. Very significant energy savings have already been seen in real-life applications.
In aid of those looking to adopt this ground-breaking technology on their mobile vehicles, the new Electrification Test Cell uses the flexibility of high-power density, programmable electro-hydraulic pumps to replicate a large range of loading and duty-cycle profiles, while monitoring system efficiency, energy usage and concept performance.
Working in partnership with customers, we can validate the capabilities and savings on offer with EHPS. Moreover, future risk levels are significantly reduced as the system and software can be developed, diagnostics validated, functional safety confirmed, and lifetime reliability testing completed. All of this can be accomplished in a timeframe much shorter than would be possible without such a resource, and with evaluation and performance data available remotely over the IoT.
As a concept, our Electrification Test Cell uses a second motor as the load, so no cylinders or lifting weights are required, thus providing the capability to accurately and quickly replicate the customer application. The upshot is high efficiency and low peak power usage. Under full IQAN electronic control we are monitoring system parameters such as pressure, temperature, flow and speed. We have designed the cell so that each specific system configuration can be quickly replicated and tested.
A decoupled solution such as EHPS brings a number of key advantages to the electrification marketplace, not least regarding the potential to deploy a smaller ICE, or eliminate it altogether. What’s more, the EHPS provides system benefits of energy recovery, power on/off demand and lift/lower operation being independent of the ICE speed or torque.
For those looking to validate the capabilities and savings on offer with EHPS, reduce future risk levels and significantly shorten time to market, the availability Parker’s Electrification Test Cell can help get customer products to market faster and with lower risk.
If you would like to find out more about our Electro-Hydraulic Pump System (EHPS) and the advantages it can bring to your project, please click here.
This article was contributed by Ciprian Ciuraru, project manager, Mobile Hydraulic Systems Division Europe, Parker Hannifin Corporation.
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