Design and Research on Electro-Hydraulic Drive and Energy Recovery System of the Electric Excavator Boom

Abstract

The hydraulic accumulator has the advantages of high power density, fast response, stable operation and high cost performance. However, compared with the electric energy storage method, the hydraulic accumulator has low energy density and large pressure fluctuation while absorbing and discharging energy, which severely limits its application in hydraulic excavators. To improve the potential energy loss of the boom during the lowering process, an electro-hydraulic drive and energy recovery system for excavator booms (EHDR-EEB) based on a battery and accumulator is proposed. As a result, a simulation model of the electro-hydraulic drive and energy management strategy of a 1.6 t pure electric hydraulic excavator is built to investigate the energy regeneration and utilization. The simulation outcomes show that the potential energy recovery rate is as high as 92%. This research on EHDR-EEB makes a significant contribution to the economic improvement of electric hydraulic excavators.