Digital Hydraulic Motor Characteristic Analysis for Heavy-Duty Vehicle Traction

Hydraulic motors have been widely used in large-scale machinery such as ground heavy equipment and heavy-duty vehicles, ships, and so on because of their high-power drive capability. However, the driving device is confronted with constraints related to its size and weight. Typically, the hydraulic axial piston motor is preferred for its simplicity and efficiency. However, the oil distributor in traditional hydraulic motors faces significant challenges, such as evident oil leakage and power loss from the mating surfaces of the fixed oil distributor and rotating cylinder block. To enhance the reliability and performance of hydraulic motors employed in paper driving applications, this paper introduces a digital radial hydraulic motor used for heavy-duty vehicle traction. The motor is powered by an on-board pump station from which several on/off valves can distribute the hydraulic oil. This design effectively mitigates the performance degradation issues associated with friction and wear in traditional hydraulic motor oil distributors. The drive characteristics of the motor can be flexibly adjusted through the combination of valves. Our investigation into the motor’s design principles and parameter analysis is poised to make an indirect yet significant contribution to the optimization of heavy-duty vehicle traction systems. This paper delineates the application conditions and operational principles of the digital hydraulic motor, thoroughly analyzes the intricate topological interrelationships of its parameters, and meticulously develops a detailed component-level model. Through comprehensive calculations, it reveals the impact of configuration and flow valve parameters on motor efficiency. A simulation model is established for the purpose of verification. Furthermore, the influence of the flow allocation method on efficiency and pressure pulsation is examined, leading to the proposal of a novel flow allocation strategy, the efficacy of which is substantiated through simulation. In conclusion, this paper formulates critical insights to inform the design and selection of components for digital hydraulic motors. These findings may provide a feasible solution for heavy-duty vehicle traction application scenarios.