18MHC105J – Servo valves

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 1

Learning objectives
Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to:

 What is servo valve?

 What is servo mechanism?

 Differentiate between Servo valve and proportional valve.

 Working principle of torque motor servo valve.

 Working principle of Jet type servo valve.

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 2

What is Servo valve?
 It is a type of valve which is used to adjust the fluid flow based on
changes in the load motion.

 Servo systems involve continuous monitoring, feedback and correction.

 It is used to improve efficiency, accuracy and repeatability.

 The most common applications of servo valves are in aerospace vehicles,

particularly in primary flight controls.

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 3

What is Servo mechanism?
 A servomechanism is defined as an automatic device for controlling a
large amount of power by means of a very small amount of power and
automatically correcting the performance of a mechanism.

 A servo is actuated by an error; this error is the difference between the

desired output and the actual output.

 The power applied to the load is proportional to a combination of the

error signal, its derivatives, and its integrals.

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 4

Differences between servo and Proportional valves
Feature Servo Valve EHPV
Electrical operator Torque motor Proportional solenoid
Precision Extremely high Moderately high
Cost (compared Very expensive Moderately expensive
with
a solenoid valve)
Valve lap Zero or underlap valve Overlap spool, causing a “dead
spool. No dead zone. zone” on either side of the null
position.
Response time for 5–10 ms 40–60 ms
the valve spool to
move fully over

Maximum operating Approx. 100 Hz Approx. 10 Hz

frequency

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 5

What is a valve overlap?
Valve lap, or valve overlap, refers to the amount of spool travel from the
center position required to start opening between the powered input port and
the work (output) port or the tank port.
A zero lapped valve is one in which any tiny, differentially small amount of
spool shift, either way, starts the opening.

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 6

Differences between servo and Proportional valves
 Proportional Valve

 Servo control Valve

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 7

Types of Servo system
 Position servo system

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 8

Types of Servo system
 Velocity servo system

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 9

Types of Servo system
 Force servo system

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 10

Mechanical type servo valve

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 11

Mechanical type servo valve
 A small input force shifts the spool of the servo valve to the right by a
specified amount.

 The oil flows through port P1, retracting the hydraulic cylinder to the
right.

 The action of the feedback link shifts the sliding sleeve to the right until it
blocks off the flow to the hydraulic cylinder.

 Thus, a given input motion produces a specific and controlled amount of

output motion. Such a system where the output is fed back to modify the
input is called a closed-loop system.

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 12

Electrical type servo valve
 The input to an electro-hydraulic (EH) servovalve is typically a current or
a differential current that powers an electromagnetic torque motor.

 The differential current Δi is typically supplied by an amplifier to avoid

excess loading of the interface to the computer or controller.

 A torque motor is an electromagnetic device consisting of one or two

permanent magnets, two pole pieces, a ferromagnetic armature and two
coils.

 The permanent magnet polarizes the upper and lower pole pieces, so that
they present equal and opposite magnetic fields.

 Torque motors are very low-power devices operated on low-voltage DC

power.
De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 13
Electrical type servo valve
 The armature is mounted at its mid-point so that it is free to rotate
through a very limited are either clockwise or counter-clockwise.

 The ends of the armature are extended into the gaps between the pole
pieces.

 The magnetic field holds the armature in a neutral position. The two coils
surround the arms of the armature to form two small electromagnets.

 When a current is passed through the coils, a magnetic field is

generated. The polarity of the field depends on the direction of the
current flow.

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 14

Electrical type servo valve

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 15

Electrical type servo valve
 Flapper position is controlled by the electromagnetic torque motor.

 The torque developed by the torque motor is proportional to the applied

current.

 A torque motor consists of two permanent magnets with a coil winding

attached to a magnetically permeable armature. The armature is part of
the flapper piece.

 When a current is applied to the coils, magnetic flux acting on the ends of
the armature is developed.

 The direction of the magnetic flux (force) depends on the sign (direction)
of the current.

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 16

Electrical type servo valve
 The magnetic flux will cause the armature tips to be attracted to the ends
of the permanent magnets (current direction determines which magnetic
pole is attracting and which one is repelling).

 This magnetic force creates an applied torque on the flapper assembly,

which is proportional to applied current.

 As the applied current is increased, the armature and flapper will rotate.
As the flapper moves closer to one nozzle, the flow area through this
nozzle is decreased while the flow area through the other nozzle
increases.

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 17

Electrical type servo valve
 When the flow areas and inlet nozzle pressures are equal, the flow forces
through each nozzle keep the flapper centered in the neutral position.

 For a zero lapped pilot spool valve, there would be no flow into or out of
the actuator chambers.

 As the flapper moves towards one of the nozzles, the outlet flow area is
reduced for this nozzle. Outlet flow area increases for the other nozzle.

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 18

 Oil Flow

Control Oil Control Oil

P P

A B
 Oil Flow

Control Oil Control Oil

P P

A B
 Oil Flow

Control Oil Control Oil

P P

A B
 Oil Flow

Control Oil Control Oil

P P

A B
 Oil Flow

Control Oil Control Oil

P P

A B
 Oil Flow

Control Oil Control Oil

P P

A B
 Oil Flow

Control Oil Control Oil

P P

A B
 Oil Flow

Control Oil Control Oil

P P

A B
 Oil Flow

Control Oil Control Oil

P P

A B
 Oil Flow

Control Oil Control Oil

P P

A B
 Oil Flow

Control Oil Control Oil

P P

A B
Jet pipe servo valve
 Another method to control the pilot spool is to use a jet pipe
configuration.

 The jet pipe is an alternative to the flapper nozzle system; however, a

similar torque motor is used to control the jet pipe position.

 The jet pipe converts kinetic energy of the moving fluid into static
pressure.

 When the jet pipe is centered between the 2 receiver holes in a receiver
block, the pressure on the servo is equal.

 However, when the jet pipe is rotated toward one of the receiver holes,
the pressure at this receiver hole is greater than the other receiver hole,
thus creating a load imbalance on the servo.
De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 30
Jet pipe servo valve
 Another method to control the pilot spool is to use a jet pipe
configuration.

 The jet pipe is an alternative to the flapper nozzle system; however, a

similar torque motor is used to control the jet pipe position.

 The jet pipe converts kinetic energy of the moving fluid into static
pressure.

 When the jet pipe is centered between the 2 receiver holes in a receiver
block, the pressure on the servo is equal.

 However, when the jet pipe is rotated toward one of the receiver holes,
the pressure at this receiver hole is greater than the other receiver hole,
thus creating a load imbalance on the servo.
De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 31
Jet pipe servo valve

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 32

Jet pipe servo valve

De p a rtme nt o f Me c ha tro nic s Eng g . 33