The system is designed to enable new ways to reduce energy losses in hydraulics. It connects all the machine’s work functions to a hydraulic energy storage via a common pressure rail, comprised of two or more pressure lines. The energy storage, which consists of hydraulic accumulators, enables energy-efficient recovery of kinetic energy and peak power supply.
For cylinder-driven functions, so-called ‘smart actuators’ are used to achieve energy-efficient conversion from hydraulic power to a variable force and speed.
Volvo Construction Equipment (CE), which developed the system in close partnership with Finnish company Norrhydro, says it is another innovation in line with achieving Volvo Group’s net-zero value ambitions by 2040.
The Volvo CE team from Sweden and South Korea took part in the research project, leveraging an idea initially born out of academic collaborations. Volvo says the system has now matured into a real-world solution with ongoing customer trials in the field. It is expected to accelerate the introduction of e-mobility across Volvo CE’s larger excavator platform. The company anticipates the new technology to be available in the excavator market in the near future.
The winners of the Volvo Technology Award 2021 are Kim Heybroek, Sangki Bae, Junwoo Kim, Byeongmo Ko, Donghun Oh, Wonkil Choe, Wontaek Oh and Namgyu Kim.
