FLOW RIPPLE REDUCTION OF BALANCED VANE PUMP FOR VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE CONTROL IN AN ELECTRIC MOBILE MACHINE

The powertrain electrification of mobile machines is an effective method to reduce emissions and increase energy savings. Variable speed drive (VSD), has emerged as a more efficient and compact alternative for the electrified powertrain architectures. Existing vane pump technology, represented by Parker T7 Series and well-known as lower flow ripple and less noise comparing to piston pumps and gear pumps, is a promising choice for the VSD system. However, the limited performance of the balanced vane pump at low speeds hinders its further adoption. Therefore, the flow ripple characteristics of a balanced vane pump are studied across the full speed range, focusing specifically on speeds below 600 rpm. A lumped parameter model is proposed and implemented in MATLAB without relying on the computationally burdensome CFD approach. This model considers the interactions between vane radial motion and chamber pressure dynamics. Based on this model, the causes of flow ripple under low-speed conditions are analyzed. The results demonstrate that optimizing the structural parameters of the triangle groove can effectively reduce flow ripple under low-speed condition.