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An improved design of power-cycling hydrodynamic mechanical transmission

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Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated that the power-cycling hydrodynamic mechanical (PCHM) transmission has excellent performance in improving power performance and fuel economy of a wheel loader. However, these results have been obtained by assuming that its speed ratio can always change continuously. Hence, this study first investigated the speed ratio of the transmission how to change when shifting from one gear to another. It was found that the concept of the PCHM transmission suggested in the literature is ineffective, even for a configuration with two gears in the gearbox. Then, the configuration of the PCHM transmission was developed as a different one to increase the torque multiplication capacity and efficiency of the transmission. A design method for this transmission is proposed to quantify its performances. The design method is based on a multi-objective optimization problem which is comprised of two objectives, seven design variables and eleven constraints. The relationships between average efficiency of the transmission and maximum tractive force of the vehicle and the seven transmission parameters are qualitatively examined. Results show that the performance of the transmission depends mainly on the number of transmission gears instead of on three parameters of the torque converter. The average efficiency is not sensitive to the maximum tractive force on a globally optimal Pareto front. The PCHM transmission with the new configuration can enable the average efficiency and the maximum tractive force to increase by 2.1 % and by 6.6 %, compared to that of the traditional hydrodynamic mechanical transmission, respectively.

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Abbreviations

PCHM:

Power-cycling hydrodynamic mechanical

HM:

Hydrodynamic mechanical

ZSR:

Zero speed ratio

PGT:

Planetary gear train

PRHTS:

Power reflux hydraulic transmission system

FRM:

Fixed ratio mechanism

MSRR:

Maximum speed ratio range

i PCHMT, j :

Speed ratio of the PCHM transmission for the jth transmission gear

K PCHMT, j :

Torque ratio of the PCHM transmission for the jth gear

η PCHMT, j :

Efficiency of the PCHM transmission for the jth gear

α :

PGT’s gear ratio

η pgt :

PGT’s efficiency

i TC :

Speed ratio of the torque converter

K tc :

Torque ratio of the torque converter

igb (igb,j):

Speed ratio of the gearbox (for the jth gear)

η gb :

Efficiency of the gearbox

i frm :

Speed ratio of the FRM

η frm :

Efficiency of the FRM

i fd :

Speed ratio of the final drives

η fd :

Efficiency of the final drives

i wr :

Speed ratio of the wheel reducers

η wr :

Efficiency of the wheel reducers

η sp :

Efficiency of the spur gears

m :

Number of transmission gears

T p :

Input torque of the torque converter

λ p :

Pump torque coefficient of the torque converter

η p :

Input speed of the torque converter

ρ :

Oil density

g :

Acceleration of gravity

D :

Torque converter diameter (m)

Tin (Tin, j):

Input torque of the PCHM transmission (at each transmission gear)

λin (λin, j):

Input torque coefficient of the PCHM transmission (at each gear)

nin (ηin, j):

Input speed the PCHM transmission (at each gear)

T out, j :

Output torque of the PCHM transmission at each gear

η out, j :

Output speed the PCHM transmission at each gear

C out, j :

Output capacity coefficient of the PCHM transmission at each gear

M cv :

Angular momentum of the oil

T cv :

Partial derivative of Mcv

T cs :

Net flux of Mcv passing through the control surface

F tractive, j :

Tractive force for the jth gear

v j veh :

Vehicle speed for the jth gear

i PCHMU,max gb, m :

Maximum speed ratio of the PCHM unit at the highest gear

β p :

Exit angle of the pump blades (°)

β s :

Exit angle of the stator blades (°)

i frm, 1 :

Gear ratio of the first FRM

T :

Geometric progression between the gearbox gear ratios

R ver :

Ratio of the vehicle speed range of efficiency increments to that of efficiency decrements

F tractive, max :

Maximum tractive force (N)

ϕ :

Tire/road surface adhesion coefficient

T max out,PCHMU :

Maximum output torque of the PCHM unit

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51875055).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmissions, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China

    Xiaojun Liu & Dongye Sun

Authors
  1. Xiaojun Liu
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  2. Dongye Sun
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dongye Sun.

Additional information

Recommended by Editor No-cheol Park

Xiaojun Liu is a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Chongqing University, China. He received the Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Chong-qing University. His research interests include development of new configurations for drivetrains of offhighway vehicles, efficiency analysis and fuel consumption optimization of transmissions.

Dongye Sun is a Professor at State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission, Chongqing University, China. He received the Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Jilin University, China, in 1996. His research areas of interest include power transmission and integrated control, hybrid powertrain design theory and control methods.

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Liu, X., Sun, D. An improved design of power-cycling hydrodynamic mechanical transmission. J Mech Sci Technol 34, 3165–3179 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-0708-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-0708-0

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