O + P lhydraulik und Pneumatik 46 (2002) Nr.

Automated self-regulating system for a low reflection line termination (RALA)

Dipl.-Ing. S. Schellinger Dipl.-Ing. E. Goenechea

Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Controls (IFAS), RWTH Aachen Hydraulic components have been the subject of air-borne, fluid-borne and structure-borne noise measurements conducted in the anechoic room at the IFAS for many years now. In an effort to avoid the influences exerted on the studied components by the hydraulic circuit in the anechoic room, a so-called RALA, which is a low reflection line termination (RALA is an abbreviation of the German term Reflexionsarmer Leitungsabschluss), is used to terminate the high-pressure side of the circuit. This article describes an algorithm, which is capable of setting the optimum operating point for a RALA of this nature. In future, this will enable measurements to be made with working points which alter in real time.

1. Introduction Hydraulic systems are in widespread use throughout all fields of modern engineering applications. The pump geometry causes volume flow pulsations, which lead to such disturbing effects as increased noise development or vibrations, for example, either directly or after being converted into structure-borne and/or air-born noise. In addition to this, the pulsations put a strain on the pipeline systems and the systems connected up downstream, particularly in the vicinity of the resonant frequency. The experiments performed in the anechoic room at the Institute of Fluid Power Transmission and Control at RWTH Aachen (IFAS) included an investigation into the noise development of hydraulic pumps, for example, in order to optimise the

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vibration, radiation and/or pulsation behaviour. Only the sound phenomenon attributable to the pump should be measured and evaluated to enable a comparison of the results measured for all pumps. Standing waves, which may be produced by reflections at the end of the line, would make the results measured for the tested unit dependent on the system connected to the pump. One possible means of suppressing these reflections has already been developed at the IFAS. The RALA comprises an adjustable shutter, with volume connected up downstream. Analogous to a so-called terminating resistor, which is used to prevent reflections at the end of the cable in an electrical system, the RALA is fitted between the pump output and the load in a hydraulic system. This means that a reflection-free state can be achieved as a function of pressure, temperature and volume flow for every operating point by altering the shutter. The pulsation at the RALA end of the tested unit is therefore no longer determined by the geometry of the hydraulic system. Up to now, the RALA developed at the IFAS has been trimmed manually, by comparing the shapes of the two pressure signals and then turning an adjusting screw to reduce or increase the shutter aperture. Using this method, the ideal operating point was characterised by the fact that, apart from phase and amplitude, the two pressure signals were identical. The development of the self-regulating system has led to a situation in which the pressure signals can now be analysed by computer and adjustment of the shutter aperture is controlled by a motorised, automated system on the basis of this data, so that the RALA adopts the optimum reflection-free operating point for every working point of the tested unit without any interaction.

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Figure 2: The hydraulic circuit with low reflection line termination RALA (5) and motorised adjusting unit (9 & 10)

2. Use of the RALA The RALA is part of a hydraulic circuit, as shown in Figure 2. The circuit essentially comprises a hydraulic pump (1) with drive motor (2), the high-pressure line (3) with two dynamic pressure measuring points (4a and 4b) and the RALA (5). A pressure control valve (6) is fitted downstream of the RALA in the hydraulic circuit to simulate a load. A static pressure sensor (7) and a temperature sensor (8) enable monitoring of the operating pressure and temperature. The high-pressure line, which runs between the pump and the RALA must be as smooth and free of interference as possible. The two dynamic pressure sensors (4a and 4b) are positioned one meter apart and register the pressure pulsation. Made up of piezoelectric elements, the pressure sensors supply charge fluctuations, which are converted into voltage signals by

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measuring amplifiers. These voltage signals used to be compared visually until the self-regulating system was developed. A hydraulic actuator was used to adjust the shutter of the RALA manually for optimum trimming of the line for the respective working point. The automated self-regulating system now performs this function and controls the shutter aperture in such a way as to ensure that the reflection-free state is adopted at all times. 3. The reflection-free terminating resistor Theoretically speaking, the RALA constitutes an infinitely long line in the hydraulic system. The pulsation wave continues to runs along it until it is transformed by dissipation. The reflection factor is zero. There is an electrical analogy to this situation.

Figure 3: Analogies between a hydraulic pipeline and an electrical cable

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A terminating resistor is connected to the end of an electrical cable to prevent induced waves being reflected. All waves are absorbed by the terminating resistor as long as it matches the line impedance. There are also electrical analogies for other components in a hydraulic system. This is illustrated in Figure 3 with reference to a hydraulic pipeline and an electric cable.

Figure 4: Equivalent electrical circuit diagram of a hydraulic line and an electrical cable Figure 4 shows the equivalent circuit diagram of a line, whereby its characteristic wave impedance is given by:
Z line () = R + jL G + j C

where = 2 f (1)

The dashed values are per unit length, i.e. they are given in [unit per metre].

Figure 5: Equivalent electrical circuit diagram of the hydraulic circuit

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Figure 5 shows the equivalent electrical circuit diagram of the hydraulic circuit. The impedance of the pump and the line impedance are combined into Z1 upstream of the first dynamic pressure, and the impedance of the pressure control valve (DBV (6) in Figure 2) is combined with the line impedance from the pressure control valve to the oil tank, that constitutes the hydraulic zero potential (p = 0 bar), into Z2 . The pressure pulsations at the two measuring points correspond to the alternating voltage U1 and U2 in the equivalent electrical circuit diagram. The terminating resistance is given by:
1 sC volume

Z ter min ating =

Rshutter +

Z 2 (2)

The reflection factor is determined by:

r ( s) = Z ter min ating Z line Z ter min ating + Z line

(3)

In conjunction with (2), this gives the frequency-dependent reflection factor at the RALA:
r (s ) = ( Rshutter Z line ) ( s + K 0 + K 1 ) (4) ( Rshutter + Z line ) ( s + K 0 + K 2 )

where
K0 = K1 = K2 = 1 Cvolume Z 2 1 C volume ( Rshutter Z line ) 1 Cvolume ( Rshutter + Z line )

(5) (6)

(7)

As far as the trimmed RALA is concerned, the shutter resistance is the same as the line impedance
(

Rshutter = Z line ) and the reflection factor is therefore r(s) = 0.

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Figure 6: Pole/zero diagram of a low pass The following applies if the shutter of the RALA has been closed too far: Rshutter > Z line : r ( s) = H 0

s + K 0 + K1 s + K0 + K 2

where K1 >K2 . If the reflection factor is interpreted

as being a transfer function, the value of the zero (numerator from formula 4) is greater than the value of the pole (denominator from formula 4) ( NS > PS ). The pole and zero are entered in the diagram in Figure 6. This corresponds to the pole/zero diagram for a low pass. If the shutter of the RALA has been opened too far, given by: Rshutter < Z line :
r ( s) = H 0 s + K 0 + K1 s + K0 + K2

where K1 <K2 , it is logical to assume that the value

of the zero is less than the value of the pole NS < PS . This situation is shown in Figure 7 and corresponds to the pole/zero diagram of a high pass.

Figure 7: Pole/zero diagram of a high pass Summary: The reflection factor of the RALA in its optimum operating point is given by r(s) = 0. If the shutter has been closed too far, the reflection factor of the RALA assumes low pass characteristics. If the shutter has been opened too far, the reflection factor of the RALA assumes high pass characteristics.

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4. The algorithm The algorithm is based on the assumption that an ideally trimmed RALA prevents reflection of the pressure pulsations. The reflection factor of a poorly trimmed RALA, on the other hand, has either high pass or low pass characteristics. In this case, excitation takes the form of the dynamic pressure fluctuation produced by the volume flow pulsation of the connected pump. The wave timetables for the three operating states show the way in which the respective operating state can be detected from the dynamic pressure signal using Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT). To illustrate this, the Fourier coefficients shown in the diagram of the wave timetables have been restricted to two orders of different frequencies.

Figure 8: Wave timetable of the trimmed RALA

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The amplitudes of the pressure pulsations in the hydraulic system are attenuated by around 6 dB for all operating frequencies in the experimental set-up. As far as the forward wave is concerned, the ratio of the two harmonics at the first pressure sensor remains the same after running through the one-meter long pipe to the second pressure sensor (Figure 8). The reflective properties of the RALA are what alter the ratio of the harmonics at the two pressure sensors, enabling the algorithm to detect the current operating state and to correct it in order to achieve a reflection-free state. An untrimmed RALA reflects pressure pulsations as a function of the frequency, whereby the reflection factor has low pass characteristics, i.e. low frequencies are reflected to a greater extent than high frequencies if the shutter has been closed too far (Figure 9).

Figure 9: Wave timetable of the hydraulic system with low pass termination

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If the shutter has been opened too far, the reflection factor adopts high pass characteristics, i.e. high frequencies are reflected to a greater extent than low frequencies (Figure 10).

Figure 10: Wave timetable of the hydraulic system with high pass termination The algorithm is based on the Fourier Transformation (FT), which maps the signals from the time domain onto the frequency domain. In mathematical terms, this transformation is described by
F ( ) =
+

f (t) e

j t

dt

(8)

and is founded on the theory that each signal can be broken down into a series of sinusoidal oscillations of different frequencies and amplitudes. The American scientists Cooley und Tukey have devised a number of algorithms which reduce the computing time required to form the Fourier integral considerably. These have become well known as the Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) and are frequently

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used as they reduce the computing time to a minimum while maintaining sufficient accuracy. Each of the two dynamic pressure sensors detects the sum of the forward and return pulsation waves at the two measuring points 4a and 4b (refer to Figure 2). The control algorithm then forms the FFT for both pressure signals. These pressure signals may contain harmonics up to the tenth order, for instance. The control algorithm uses two of these harmonics for the calculation and produces ratios for both measuring points. The RALA has assumed a reflection-free state if the two ratios are the same. If the difference between the two ratios does not equal zero, the shutter must be opened or closed according to the sign preceding the difference. 5. The hardware The algorithm described above was initially tested on a mobile RALA with electrical adjustment. The electrical components of the automated RALA can be divided into three areas: signal recording, signal processing and control signal output. The pulsation signals are recorded by two dynamic pressure sensors. The construction of the sensors is such that they supply a charge signal which is proportional to the pulsation signal. This charge signal is converted into a voltage signal in the measuring amplifiers and is routed to the line input of a sound card in the computer (Figure 11).

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Figure 11: Block diagram of the electrical system for the automated RALA The computer processes the signals by applying the above-mentioned algorithm to them in order to subsequently transmit a control signal to the motor controller via the RS232 interface. A power pack feeds a 24 V / 10 A power supply to this motor controller, which then controls the servo motor for the shutter. With 50 to 60 revolutions per minute, this servo motor produces 10 Nm of torque. The RALA has been designed for operating pressures up to 250 bar. The 5 Nm maximum torque required to adjust the RALA was determined at its adjusting spindle at this operating pressure.

When the end position of the spindle is reached - determined by the geometry of the RALA and interpreted by a ten-turn limit switch potentiometer - a limit switch analyser (Figure 12) generates a TTL signal, which is sent to the motor controller (Figure 11) and inhibits the appropriate direction of rotation for the motor. This means, for example, that when the shutter is closed, the end of the spindle cannot be run into it any further, thereby preventing the spindle becoming jammed in the shutter aperture.

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Figure 12: Circuit diagram of the limit switch analyser In Figure 12, component Ref01 supplies a exactly 10 V as the reference voltage. This 10 V supply is fed to three potentiometers: the setting potentiometer for the upper limiting value (end mark 1), the setting potentiometer for the lower limiting value (end mark 2) and the potentiometer on the outside of the RALA, which reads out the current position. The potentiometers act as voltage dividers here, which means that they supply a voltage between zero and ten volts according to their respective positions. Component TL074 contains four operational amplifiers (OP), whereby two of them are used. The voltage from the external potentiometer is supplied to the negative input of one operational amplifier and the positive input of the other. The voltages supplied by the other two potentiometers are fed into the other operational amplifier inputs. The operational amplifier compares the two applied voltages in the following way: if the voltage at the positive input (+) is greater than at the negative input (-), voltage is applied to the output. The output voltage is used to give a visual indication with an LED, to generate a TTL signal and to switch a relay. If one of the LEDs lights up, this means that the RALA has reached an end position. The motor controller uses the two TTL signals to inhibit the motor's respective direction of rotation. When one of the end marks is reached, the relay switches a

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pulsation signal to earth. This measure was initially intended to improve the reliability of the system as a whole, with the information about reaching one of the end marks being received by both algorithm and computer. However, the algorithm has proved to be so reliable in service that this information is not needed. The measuring amplifier can now supply the pulsation signal to the computer directly, without having to pass through the analyser. An adapter cable is required to supply the pulsation signals to the line input on the sound card. This cable has two BNC connectors of the standard type used in metrology at one end and a 3.5 mm stereo jack plug of the standard type used in PC and hi-fi technology at the other end. The pin assignments are in accordance with the DIN stereo standard for the left and righthand channels when the experimental set-up is arranged in the following way from left to right: pump, first pressure sensor, second pressure sensor, RALA. This adapter also offers a means of making the pressure signals audible for the human ear through a stereo system as the pulsation signals are within the 50 Hz to 5000 Hz range. As a rule, the levels used in measuring systems are between 10 V and + 10 V, whereas the levels used in hi-fi technology are generally between 1 V and + 1 V. To reduce the level of the pressure signals down to sound card level, the gain of the measuring amplifier must be reduced to such an extent that the maximum amplitude does not exceed 1 volt.

The pressure signals may be input and the control signal for the motor output via the sound card. In this case, the motor should be controlled by means of a pulse-widthmodulated signal (PWM). The computer is currently reading the two pressure signals in via the sound card and outputs the control signal for the motor via the serial RS232 interface. 6. Determining the quality of the reflection-free state The forms of the two pressure signals are compared in the time domain in order to determine the quality of the RALA setting. With the distance between the two pressure sensors amounting to approximately one metre, a wave peak (marked in green in Figure 13) reaches the second sensor approx. 0.77 ms (where

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c l = 1300 m / s ) later than the first. Dissipation weakens the amplitude by around factor G ( ) = 2 . This corresponds to an attenuation of A( ) = 20 log G ( ) = 6dB .

Figure 13: The time signals for the pulsations Time lag (phase) and amplitude attenuation both depend on numerous factors (e.g. temperature and medium). An algorithm which compares the forms of the two signals

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in the time domain and, as a result, reflects the quality of reflection freedom, therefore presupposes dynamic compensation of these differences. The result is output to a virtual oscilloscope. Figure 13(b) shows the oscilloscope for a perfectly trimmed RALA. Figure 13(c), on the other hand, shows an RALA setting that needs to be re-adjusted. The curve forms are not the same in spite of the standardisation. The green curve representing the difference between the two pulsation signals, which is a straight line in the ideal case of the perfectly trimmed RALA (refer to Figure 13(b)), degenerates into a waveform in Figure 13(c). The area under the difference curve is evaluated in order to assess the setting of the RALA. The value of the difference curve and the integral of this value must be calculated for this. The RALA is perfectly trimmed if the value of the integral is zero. The RALA requires re-adjustment if the value is greater than zero. 7. Conclusion The algorithm discussed in this article offers a faster, more accurate means of evaluating a hydraulic pump than has been possible up to now. This is because previous methods defined the parameter fields to be measured, which were characterised by discrete rpm, pressure and volume flow values, as well as temperature values where applicable. The RALA was adjusted manually for each working point. The RALA had to be trimmed before conducting the measurements. The algorithm finds the optimum reflection-free working point quickly and reliably. As a result of this, the developed algorithm can be used to run through extensive ranges of pressure, rpm and volume flow values while the RALA adjusts automatically in real time. It is now possible to conduct measurements during pump acceleration, which cover the entire rpm range of the pump and this data can then undergo an order analysis, for example. The acquisition of cascade diagrams in real time is also conceivable, indicating FFT spectra of the pressure pulsation at the high-pressure connection of a pump as a function of the pressure. Measuring techniques like this and the ability to measure up to eight sound, pressure and/or acceleration signals at the same time facilitate the localisation of resonance effects within a pump considerably.