Active Pressure Ripple Control in Axial Piston Pumps through High-Frequency Swash Plate Oscillations—A Theoretical Analysis

Pressure ripple has always been a major drawback in hydraulic circuits, since it is the main source of the overall noise emitted by the pump. This article presents a theoretical analysis on the active control of the pressure ripple in an axial piston pump by properly moving the swash plate. The reduction of the pressure oscillations is studied in an active way and for this purpose a mathematical model of the whole pump has been developed, focusing on both the fluid dynamic aspects and the component dynamics. An experimental activity has been performed in order to validate the pump mathematical model. The results of the simulation, compared with the experimental data, highlight a suitable capability of the model to predict both the dynamics of the swash plate and the delivery pressure ripple. The validated model has been used for implementing an active control of the pressure ripple with the aim of properly modifying the machine displacement at high frequency in order to vary the instantaneous delivery flow rate and, consequently, the outlet pressure. The control strategy is grounded on moving the swash plate for modifying the motion law of the pistons through a servo valve integrated into the displacement control system. The simulations results have demonstrated that acting on the pump displacement control is possible to considerably reduce the amplitude of the pressure oscillations.