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2.6 Electrohydraulic servovalves 2.6.1 Principles of operation Considering a typical servovalve, steady-state ideal flow equations will serve to illustrate a common inherent nonlinear characteristic of a crucial hydraulic component used for precision control applications. Figure 2.14 shows a schematic of a popular servovalve design. i

i
Q1 Q2 Ps t

Q1

P1

Q2 P2

Figure 2.14 An electrohydraulic servovalve The electromagnetic first stage produces a torque which may be assumed proportional to current, and the flapper/nozzle stage generates pressures that are applied to each end of the spool. The feedback wire couples the spool to the flapper creating force feedback such that, with a current applied, the flapper rapidly returns to its central position with the spool displaced such that the wire feedback torque balances the electromagnetic torque. The pressure differential generated by the flapper/nozzle stage may be analysed using the schematic shown as figure 2.15. In practice the nozzle clearance xnm is significantly smaller than the nozzle diameter and the curtain area dominates the flow characteristic through the nozzle. This type of pressure control device suffers a small inherent flow and power loss. The device is essentially a potential divider that uses the resistance properties of each orifices and nozzle pair. As the flapper is displaced from its null position, one pressure increases and the other decreases to create a pressure differential across the spool. xnm xnm Qy Pb Qb Ps Figure 2.15 A flapper/nozzle stage Bernoulli-type flow is assumed through each orifice and nozzle and figure 2.16 shows measured characteristics for a servovalve with matched orifices. In practice each nozzle null pressure is typically half the supply pressure so the working part of figure 2.16 is towards the right hand side. The flow equations are then as follows, assuming negligible flow to each end of the spool and a small flapper displacement x : x Qa Qx Pa

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2( Ps Pa ) 2 Pa 2( Ps Pb ) 2 Pb ( 2.21)

Q a = C qo a o Q x = C qn a nx 2 d o 4

Q b = C qo a o Q y = C qn a ny

ao =

a nx = d n ( x nm x )

a ny = d n ( x nm + x )

Re-arranging these equations for the condition Qx = Qa and Qy = Qb then gives the pressures as follows : P P 1 1 Pa = Pb = b Pb = Pa = a Ps Ps 1 + Z(1 x ) 2 1 + Z(1 + x ) 2 Pa Pb = 4 Zx 2 )(1 + Z(1 + x ) 2 ) (1 + Z(1 x ) x= x x nm ( 2.22)

0.5 0.4 Flow L/min 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 20 40 Pressure drop bar

Flapper/nozzle (2)

Orifice

60

80

a) Flow/pressure characteristics
1 Flow coefficient 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 0 20 40 Pressure bar 60 80

b) Flow coefficients Figure 2.16 Measured flow characteristics for a servovalve orifice and nozzle pair The design parameter Z depends on the flow coefficients and the dimensions of each restrictor and may be expressed as follows : 2 C qn d n x nm ( 2.23) Z = 16 C qo d o d o

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From figure 2.16, the appropriate flow coefficients at the higher-pressure end of the working range and other data are : Cqn 0.62 dn = 0.47 mm xnm Cqo 0.79 do = 0.22 mm

= 0.032 mm

Z = 0.95 This is close to the value of Z1 typical of design practice and has been measured for the servovalve under study here. Returning to the pressure characteristic given by (2.22) it can be seen that if Z=1 then each nozzle null pressure is Ps/2. Also note from (2.22) that the null gain is given by : d ( Pa Pb ) 4Z = dx P P = 0, x = 0 (1 + Z) 2 a b ( 2.24)

This has a maximum value of 1 when Z = 1 again suggesting that this value of Z is to be desired in practice. The characteristic for Z = 1 is shown in figure 2.17. (Pa Pb)/Ps
1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2 0 -0.4 -0.6 -0.8 -1

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0.5

x/xnm

1.5

Figure 2.17 Flapper/nozzle stage pressure characteristic Z=1 In practice a drain orifice is used in the flow return line to create a very small drain pressure which helps to stabilise flow characteristic around the flapper. This lowresistance orifice effect is easily introduced into the previous theory, although it has a secondary effect on the pressure gain characteristic shown in figure 2.17. The pressure differential acting across the spool creates the reacting torque at the feedback wire which balances the applied electromagnetic torque. This results in a spool displacement, hence flow rate, ostensibly proportional to applied current for a design carefully controlled around the null condition. Erosion of servovalve orifice and flapper/nozzle elements can be a problem in some applications due, for example, to either particle contamination of the oil or water ingress. However changing technologies are overcoming these issues, such as the use of different materials for the flexure sleeve and sapphire components for the orifices and the ball which is bonded to the end of the feedback wire. Figure 2.18 shows such developments now available on a selected range by one servovalve manufacturer.

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Sapphire for ball and orifices Titanium flexure sleeve

Figure 2.18 The use of sapphire and titanium technologies to significantly improve performance and reliability of servovalves (Star Hydraulics Ltd UK) A complete analysis of a servovalve would need to consider spool flow equations, flow reaction forces and other reaction torques on the flapper together with forces acting on the spool. For steady-state operation most of these issues are secondary particularly since in practice the servovalve performance is easily obtained or directly measured. As an example of just one issue, figure 2.19 shows the computed flow characteristic through a spool port for two different openings. This has been derived using the FLUENT Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) package. The high-velocity jet can be seen at the restriction, the reality being that the pressure rapidly changes at this point. This figure illustrates the complex flow regime with its changing jet angle as the port opening is increased. Following basic flow reaction force theory outlined earlier, this will lead to a flow reaction force that also changes with port opening, providing an axial area is available for the force to react against. The flow coefficient, Cq, will also change with port opening and in this example has been plotted in figure 2.20.

0.2mm opening 0.5mm opening Figure 2.19 Flow though a servovalve port at 100bar pressure drop Spool land = 2mm, land diameter = 3.96mm, spindle diameter =1.96mm ISO 32 Mineral oil, flow left-right