Abstract
Hydraulic drives are widely found in industrial manufacturing, energy power plants and other important application domains, due to their high power density and robustness. However, one major problem facing modern hydraulic drives is their considerably lower efficiency compared to other drives. Switched hydraulic systems present a possible solution to this challenge. By using a number of different operating modes, these systems can adapt themselves to current load conditions, thereby maximizing efficiency. Despite their great energy-saving potential, care must be taken when using such systems due to the possibility of unstable mode switching and non-smooth physical behavior not desired by operators. This paper reviews recent theoretical and practical developments in the category of switched hydraulics by specifically discussing an innovative design for mobile applications called STEAM.
