Hydraulic Power Modulation Laminar Proportional Amplifier Development.
Abstract
A basic analytical and experimental study of the influence of geometry on laminar proportional fluidic amplifier characteristics has been conducted. Performance characteristics for current HDL C-Format amplifier designs as well as new configurations have been determined to identify the design tradeoffs among characteristics including blocked load gain, pressure recovery, flow recovery, efficiency, laminar operating range and dynamic response. The results of the study have led to the development and testing of a laminar proportional amplifier (LPA) specifically designed for power modulation applications. The power modulation amplifier has a nossle to splitter distance which is 37.5 percent of the standard LPA design and as a result has a blocked load pressure gain which is approximately 35 percent of that of the standard LPA, but has a pressure recovery, 1.35 times and efficiency double the respective values of the standard LPA. In addition, the power modulation LPA has an increased operating range with respect to temperature variations and increased dynamic response with an increase in the frequency at which 90 degrees phase shift occurs in the frequency response by a factor of 2.6. The increased pressure recovery and efficiency can lead to reductions in fluidic system size and weight for applications in which power modulation is of prime importance. Keywords include: Laminar proportional amplifier, and Hydraulic systems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA163390
Entities
People
- D. N. Wormley
- Kevin M. Lee
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology