Swash plate design for pressure ripple reduction - A theoretical analysis

Abstract

The delivery pressure ripple has always been a critical aspect in fluid power applications, since it generates noise and stresses the hydraulic circuit components at the delivery side of the pump. In this paper a possible strategy for the reduction of the delivery pressure ripple is proposed regarding a variable displacement axial piston pump through suitable modification of the swash plate surface. For this purpose a mathematical model of the pump has been developed, focused on the fluid-dynamic aspect with particular attention on the piston kinematics. The model has been used to introduce a passive control solution in order to modify the instantaneously delivered flow rate and consequently the pressure ripple. In detail, it has been hypothesized to modify the swash plate realizing on its surface a profile with the purpose of modifying the motion law of the pistons. The simulations results have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed solution in reducing the amplitude of the pressure ripple.