Electro-hydraulic pump sets offer energy efficiency gains
08 September 2015
Combining the power density of Eaton’s pump systems with the smart control functionality of VSDs can achieve power-on-demand in a more energy efficient way than a conventional proportional valve based system.
Eaton is merging its electrical and hydraulics capabilities to offer machine and system builders variable speed drive (VSD) pump assemblies that deliver improved machine performance plus significant energy savings; up to 70 percent is claimed, depending on machine duty cycle.
Combining the power density of Eaton’s pump systems with the smart control functionality of VSDs, such systems can achieve power-on-demand in a more energy efficient way than a conventional proportional valve based system.
The scalable, fully integrated electro-hydraulic system comprises a broad range of vane and piston pumps, filters, frequency inverters, control and switch gear, and can also make use of Eaton’s novel SmartWire-DT intelligent wiring technology. A VSD controlled system can include one or more pumps, selected from Eaton’s range of PVM variable piston pumps, Hydrokraft variable piston pumps or VMQ fixed vane pumps.
Instead of operating constantly at 1,500 or 1,800rpm (depending on region), using VSDs, such as Eaton’s PowerXL DG1 general purpose drive or SPX 9000 high performance drive, the system can be controlled to match the precise load requirements of the current duty cycle, thus minimising energy waste.
Eaton sees a broad range of applications for these electro-hydraulic offerings, ranging from the machine tool sector to casting, steel or press applications, where users get the benefit of extended machine life, thanks to reduced heat generation, as well as improved operator safety and comfort with the reduction in pump noise levels.
As equipment efficiency increases, oil coolers can be downsized, limiting the amount of oil used and extending the life of both seals and oil. Moreover, a more energy-efficient system can help machine builders meet current energy related regulations such as the Energy related Products (ErP) directive 2009/125/EC.
By integrating IP67 SmartWire-DT I/O modules, and thus taking SmartWire-DT outside the control panel, sensors and actuators are easily installed to monitor and control vertical movement of cylinders, or the temperature and pressure of the pump system. As the IP67 modules can be provided as units with just a single I/O, machine builders have greater freedom of choice in terms of architecture.
The process from design to assembly is greatly simplified, and new system construction or modification to existing machines can be carried out with less cabling effort and with reduced use of materials.
The hydraulic power unit is controlled by Eaton’s HMI/PLCs, and can be integrated into an existing control system via an Ethernet interface or via common fieldbus protocols. With SmartWire-DT integrated within the system, motor protection or pilot devices can be connected without having to resort to conventional point-to-point wiring. Eaton claims that the use of its SmartWire-DT technology in such applications slashes the time needed to wire up a machine by as much as 85 percent.
SmartWire-DT both interconnects and provides power to as many as 99 stations with a range in excess of 600m. The way SmartWire-DT works significantly reduces wiring errors; it also helps machine builders experiencing a shortfall in qualified wiring technicians, as the training needed to get a SmartWire-DT user up and running is both short and independent of previous wiring experience.
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